A family tragedy has spurred a North Yorkshire woman to get in the saddle at York races. MAXINE GORDON reports.

KRISTA Brown lifts her garage door to reveal not a car, but a black mechanical horse facing straight on to a large, ornate mirror.

It’s here the mum of two comes three times a day to practise the art of being a jockey.

Krista is frantically training to get fit so she can take part in the first charity race at York Races on June 16, in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Although Krista is an accomplished eventer, competing at national and international level in dressage, showjumping and cross country, this will be her first time racing on the flat.

“It’s a totally different discipline, you use completely different muscles,” says Krista.

Most mornings she goes to the yard of top trainer Mick Easterby to ride on the gallops overlooking the castle ruins at Sheriff Hutton.

For the June race, she will be riding thoroughbred Pitkin, part-owned by Mick and Steve Hull. Putting Krista through her paces in her effort to be race-day ready is Mick’s granddaughter and point-to-point champion Jacqueline Coward.

Krista says she couldn’t be in better hands. “Jackie is a brilliant jockey. I’m learning lots.”

Krista, who is married to Nick Brown, managing director of Browns Department Stores, has also been to racing school at Newmarket and Doncaster to prepare her for the big day. “We practise things like coming out of the stalls. That is such a buzz. You literally go ‘whoosh’ as the horse comes out at such speed.”

The charity race will be nine furlongs – just over a mile – and should last just a couple of minutes, but Krista knows she has to be super fit for the challenge. To this end, she has been running and going to the gym to get in the best shape.

Considering she has been training for just two months and will be one of the few jockeys in the charity event who have never raced on the Flat before, Jackie is optimistic about her chances.

“I think she will do very well. She has put a lot of effort into it. I’ve been very impressed with her,” she said.

Whatever the outcome, Krista plans to continue Flat racing. “I’ve got the bug,” she says with a smile. She has already bought herself a racehorse, Ivester, and hopes to pass her racing exams later in the summer.

Ivester is settling in nicely at Krista’s family home and stables just outside Sheriff Hutton. Krista has 16 horses, mostly used in eventing.

She says: “Racing is more of a family affair than eventing. Everybody likes to go along to the races for a day out.”

Indeed, Krista’s family will be at York to watch her debut. It will be particularly poignant for her family – mum Maureen, dad Clifford, sister Natalie and brother Alexander.

Krista is racing in memory of her sister Eleanor Booth, known as Ellie to her friends and family. In 1990, Ellie died from a brain tumour. She was only 18. Money raised from the charity race will go to Macmillan, a charity close to the family’s hearts. Krista is hoping to raise at least £5,000 by taking part. “Macmillan basically spent a year and a half with us, counselling us and helping us grieve,” explained Krista. “They helped us to get through it. The whole family was in turmoil.”

Ellie made such an impact on one of the Macmillan nurses, Clare Fitzgibbon, that she dedicated a chapter to the teenager in the memoir Sunshine & Shadows.

In it, Clare tells how brave Ellie planned her own funeral and wrote a poem to be read at the ceremony.

Krista has reprinted the poem, Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, on the letter she is sending out to prospective sponsors.

She says that although Ellie died more than 20 years ago, the family keeps her memory alive. Krista visits her grave annually on her birthday. She says losing a loved one can’t help but shape your life. “It makes you live life to the full,” says Krista. “I probably pack more into one day than many people do in a week. I want to get the most out of life. You don’t know what’s around the corner.”

• Krista has set up a Just Giving page online for people to donate to Macmillan. Go to justgiving.com/Krista-Brown

Ellie’s poem

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Yesterday
I watched with wonder
As the rosebud burst forth into
A vermillion bloom of velvet petals

Today
the thorns prick at my fingertips
And the only light is the sullen gleam of my tears
The only sound the hollow echoes of my empty world

Tomorrow
the sunbeams will dance again
And in the rich soil, the saplings will flourish
Beneath the warm golden hue of the new dawn.