BRITISH NATIONAL STUD UPDATE : MAY 2012

Making The Days Count :
And Counting The Days

“Forty-three days to go, and I’ll be back in full force”, writes Thabani Nzimande of his tenure at the English National Stud.

In an earlier update, we mentioned that Thabani graduated top of the Class of 2011 from the School of Management Excellence at Summerhill last year, and was selected by School Governors, Judge Alan Magid and ex-Jockey Club Chairman, Ronnie Napier, as the recipient of the Childwick Trust Scholarship to the National Stud. He was especially fortunate to be attending in the same year as Mathew de Kock, under whose tutelage Igugu initially “grew up” at the races.

Thabani had quite a few visitors earlier this month, including Sarah Frost, whose father worked for Jim Joel at his famous Childwick Bury Stud, which was the nursery to such famous horses as Royal Palace, Light Cavalry and Fairy Footsteps. Born and raised on Jim’s farm, and a teacher by profession, Sarah has worked for the Trust for a decade. Anthony Cane, trustee and chairman of the home of the Investec Derby, Epsom, has also spent some invaluable time with Thabani, and we are told that 5 members of the Trust will be in attendance at the graduation ceremony, which takes place on Friday the 29^th June. For those who are new to this scholarship, we should recall that Jim Joel was a nephew of the storied Barney Barnato, who with Cecil John Rhodes, founded de Beers, the world’s biggest diamond company. The Joel brothers, Jim and Solly, were plucked out of the obscurity of London’s east-end, and recruited by their enterprising uncle into the diamond business, where they made their considerable fortunes.

A wonderful, warm, “feel-good” success story, Thabani has paid regular tribute to our School Of Excellence in the glowing yard reports that we’ve received. We wish the Class of 2012 luck for the forthcoming exam, and finalisation of their major projects. Looking forward to having you home Thabani and Mathew!

Heather Morkel +27 (0) 33 263 1081
or email heather@summerhill.co.za
www.summerhill.co.za

OUR MAN THABANI

THABANI NZIMANDE
The National Stud

When our man Thabani Nzimande took a flight from the warm climes of Sunny South Africa on his way to The English National Stud, he didn’t know what he was in for. It’s cold in Mooi River in winter, and sometimes very cold, but nothing prepares you for knee-deep snow, rain and ice, particularly when it’s your first welcome at Heathrow airport.

Thabani Nzimande was the recipient of the Childwick Trust Scholarship to the English National Stud as the top graduate of our School of Management Excellence last year. Selected in a tight contest by the school’s governors, Judge Alan Magid and ex Jockey Club Chair, Ronnie Napier. A chance visit to Hartford House at the end of an arduous odyssey through the back streets of rural South Africa, led Anthony Cane, chairman of Epsom racecourse and home to England’s most famous horse race, and John Woods to our School of Excellence and to an understanding of what it represents. As trustees of the Childwick Trust, they immediately saw an opportunity to benefit a segment of disadvantaged community in South Africa in a sphere closest to the heart of the original benefactor, Jim Joel. As it happened, Anthony Cane was also a trustee at the English National Stud, and there was serendipity in the three connections, Epsom racecourse, where the Derby is sponsored these days by a South African company, (Investec), The National Stud and the School of Excellence.

Anthony Cane is no ordinary trustee though. He’s serious about his work, and he has a deep and sincere interest in the outcomes of the trust’s activities. He was in contact recently with Tabitha Smith, training director at The National Stud, and she copied us on part of the report she had directed to Anthony.

“Stephen Wallis mentioned to me that he had seen you and that you spoke about coming to meet Thabani. We would be delighted to introduce him to you and any of your fellow Trustees if they are available. Thabani is continuing to be a great success; he has received his first formal feedback on his yard rotations and his time on the Stallion unit. From both he got a glowing report and that is no mean feat from our Head Stallion Man! He has formed a really good friendship with Mathew de Kock and gets on extremely well with the rest of his peer group and staff alike”.

