John Shear

Paddock Captain Turns 100 Sunday

January 16, 2021

Although his preferred venue is off the agenda for the time being, Santa Anita’s beloved Paddock Captain John Shear will nonetheless celebrate his 100th birthday with family this Sunday (Jan. 17).

Track Praises 90-Year-Old Employee

August 26, 2015

One of horse racing’s many focuses over the past handful of years has been to make itself attractive to younger demographics. The notion of racetracks being full of ‘old’ people gets mentioned as a ne...

92YO Guard Shear Reunites With Girl

November 05, 2013

It has been two years since paddock guard John Shear, 92, threw himself in front of a thoroughbred in order to save a five-year-old girl from being trampled at Santa Anita Park in California. Shear wa...

Santa Anita To Honour Shear

September 08, 2011

Santa Anita has announced that it will be honouring its 90-year-old paddock guard John Shear with a race entitled 'The John Shear Hero Purse' on Saturday, Oct. 1

Ninety-Year-Old Shear Now At Home

Ninety-year-old Santa Anita Park paddock guard John Shear, hospitalized since March 12 after having thrown himself in the path of a loose thoroughbred in order to protect a six-year-old girl, was rele...

Ninety-Year-Old Hero Shear Making Progress

After having thrown himself into the path of a loose horse on Saturday, March 12 at Santa Anita Park in California, 90-year-old paddock guard John Shear is reported to be making great progress in a lo...

Guard Saves Girl From Loose Horse

Veteran Paddock Guard John Shear, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday, was injured Saturday as he threw himself in front of a young girl in order to protect her from a loose horse, prior to the ...