Jack de Bromhead’s parents pay tribute to ‘beautiful young soul’ after tragic death

Jack was killed yesterday, Saturday, while jockeying at the Glenbeigh Racing Festival on Rossbeigh Beach, sustaining fatal injuries in an incident during an evening race. All subsequent races to be held on Saturday and Sunday were immediately cancelled by organisers.

There has been a huge outpouring of sympathy for the de Bromhead family, one of the most respected families in horse racing.

Henry de Bromhead has saddled 18 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, the pinnacle of National Hunt racing, and has trained the winners of the last two Gold Cups and Champion Hurdles, the two most valuable races at the Festival.

“He was an amazing son who told us he loved us every day – an over-brimming heart of loyalty, empathy, patience, pluck, courage and how he made us laugh!” his parents’ statement read.

“Not only the perfect, funny, loving son but also an incredible, loving brother to our beautiful daughters, his twin sister Mia and his little sister, Georgia. He always had their back and was fiercely loyal and kind. Our hearts are truly broken.

“He made so many friends wherever he went and they felt his special, unique and loyal touch on their lives too. We ask that they please celebrate and love him as we know he would have wished.”

They commented that Jack packed so much into his young life that it seemed as though he lived for more than 13 years. He had only recently started out at a new school and had made new friends who knew him for far too short a time.

They added that he took his family’s lead and showed a keen interest in their passions.

“The passion he had for his family and friends extended to all his hobbies and interests – too many to fit into 13 years and certainly too busy to spend more than a minute more than he had to in the classroom!” the statement continued.

“It started with his work on the farm, the tractor, the cattle, the ponies and horses. He was a passionate expert on them all by the time he was 10. By 11 he was offering expert advice and consultation to his father on training horses as he developed his father’s passion for all aspects of racing.”

The statement explained that Jack’s funeral arrangements will be announced later.

He is also survived by grandparents Andrew, Marian, Harry, and Sally; aunts and uncles; extended family; and friends.