I once entered with a horse in darts’ most outrageous walk-on, now I’m preparing for my final visit to the oche

THERE will be no horse on parade this weekend as Bob Anderson – aka the Limestone Cowboy – throws the final competitive darts of his varied career.

Health-and-safety rules prohibit the 75-year-old from being accompanied on stage with a stallion for old times’ sake.

Just like he famously did in the smoky confines of the Circus Tavern at the PDC World Darts Championship in December 1994 in the sport’s most outrageous walk-on entrance.

Yet when the final arrows land on the board at Yeovil’s Westlands venue, he knows he will walk away from the sport having left a special legacy.

Somerset-based Anderson joked: “They would have a field day now with that horse! If I did it now, they’d probably only allow a Shetland Pony.

“It was the idea of a former Sky Sports floor manager. It was quite a spectacle but it was nerve-racking one.

“It only took somebody who was perhaps somewhat dumb on the day to stub a cigarette on his backside and he might have kicked out.

“Although he was an ex-police horse, so I think he’d seen it all before. He was probably less nervous than I was.

“I love horses, they’re fabulous animals, but they don’t particularly like me. They normally rear up on their hind legs and make an aggressive noise.

“Or break wind at me – which happened on my honeymoon while on a horse-drawn carriage.

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“The only reason I didn’t ride the horse that day was that the ceiling was so low at the Circus Tavern. Hence I walked in front of it.

“Barry Hearn once told me he was watching TV and saw this spectacle and decided ‘maybe I should take up darts’ – so perhaps I had something to do with the sport’s growth.”

There is, of course, far more to his sporting and professional life than THAT horse.

Anderson was a decent javelin thrower growing up and targeted a spot for Team GB at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics until he broke a bone in his arm – which meant he focused on little arrows instead.

Part-time football with Lincoln United, Woking FC and Farnborough Town kept him fit as he worked in the Civil Service in the Swindon area.

Anderson says he proudly “played his part” in the foundation of the breakaway World Darts Council – which latterly began the PDC – in the acrimonious 1990s split from the BDO.

His crowning glory came in 1988 when he beat John “Old Stoneface” Lowe 6-4 in the Lakeside final to become world champion.

Anderson, whose walk-on music is the ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’, said: “That was life-changing. It still gives me a warm feeling. I do feel satisfied with my career.

“I’d have liked to have won more but I ran into someone called Phil Taylor – and he put a damper on everybody’s aspirations.

“He’s the reason we didn’t win more. A tremendous player and I take my hat off to him. I played him 39 times in competition and won only five times.”

Hampshire-born Anderson faces Richie Howson in the opening round of the two-day jenningsBet World Senior Masters on Saturday live on BT Sport.

Though he will continue throwing at exhibitions, this will be his final televised outing – so expect plenty of cowboy hats and shirts in the audience.

Anderson, once labelled ‘Clint Plywood’ by late darts commentator Sid Waddell, said: “Age is the first and foremost reason for retiring.

“I’ve played darts at the top level for over five decades. I simply cannot compete at the level that I wish to do so.

“I cannot play like I did 30-40 years ago and I don’t think anybody can truly expect me to.

“It’s a bit like my golf – periods of brilliance interspersed with long periods of mediocrity.

“The odds are stacked against me – the bookies wouldn’t have given David much chance against Goliath.

“I intend to give it my best. I don’t want to go out with a whimper but with all guns blazing.”