By Special thanks to Czech Road Racing statistician Jan Vavra, who has put together this fascinating article, which covers 20th, 21st Century UK, Irish, Manx racers at Horice, Czech Republic based events.
Jan’s recently compiled piece, reads as follows:
The first riders from the British Isles and Ireland participating in non-yesteryear races at Horice during the 1970´s were John Burgess and Charlie Dobson. During the 1980’s there were Tony Carey, Ronan Sherry and Louis With.
From the 1990’s UK pilots included Russell Benney, John Caffrey, Michael Sutton, Mick Jeffreys, Roy Jeffreys and Ray Hutchinson.
To the present times, 50 riders in total from the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man have participated at Horice (not on classics machinery).
England has been represented by road racing stars Danny Webb, Davey Todd, Jamie Coward, Forest Dunn, Gary Johnson, Stephen Smith and additional great riders.
Michael Pearson, Darryl Anderson, Shaun Anderson, Victor Gilmore, Timmy Elwood, Wayne Hamilton and Davy Morgan were stars from Northern Ireland in Horice.
Fastest Welsh racers were Rhys Hardisty and Mark Purslow. Irish riders Derek Sheils and Andrew Courtney were also very fast and fastest Manx heroes were Dan Kneen and Jamie Williams.
Michael Pearson has five wins and Shaun Anderson four wins from 300 Curves of Gustav Havel.
Davey Todd and Danny Webb have two wins from Czech TT+IRRC races. Pearson and Webb are former overall lap record holders, Anderson (Shaun) is a former Supermono lap record holder and Todd is fastest newcomer in overall Horice history. First right corner at Horice after start is named ‘Pearson´s corner’.
Of course, we also know added racers from the British Isles in Classic Horice races outside this list like Dennis Bagshaw, Peter Blight, David Gilbert, Richard Ford, Andy Hunt, Mick Moreton, Gary Jamison, Billy Lyle.
Chris McGahan, Alan Smallbones, James Walker, Mick Wainwright, or Sidecar pilots Mike Bellaby, Dick Hawes, Steven Cox, Andy Nourish and Wally Saunders.
The riders from the British Isles, Ireland, the Isle of Man to have sampled Horice, read as follows:
Horice participants 2006-2023
(Personal best lap time located near racers name)
Danny Webb – 2.14.294
Davey Todd – 2.15.084
Michael Pearson – 2.17.445
Derek Sheils – 2.17.971
Jamie Coward – 2.18.177
Forest Dunn – 2.19.123
Dan Kneen – 2.19.735
Darryl Anderson – 2.20.654
Gary Johnson – 2.20.734
Shaun Anderson – 2.20.736
Jamie Williams – 2.22.363
Rhys Hardisty – 2.22.432
Victor Gilmore – 2.23.737
Mark Purslow – 2.24.127
Stephen Smith – 2.24.770
Timmy Elwood – 2.25.641
James McBride – 2.25.946 (only practice)
Andrew Courtney – 2.26.236
Gavin Lupton – 2.27.725
Wayne Hamilton – 2.27.830 (only practice) / 2.34.518
Davy Morgan – 2.28.079
Paul Gartland – 2.30.024 (only practice) / 2.33.085
Mark Kelly – 2.30.484
Adrian McFarland – 2.30.822 (only practice) / 2.49.655
Andrew Brown – 2.31.951
Austin Wren – 2.35.289
Dave Walsh – 2.35.630
Corran Smyth – 2.36.560 (only practice) / 2.41.336
Alan Brown – 2.37.796
Stuart Fitton – 2.40.887
Chris Barton – 2.41.423
Paddy Woodside – 2.41.747 (only practice) / 2.44.389
Darren Gilpin – 2.42.780
Tim Stephenson – 2.50.200
Desmond Butler – 2.51.930
Sarah Boyes – 2.52.408
David Webber – 2.52.840
Brian Smith – 2.53.442
Jack Williamson – 3.05.026
Horice participants before 2006
(personal bests are not known – year of participation near racer’s name):
John Burgess – 1970
Charlie Dobson – 1975
Tony Carey – 1986,1988,1991
Louis With – 1986
Ronan Sherry – 1987
Russell Benney – 1997
John Caffrey – 1999
Michael Sutton – 1999,2000,2001
Mick Jeffreys – 2001
Roy Jeffreys – 2001
Ray Hutchinson – 2005
Words by Jan Vavra
