SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY : RETURN OF THE PRODIGALS (PRODIGIES)

Becky Thomas, Prince Mdunjane and Thabane Nzimande
(Photo : Sequel Stallions, Barretts, Summerhill Stud)

SUMMERHILL INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME

Most of our readers know of our international programmes, and the scholarships we’ve established for members of our previously disadvantaged community. We’ve long been champions of the belief that the Zulus are among the world’s leading stockmen, but it took us many years to convince the world of their skill with horses. For the past thirteen, we’ve sent between two and four young Zulus abroad to work at the great farms in America, England and Ireland, and as we write, we have two in the States and two with the Swinburn family at Genesis Green in the UK.

Becky Thomas’ Lackland Farm in Florida has been home for the past few months to Prince Mdunjane and Thabane Nzimande, where they’ve been riding out on the youngsters destined for the various Breeze Up Sales in those parts. From all accounts, they’ve been another roaring success, and both sides have benefited enormously.

If this world is going to work, it’s going to require an accommodation from those countries that preside over the financial resources of the planet, and a reciprocal effort from those who seek to be empowered. Becky Thomas recognised this long ago, hosting several of our staff over the years, and has been known to marvel at their skill, work ethic, and their sheer decency. Yet, not having visited South Africa, she won’t know what it means to these fellows and what it brings to our community. We should be forever indebted to Becky for sharing her expertise, and above all, for being so generous and caring to those we send.

The letter below, from our returning sons says it all.

Dear Linda and Everyone

I hope u all doing well and i hope the National Sale was good. And we are doing great and we are in California in Barretts Sale. I cant wait 2 see u guys because we have much 2 share with u guys, what we learn from Becky and her team. We learn a lot and most of the new things from us back there, in a short of time we spend with and her team. She is so great to us and she gave us a chance and teach us alot. Siyabonga kakhulu ngethuba enisiphe lona. Thank you very much for the chance that u gave us and i hope u will be proud about us when we teach others what we learn here. Thank you so much for this opportunity that you gave us to learn something new from Becky and her team and tell Mr Goss that We Salute him with greatest hornour and we so proud of him as our Tata. Until We Meet Again We Shall Simile. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO EVERY MOTHER ON A FARM.

Eric and Prince

MESSAGE FROM OUR MEN IN THE STATES

Thabani Nzimande and Prince Mdunjane
(Photos : Summerhill Stud)

SUMMERHILL INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME

The 33^rd, 34^th, 35^th and 36^th beneficiaries of our international scholarship programme; Elliot Bhengu, Sizwe Ndlela, Thabani (Eric) Nzimande and Prince Mdunjane departed our shores last month for Genesis Green Stud in Newmarket, UK, and Becky Thomas’ Lackland Farm in Florida, USA, respectively.

We received the following email this morning from Eric and Prince, our men in the States…

Hi Linda, how are you guys back there and we hope you all doing well back home. We starting to settle in here and enjoying our working because Becky she is a nice lady and she is trying her best to teach us everything and we goner try our best to take everything that she teach us and goner bring it back home and let other guys know how they do things around here at the State. Please greet everyone at the morning meeting and tell them that we miss each every one of you. Thanks again for giving us this great chance to learn things here in USA. Keep well and keep shining and keep that Summerhill Flag high.

From you lovely guys in America (Eric and Prince)

SUMMERHILL INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME

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Please click above to view pics of Sizwe Ndlela and Elliot Bhengu
(Photos : Leigh Willson)

BON VOYAGE

Most readers of these columns, are people who know the meaning of opportunity. Flying, and in the majority of instances, flying internationally, is something we take for granted, so you might ask yourself what the big deal is, when we speak of the excitement we feel at the departure of our four scholarship recipients for 2010.

You have to put yourself in the shoes of a young Zulu from a previously disadvantaged background, to get any kind of an inkling of what it means to visit a strange country. Language and culture are just a few of the issues they have to come to terms with, but most of these guys have never even set foot on an aeroplane, let alone travelled across the seas. As the 33^rd, 34^th, 35^th and 36^th beneficiaries of our international scholarship programme, Elliot Bhengu and Sizwe Ndlela left us this past weekend, with Thabani Nzimande and Prince Mdunjane leaving this next one, for Genesis Green Stud in Newmarket, UK, and Becky Thomas’ Lackland Farm in Florida, USA, respectively.

We have had a long and happy association with Becky Thomas’ outfit over several years, starting out with students who are now senior members of our management team, and Thabani and Prince will be joining a crew heavily involved in the preparation and sale of Ready To Run horses. Elliot and Sizwe team up with the Swinburn family, famed not only for having sold some of Europe’s high priced yearlings over the years, but especially for Walter’s two Derby victories aboard two of the Aga Khan’s greatest horses, Shergar and Sharastani.

While these guys are all rapidly climbing the ranks at Summerhill, they’ve nonetheless had to undergo a mentorship programme of several years in order to get to where they are. Competition for places is tough, and these men have been hand selected for this great moment. Reasonably worldly within the realms of their own territories, they obviously know cities like Durban and Johannesburg, but as little fellows growing up, they would surely never have dreamed of London or Miami.

They leave us with a sense of great pride, and the secure knowledge that while they will have much to learn and experience at the other end, when it gets down to horsemanship, it is they who’ll be sharing the secrets of what only a Zulu stockman can impart.

Of one thing we’re certain. Those that work with them, recruited like ours from across the globe, will be all the richer of knowing these boys.