KEEPING THE SPIRIT ALIVE SINCE 1999

James Hunt's dog Oscar at Turnberry Golf Club in Scotland. Photo courtesy of Peter Windsor

Back in the 1980s, I was living in London and used to work out at 'Bodies' a gym run by Jane Birbeck on the Kings Road where Bette Hill also used to keep fit. I had a dog (an American Cocker Spaniel) at the time and would walk from my flat just north of Hyde Park to Kings Road and would often bump into James walking Oscar, his German Shepherd.

Now Oscar was James' constant companion and in many ways the most important person in his life. He travelled to Spain with him, despite Oscar's hatred of flying and would accompany James on his training runs. One of Oscar's claims to fame was that he was one of the only dogs ever to be allowed to walk on the fairways of Wentworth Golf Club. Oscar would also often be seen dining with James in expensive London restaurants.