A person who engages in a sport for a pastime rather than as a profession carries the label of amateur, an unfortunate 'title' that can suggest a person is unskilled and unprofessional.

Those of us who follow Point to Point know the word amateur and the name Serena Brotherton do not go hand in hand, far from it. This young woman has just had a cracking season in the north with an impressive eight wins under her belt. She said: "One more win than last year, so it is creeping up. To date I have recorded 41 winners and hope that by this time next year I can hit the magic 50."

Born on October 23, 1970, Serena was bought into a seriously 'horsey' family. Mum Sarah was a successful Point to Pointer, her father David hunts regularly, grandfather Tony Bethall was Master of Foxhounds for the Holderness Hunt, 'Uncle William' also Point to Pointed, and her Aunt Anne Henson was MFH for the local pack, the Middleton Hunt. Just for good measure her grandmother owned a horse called Free Booter who won the Grand National 1950. So her words, "I was never really going to anything else" are really rather obvious!

Serena was educated at Malton until the age of 11, when she was sent to a boarding school, North Foreland Lodge in Hampshire. "I wasn't allowed to take horses to school so mum kept a pony at home for me so that I could ride it in the holidays at pony club or out hunting in the winter," Serena said.

Serena went on to law school in Newcastle and is now a solicitor in a practise based in Helmsley, North Yorkshire Law. In her gap year Serena rode for Peter Easterby. "I used to whinge and whine at him, begging him to allow me to ride," she said. "I rode as much as I could and learnt a lot too, he was super. It was hard to get people to let you have a horse to ride so I bought a horse called Across the Lake. He was seven raising eight and had run in one hurdle race. Mum got him fit and he went to Anthea Farell, Peter Beaumont's daughter, for training. I rode him on race days and we won three that first season. The second year we won four races and came second three times. I had a great horse, he was the best."

When Serena graduated, she decided to train at home with her mother. Sarah bought a horse called Fettle Up who started off running poorly in Point to Points. Serena said: "We put blinkers on him and he started to win for us. In fact he broke the course record at Corbridge in 1995." Sadly, Fettle Up took a nasty fall and was never the same horse. A replacement came under the name of Old Bombay.

Sarah bought another horse called Mister Bromley for Serena to ride in the summer of 2002. "He came from Arthur Ewbank over in Cumbria, he was only five and Arthur had run him in a couple of bumpers so he had a little experience," Serena said. "Mum hunted him with the Middleton; I just did the fast work on him. In fact, the first season Point to Pointing he had the great jockey Ben Woodhouse on his back. Although he finished still a maiden he had some good runs and was only beaten by a neck."

Serena rode the second season with him herself. She only had three runs before he hit his leg and had to have time off, but those runs produced a win at Charm Park, third at Hurworth in a restricted and another win at Corbridge. This season, with a fully repaired leg, the impressive duo have had wins at places like Witton Castle, Charm Park, Hurworth, Middleton, Cleveland, Pendle Forest and Craven. Serena's other big achievement is being the Yorkshire Area Ladies Champion. When asked how much would she take for Mister Bromley she smiled and said: "Not sure we want to sell this one. He really is lovely, he has got such a character and so easy to do at home. Across the Lake is still my favourite but Mr B is getting up there!"

Serena and Sarah don't train other people's horses, just their own four. "With your own horses you can do pretty much what you want, unlike having to deal with owners. I have seen it in the racing yards and it can get somewhat tricky at times so we stick with our own," Serena said.

Serena personally owns Legendary Sire and Emperors Son, who also had a good season, and Sarah owns Mister Bromley and a flat horse called Golden Chance, who is currently in training with Mick Easterby to run this year.

Serena has spent time in South East Asia, the USA and in 2003 she was asked to represent the Fegentri (International Federation of Gentlemen and Lady Riders) in Malaysia. Here she ran in three races - and won them all. Socially, everything revolves around the horses - including boyfriend Alistair MacEntyre. "He owns a pest control business and his own horse that he raced himself last year called Aughmor River, so horses are a passion for him too. He's so supportive and like my mother, I couldn't do this without them. It really is a family affair as Dad's farm keeps the horses for us. Everyone is fantastic and I owe them so much," said Serena.

Serena's dream is to ride in the Grand National, but she says she has to be realistic, so a ride at Cheltenham would do! She has won her own weight in Champagne ( 36 bottles!) and a diamond necklace when running on the flat. There might not be big prize monies at local Point to Points, but Serena Brotherton has won the hearts and respect of Northerners on the circuit, a true Yorkshire rose, and prizes don't get much better than that.

Published: 01/07/2005