A POPULAR Somerset pub has announced they will be sponsoring a horse in honour of a former jockey who was a local for many years.

The Alhampton Inn, near Shepton Mallet, is a pub built on community values after nearly being sold off a few years ago.

Winner of a Prince of Wales Award 2024 for community initiatives, the locals raised £125,000 to save it in 2022, and it’s thriving once more. 

The pub is sponsoring a race in memory of fallen jockey, Keagan Kirkby, at Wincanton later this month.

The 25-year-old jockey was riding in the Charing point-to-point in February earlier this year, when his horse veered off course and ran into the side of a jump.

He was treated by on-course and air ambulance teams but was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

The racing industry and Paul Nicholls’ yard are a "big part" of the pub community and Wincanton Race Course is only 7 miles away.

The pub was recently included in a 'best 100 pubs in Britain' list by the Daily Mail.

Somerset pub listed in a 'best 100 pubs in Britain' list: Read More.

“Supporting Racing Welfare and the Injured Jockey’s Fund is awesome,” said Flo Willis, a good friend and colleague of Keagan at Paul Nicholls’ yard, who also pulls pints at the Alhampton Inn “They were immense for us after we lost Keagan”.

A spokesperson at the Alhampton Inn said: "Racing features large in our community in Alhampton and amongst regulars at our pub where Keagan Kirby stood out as a hugely popular, keen and enthusiastic professional.

"Paul Nicholls and his team use our pub as their local and create such a lively atmosphere as they relax and socialise.

"Keagan was a quiet but steady presence, and his loss is profoundly felt.

"He was so respected by his peers and had such promise in his career. We were all devastated when he lost his life tragically last February.

"The Alhampton Inn is honoured to be an active participant in an extraordinary tribute to Keagan by sponsoring the 1:33pm Juvenile Hurdle race on the Keagan Kirby Raceday at Wincanton on Sunday October 27.

"In addition to the sponsorship, we’ll be doing some fundraising at the pub. 

"Today, Friday the 18th, we have a special reveal at the pub where we will be giving away 8 tickets for the sold-out race day and raising more money for the fund, and above all raising glasses to Keagan and his memory."