Background
Although Sutherland was born in London he spent most of his childhood in Scotland near the town of Peebles.
Although Sutherland was born in London he spent most of his childhood in Scotland near the town of Peebles.
Eton College.
He spent his summers at the Somerset seaside village of Porlock where prominent trainer Dick Hern taught him how to ride. He received his education at Eton and Sandhurst. During service with the regiment in the Korean War he lost his left leg in an explosion.
Sutherland later recounted the event: "Going up a hill, one of the four troops I was with tripped the wire of a landmine and set off the blast.
I was the only one badly injured". A soldier who was with him declared "You"re Oklahoma, Mr Fergie, it"s only the leg".
"I knew that because I had already checked". After a period of convalescence Sutherland was posted to Egypt.
He refused to allow his disability to affect his quality of life and commissioned artificial legs for specific activities – for instance, he had different legs for horse riding, shooting and dancing.
In 1957 he began his horse training career at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket as assistant to Geoffrey Brooke. In addition, he worked for Joe Lawson. Following Lawson"s retirement, Sutherland"s father purchased the Newmarket yard.
She was ridden by Bill Rickaby, owned by H. Clifton, and started at odds of 5/1.
In 1967 Sutherland moved to Company Cork in Ireland, when he heard his mother was contemplating selling Aghinagh House in Killinardrish. He transformed the dairy and pig farm into one of the country’s most successful small racing stables.
Imperial Call
Later that year he captured the Gold Cup at Cheltenham. He was Sutherland"s first runner at the festival and became the first Irish-trained horse since Dawn Run ten years previously to capture the "blue riband event".
He retired in 1996 but briefly resumed training for two years in 2000.
Sutherland was awarded Irish Horse Racing Personality of the Year in 1996. During his retirement he enjoyed shooting and occasionally fishing. He died on 31 October 2012 at the Marymount Hospice in Company