James Given

James qualified as a vet in 1990 and began his racing career as Assistant Trainer to Mark Johnston in 1995. After three years in this job he won a scholarship to study training methods in Dubai. James started training in his own right in November 1998 from a yard based at Wolverhampton racecourse. In April 1999 he moved his operation to his current base in Lincolnshire.

He is a Group-race-winning trainer both in Britain and abroad and counts amongst his most notable winners the popular Hugs Dancer who won the 2002 Ebor and 2003 Chester Cup, and was beaten only two lengths in the 2003 Caulfield Cup before a top 10 finish in the Melbourne Cup that year.

James is also a long-standing member of the BHA’s Ethics Committee (and is the current Chair) as well as a Trustee of the British Racing School (BRS). He has also been a member of the industry’s Horse Welfare Board since its inception in early 2019. In February 2020, the Welfare Board published its five-year strategic plan for the welfare of horses bred for racing.