ROBERT BURKE, 80
Robert, a former Royal Air Force squadron leader, test pilot and motorcycle racer, is now one of the UK’s top polo coaches
BY MY 40s I’d already broken a lot of bones from motorbikes, so when a friend recommended polo, I took him up on it. It is one of the most exciting sports I’ve played but the most difficult. I was not a natural, which has helped to make me a successful coach. Providing players have the necessary aggression, anyone can be good. I’ve trained the rock stars Kenny Jones, from the Faces, Mike Rutherford of Genesis and Stewart Copeland of the Police.
The oldest person was the architect Lord Foster, then in his mid-60s. I exercise and I am interested in an enormous number of things, keeping me young.
My father was an RAF pilot who was shot down and killed before I was a year old. My mother married again in 1946, so I grew up with a stepfather and three half-siblings. When I was 11, staying with my grandparents, there was a circus nearby with a fire-eater. I was fascinated and asked him to teach me – in those days you could do that kind of thing – so he did. My last show was about eight years ago.
I spent three or four years doing a variety of things including car racing, film stunting and cabaret as a fire-eater before rejoining the RAF.
My idea of perfect happiness revolves around my wife. My flying instructor had a spectacular crash and died right in front of me. I married his young widow and we now have three grown-up children.
I don’t have any regrets – I’ve had an amazing life.The only thing I haven’t done yet is a bungee jump. It’s still on my list.