Ex Speed boat racer donates Boat to Bartica Regatta

Apr 03, 2017 Sports

Pat Holder says thanks for being able to race there for 55 years

Pat Holder presenting one of his memorable trophies of his racing career to President David Granger shortly after he took office.

By Sean Devers
At 83, veteran Motor Bike and Boat racer is still pregnant with unbridled passion for the two sports he loves and was even harboring thoughts of competing for one last time in this year’s Bartica Regatta and he was very serious about it.
However, some of his friends persuaded him not to flirt with mighty Essequibo River. But the garrulous senior citizen who does not look his age intends to journey to the Town of Bartica for this year’s Bartica Regatta which will be held on April 16.
This year could be his most important trip yet since he is not going to compete but to give back to the prestigious water event.
Holder says that the friends from overseas who were coming to his last hurrah on the River will now accompany him to Bartica to donate a boat that was built here from scratch.
Holder still gets excited when he speaks about his racing exploits and could talk for hours and explained how this 10ft Tunnel Hub boat with a sign saying ‘Thank you Bartica’ splashed on the side of the boat in bold white paint works.
“I wanted to buy an engine to put on this boat to do one more race. I bought the plan to build this boat from the United States and along with my friends who helped me to finance the building of the boat which cost close to $400,000,” Holder explained.
He informed that the reason for building the boat, which was built by a pair of Government Technical Institute (GTI) lecturers in the Building department. John Burke and Martin Ryce had never built a boat before and it took just over two weeks to complete the job since they came to Holder’s Shell Road residence for two hours a day after work.
“I really wanted to do something to show the Region my gratitude for the way they treated me for the 55 years I been attending the event every year,” said Holder who participated in his first race there in 1942.

This Boat was built from scratch to be donated to the Region for this year’s Bartica Regatta.

In 1988, his son Carl was preparing to defend his 40 HP race which he had won for the past four consecutive years when the unthinkable happened. Carl was stuck by lightening during a training run.
Holder came out of retirement to win the race and keep the title in the family. Holder proudly showed off news papers clippings dating back to the 1950s as proof that he was the only person from Georgetown to participate every year in the Bartica Regatta.
Holder showed off his many trophies and disclosed that it was his wife who played the biggest in his racing for so long and him starting his business which he closed last year when his other son left.
Pat Holder is a boat racing icon and his donation of the boat could help someone step into his shoes and continue his legacy by maybe, just maybe, becoming a great boat racer in the future.