A KEIGHLEY man is hanging up his microphone after half a century commentating on harness racing at a popular Dales show.

Peter Deighton, 84, will be the voice of the attraction at Kilnsey Show for the last time when the event is held on Tuesday, August 29.

He was also a hockey referee for 40 years, and only retired during the pandemic.

Peter, who used to teach at Keighley College, and lives in the Utley area, says: "I have achieved my ambition – 50 years at Kilnsey Show – and now I am going to hang up my mic.

"It started when there was no commentator and I asked if they would like me to have a go. I'd always had an interest in horse racing, but knew nothing about harness racing. I just got into it completely by accident."

Peter has since travelled across the UK to harness racing meetings.

He came to love the sport so much he would think nothing of travelling hundreds of miles to attend evening and afternoon meetings, fitting it around his job at the college.

In 1990, Peter was a north east regional finalist in the BBC Fosters Amateur Commentator of the Year competition, bringing the sport of harness racing into the public eye.

He has been involved in every aspect of the sport, from handicapping to stewarding, but is best known for his commentating. He even won a race for officials at York, even though he had never raced before or since.

Harness racing at one time took place at many shows, says Peter, and crowds would be "six deep" around the track.

Kilnsey Show has seen appearances from top horses, such as Missing Link and Turn of the Tide.

And, says Peter, the show differs from other race events because it combines a show with a race meeting, and attracts both racing fans and the general public. He also likes to give people the history of harness racing and explain the different types of horses.

"It's a bit like the chariot racing in Ben Hur – people love it, some have never seen anything like it before," he says. "We do find some people depart after two races, leaving just the diehards!"

Peter is included in the British Harness Racing Club's Hall of Fame and has been thanked by its directors for "all his hard work and dedication to the sport".