THE news this week of the deaths of Toss Taaffe and Stan Cosgrove is sad. Both men had very full lives, were hugely successful in their respective fields, earned the respect of all, and were, most importantly, family men.

While in their own way each shunned the limelight, Stan’s character meant that he was thrust into it on more than one occasion. Nonetheless, he was always self-deprecating, considered himself lucky with his family, his association with Walter Haefner, his work and his friends. Once met, Stan was a man you never forgot.

One of my more enjoyable tasks in recent times was the compilation of the tribute to Stan which appeared in this paper six years ago. I am not certain that Stan himself enjoyed it fully, given his reticence to be thrust centre-stage. However, he did quietly take me aside and thank me one day at the Curragh, and that meant a lot.

Toss Taaffe was very much the go-to man in his family, someone whose opinion was always worth having. He was quiet, but when he did speak it was to say something that was worth hearing. I feel that the hallmark of great people is to know that they have the respect of the younger generation, the grandchildren and their peers.

Toss, from personal knowledge, commanded this in abundance.

In this fast moving and ever changing world in which we live, it is good to look back on the careers of people such as Toss and Stan and to marvel at what they achieved in a very different world to the one in which we now live. Communication, travel and more were difficult, but these two men overcame such obstacles.

A mentor was not a term with which they would have identified, and yet that is what they were to very many. They shared their experiences and offered advice, always in the best interest of the recipient. They never set out to belittle anyone, yet they were also truthful men who said it as it was. Their legacy will be the respect they had of so many in the worlds of racing, breeding and veterinary science. Certainly my world was enhanced by their presence.

Reminder

I cannot recommend highly enough Mary Fitzgerald’s Horses For Courses, the latest renewal of which gets underway on September 23rd and runs for six weeks. It is a perfect introduction to racing, while also providing regular racegoers with different insights. It is for everyone and you will find more information on pages 18 and 23. Book now.