100-year-old paddock official John Shear retires
John Shear, a paddock captain who began working at Santa Anita in 1961, has retired. Shear is 100.
A native of England, Shear was a fixture at Santa Anita, where he worked to ensure the safety of horses as they entered the paddock. Shear made national news in 2011 when he sustained injuries by distracting a loose horse who was rapidly approaching a crowd that included a small child.
Shear, who was 90 at the time, was sidelined for a year before returning to work.
Through the years, Shear worked at Del Mar and Hollywood Park in addition to his tenure at Santa Anita. Shear announced his retirement on Twitter, and wrote that he plans to attend racing at Santa Anita when the track resumes racing this fall.
“I look back with great pride and wonderful memories,” he wrote. “I’m in great health and will visit as a fan.”