27 August 2010 Pointing Loses A Stalwart As Walter Dennis Passes Away
by Carolyn Tanner
To National Hunt followers, Walter Dennis, who died two weeks ago after an 18-month battle with cancer, was the permit-holder who saddled Coome Hill to win the 1996 Hennessy Gold Cup, but to Point-to-Point aficionados he was one of the best-known and most popular figures on the West Country circuit.
The Bude farmer was a very successful rider between the flags, partnering 70 winners, among the best of which were Sunarise and Staggered, with whom Walter forged unbeaten partnerships in Points in 1966 and 1969 respectively.
After hanging up his boots he continued to put a tremendous amount back into the sport. He stood as a steward, and became a course inspector at numerous tracks in his area, a job which he carried on into the 2009/10 season. In 2000 a presentation was made to Walter and his wife Jill to mark their 30 years as secretaries of the Tetcott meeting.
A horseman in the true sense of the word, he combined farming with his equestrian interests, buying, bringing on and selling youngstock together with his son Tim. After Walter had purchased Coome Hill in Ireland, it was Tim who partnered the stable star to eight victories before relinquishing the reins to the pros.
The Dennis tradition is being carried on by Walter and Jill's children. David is a professional jockey, Mark rode a couple of winners and now commentates at local meetings, and Lucy, who events, is very much involved in the family concern. Tim now trains Pointers, and it will be fitting should one of his charges triumph at a course to have benefited from Walter's expertise.