Thabani and fellow South African Mathew de Kock, son and assistant to South Africa’s most famous racing couple, Mike and Diane de Kock, is part of a group of new recruits from across the world, where they are attending the National Stud’s globally acclaimed course in horse stud management.

Heather Morkel +27 (0) 33 263 1081
or email heather@summerhill.co.za
www.summerhill.co.za

COMMENTS ON THE INAUGURAL WINTER SCHOOL

Professor Justin Craig - Entrepreneurship and Famiy Business
(Photo : Felicity Hayward)

WINTER SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
4 - 6 July 2011

Shirley Kantor, Masters Degree in Fine Art (UCT)

Having had no previous knowledge of horse husbandry and the racing world, it’s been a mind opening experience. The energy, enthusiasm and commitment of Mick and the generosity of his family and staff will not be forgotten. Of special interest to me were the talks given by John McVeigh in realising the similarities between horses and humans and how crucial nutrition and happiness is to our health. In humility, I thank you for everything. Be blessed.

Xavier Bozo, Owner and Breeder (France) now in South Africa

Mick and Cheryl must be very, very proud of what they have achieved with the new school. I have never seen such an opportunity presented (even in France) and most European countries. It is very useful for most of the breeders and the range of discussions was so varied - Business, horse husbandry, veterinary and so much other. I have enjoyed the three days immensely and will be back (during the French summertime). I would encourage other breeders from foreign countries to use this opportunity to spend time in this beautiful part of the country. Thank you, Mick, Cheryl and the Summerhill team for all the work undertaken to achieve this. I am very proud to be a French South African!

Professor Brian Kantor, Economist (Investec)

I certainly hope it is a programme that you will be encouraged to repeat. It seems to me to offer a serious investor in horses a wonderful opportunity to gain insight and information of relevance to them. It has been my pleasure to take part and I hope I’ve contributed to a successful programme.  Having spent a few days here, I have been pleased to be a part of it. I do hope the organisers are encouraged to repeat the exercise and that its good reputation will spread so that it becomes an event that all the serious horsey types will be obliged to attend. Mickey Goss’s enthusiasm and commitment is inspirational. Keep it up.

Gayle Flanegan, Nooitgedacht Breeder

I feel so privileged to be a part of this and learned so much. I liked the fact that the speakers were mixed business and horses. I found it so worthwhile that the issues facing the Thoroughbred industry filter down to us and so all talks were relative to our business. I will definitely be here again next year. Thank you so much for the opportunity to learn so much and from the best.

Debbie Odell, Nutritionist, Bovasol

I feel very privileged to have been invited. I think it is great for this community to have the opportunity to see this calibre of speakers so right on our doorstep. I think the folks that chose not to come have done themselves a disservice. Thank you to Mick and Heather for putting this together. I will be back next year!

The Count of Konigsberg, of Wood-Moore Manor Stud, Mooi River

I think it’s a fantastic facility and the current Winter School curriculum has been very much appreciated in that it covers a wide spectrum of interest to all stake holders in this industry. The fact that captains of industries from bankers to professors of veterinary science, international financial gurus has provided a platform of great significance to both the arm chair race horse owner and breeder who has bought into this dynamic industry and made it a reality. It has been such a positive week and I wish that more breeders and race horse owners had been present. I would hope that Mickey Goss would make this an annual winter school and I look forward to being part of any future endeavours.

Rhonda Headon, Dubai

What a fantastic facility and venue. Although I only attended one day, I am sorry that I missed the other two days. I found the lectures very informative and interesting. I did not realise that there were so many aspects to the South African Breeding industry.

Alec Hogg, Graceland Farm

In this pressurised world, taking time away from one’s commitments is never easy. So even with the appealing line-up, coming to the conference was a bit of a gamble. It paid off handsomely. There was not a single moment of boredom in three full days, and my understanding and appreciation of our industry was raised far beyond anything that could have been expected. The interactive format complemented the leaders who shared their insights so generously. This conference will be written in concrete into my future diaries. It should also be in yours.

