The Warrior statue is nearly ready. Visiting sculptor Philip Blacker’s Wiltshire studio was one of the nicest pleasures I can remember and proof that the simplest ideas can be best.
For it was just 18 months ago that we decided that the interest likely to be stirred by the film ‘War Horse’ might justify the risk of republishing my grandfather Jack Seely’s book on his horse ‘Warrior’ first written in 1934. When that, under the new title Warrior: The Amazing Story of a Real War Horse took off last Christmas, the royalties were large enough to present the possibilities of squabbles amongst all of us grandchildren amongst whom they should be shared. Hence the idea of a statue.
What’s better, hence also the chance of renewing a friendship with Philip Blacker which goes right back to his riding days. Since he went sculpting full time he has had clients from all over the world not least the Sultan of Brunei. Fortunately our statue is not of the size of the cost of the Sultan’s but happily Philip has recently become fascinated by the horse at war so the idea of picturing my grandfather aboard the horse he rode right through the 1914-18 war was right up his street.
The plan now is to have a grand unveiling at Warrior’s home in the Isle of Wight sometime in the spring. Stand by – as they like to say – for details.