OFF THE RECORD #48

Generosity in Action
Racing Community Steps Up for Riders and Rescued Horses

This week brings two uplifting stories from the racing community in Gqeberha. Work riders at Fairview are set to receive brand new riding kits, while the East Cape Horse Care Unit has put a recently donated horse box into active use.

Above: Workriders in the Fairview parade ring (pic: Pauline Herman)

The handing over of the kits will take place on Algoa Cup Day at Fairview, Friday 25 October, and will include saddles, leathers, fittings, body protectors and stirrups to the value of approximately R123,000. It comes from a joint collaboration by 4Racing, the Racehorse Owners Association (ROA) and the Thoroughbred Horseracing Trust to the Work Rider Programme.

Natalie Turner, CEO of ROA, said that the riding kits were of exceptional quality and of international standard. “The Work Riders Programme at Fairview is very successful and the riders at the track get a lot of support on race days.”

Local racing journalists, Henk Steenkamp and Nadine Low Ah Kee, both noted the exuberance with which the work riders and their supporters approach the work rider’s races. Steenkamp posted a video on his Facebook page, showing post-race celebrations on the Fairview grandstand after one of these events.

Steenkamp shared: “It’s truly heartwarming to witness their growing excitement. Some of the work riders live close to the track with their families, and whenever there’s a race scheduled for them, they all come out to watch. This enthusiasm has spread to their friends, and the support continues to grow. They absolutely love it.”

Above:  Mzawuphile Naki on Swiss Walt, a winner on 10 May 2024 (pic: Pauline Herman)

Work riders in Gqeberha receive guidance and instruction from Marthinus Mienie, the second-in-command to James Maree at the Gauteng Work Riders Academy. He closely monitors their progress and qualification status, with support from local trainers.

Mienie remarked, “At the heart of the programme, it's important to remember that owners invest millions in thoroughbreds. They expect and deserve the best care for their horses. The grooms, who ride these horses every morning, play a crucial role in their preparation and care. It’s our responsibility to assist them, to improve and sharpen their skills to a high level of competence.”

He added: “Several years ago, jockeys Felix Coetzee and Greg Cheyne sold their riding kits to Fairview at a reasonable price to help, but nothing lasts forever. The work riders are sorely in need of new equipment so the new donation will be a wonderful help. The cost of a skull cap alone can be in excess of R5,000. Riding boots start at R1,500 and fittings can be over R1,000.”

The kits will be reserved for work riders competing in races on designated race days. Mienie explained, “The management will oversee the upkeep of the kits, which will naturally extend their lifespan, ensuring that the riders are well-equipped and protected when they head to the start.

Mienie said that he’d love to visit Fairview a few more times a year. There are promising work riders in the Gqeberha group, but there is also a degree of migration. He noted: “Some of the more experienced riders move to Gauteng or Cape Town and they leave a void. Regular training is needed. The feedback given by work riders to trainers is vital. We have riders like Chamu Mabaya and Sam Mosia in Gauteng who have become invaluable to their respective trainers. The more experienced they are, the more equipped they are for giving accurate post-gallop reports.”

Brad Ralph, trustee of the Thoroughbred Horse Racing Trust, commented: “The sustainability of the work riders programme nationally is fundamental to the development of the sport of horse racing. The historical career progression from groom to work rider and in some cases to professional jockey lays testament to the importance of the programme. 

 “The Thoroughbred Horse Racing Trust handed over the baton of funding James Maree’s Work Rider’s Academy to 4Racing. They have added the journey of the programme in the Eastern Cape and on the Highveld, to the myriad of other development initiatives aimed at bettering the lives of grooms and work riders in those regions.”

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Above: Pic from the EC Horse Care Unit (pic:  supplied)

The East Cape Horse Care Unit is based on the property of the Animal Welfare Unit in Victoria Drive, Walmer. It’s the smallest of South Africa’s horse care units and significantly smaller than the Highveld Horse Care Unit and the Coastal Horse Care Unit.

The East Cape Unit has limited facilities on just a hectare of land, but with the basics in place they look after their maximum capacity of 20 horses and 20 donkeys at any given time. Being smaller than the upcountry units doesn’t mean they have less work or fewer neglected animals to manage.

The unit was started in 2006 and Carla Hazel, who has managed the operation since 2021, said they were fully reliant on private contributions, as well as funding from 4Racing and Hollywoodbets. “Donations make a big difference, even small donations. We do get surprise contributions at times. Financial assistance is needed to ensure we can do the best we can for sometimes severely abused or neglected horses and donkeys.”

Above:  Horsebox donated by 4Racing (pic:  supplied)

Hazel said that the Unit gets calls from the public every day and that they often can’t keep up. A new two-berth horsebox has helped with the workload. She said: “We’ve always just had our bakkie and a single horse box. But recently we had our quarterly meeting with the other horse care units and the National Horse Trust and someone mentioned there was a horse box at Turffontein that was not in use. I phoned Colin Gordon at 4Racing, who generously donated it to us.

“There was more help when we needed it. Mary and Marthinus Crous from Cheetah Express offered to bring the horse box to Gqeberha at no cost. So out of the blue we had loving care and assistance from unexpected quarters. The new two-berth box has made us more effective, and we’ll be able to send the old one in for a makeover soon.”

Hazel said that they deal with cases of abandoned racehorses but that the neglect of donkeys was a major problem. “They are used as cart horses and often abused, the same problems the Cart Horse Protection Unit has to deal with in Cape Town. In Uitenhage we had an older generation of cart operators who looked after their donkeys, but members of the younger generation just don’t seem to care about these animals.”