Denis Evans, Owner/Breeder (Singapore)

I think the long standing aspects of the conference have been the immediate success of a hugely risky business. I would think the success of the lectures has been the variation of subject and the depth of knowledge exhibited by the talkers. The close interaction between the talkers and the “pupils” made the whole experience very informative and enjoyable.

Ronnie Napier, Webber Wentzel

Well done for organizing a stimulating and thought provoking first lecture programme at the Al Maktoum School of Excellence. I certainly learnt a great deal so I am confident that the students will have found the programme wide ranging and helpful. The challenge will be to come up with an even better programme for 2012.

Judge Alan Magid

As I said in winding up the Winter School, I believe that this year set such a high standard that it will really be a very difficult act to follow. Some of the lectures bore titles which might at first sight have created the impression that they would be rather boring; but all the talks were presented with such verve, passion and enthusiasm that the interest they aroused gave rise to so much discussion that each session overran its scheduled time. Indeed, it would in my opinion be only the most carping of critics who would find anything to criticise.

Adv Altus Joubert

I enjoyed the Winter School immensely. There was a good spread of topics and the lecturers were out of the top drawer. This is a fantastic basis to continue building on. Well done.

Claire Hoatson, Normandien Farms (Pty) Ltd

Of particular interest to me was Justin Craig’s talk. Our family is in business together and over the years I have looked for authorities in this field with little success. Although we have been fortunate in family dynamics thus far, one wants to avoid any future pitfalls and put the necessary measures in place… Having come from a corporate banking background, I found the economics presentation by Prof Kantor thoroughly informative - what a knowledgeable and interesting man he is!

A most enjoyable and informative day - thank you to all those involved!

Catherine Hartley, Marketing and Brand Manager, Vumafeeds

It was an inspiring and motivating two days and well worth the time and two days leave to attend. I am sure that it will grow from strength to strength and be over-subscribed at every session, given the calibre of speakers and wide range of industry-related topics.

THE WINTER SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE

Pat Goss with Cheryl and Mick Goss at the official inauguration of the
Bryan and Erica Goss Memorial Theatre and Hall of Fame
(Photo : Felicity Hayward)

BRYAN AND ERICA GOSS
MEMORIAL THEATRE AND HALL OF FAME

The opening day of our Winter School was big enough in itself, for its historic value. It was a sentimental moment for us, because it marked the official inauguration of the Bryan and Erica Goss Memorial Theatre and Hall of Fame, which Mick’s brother, Pat presided over. As both brothers said in their short addresses, the fruits of their parent’s labours could not have been better employed than by contributing towards this noble cause.

The inaugural lecture on Entrepreneurship and Family Business was delivered by Professor Justin Craig of Bond University in Australia. Not only is this a man who uniquely touches upon the things that affect most people’s business lives, but he is one of only a handful of authorities on the subject, and by the time his hour was up, we knew why. He’ll be back, and there is no-one outside of a multi-national who can afford to miss it.

Justin was followed by Mike de Kock and a panel headed by Dr. John McVeigh; Judge Alan Magid; past Jockey Club Chairman, Ronnie Napier and Jehan Malherbe. This was a rare opportunity to hear a rare man sharing his secrets, and the questions came thick and fast, overrunning his time by some measure. Mike shared with us all the things that’ve turned him into one of the most recognisable figures in international racing, as well as a comparison of his best horses, and what sparks their buying initiatives for their raids on the international circuits.He pointed to the differences between the styles of Ipi Tombe and his latest star, Igugu, whom he feels incidentally, he hasn’t yet quite got to the bottom of. The reason? He hasn’t had to, as she’s done it all herself, and he feels that she’ll not only make the normal weight-for-age improvement as she grows older, but there’s more where she comes from already.

Professor Brian Kantor was next up, and he demonstrated, as he has done so many times, why he became Professor Emeritus at Cape Town University’s Business School. A wonderfully vital personality with an infectious understanding of the markets, he took us through a range of topics from investments, the money markets, the world economy and what the likely scenarios were with the sovereign failures in Europe, and the local economy’s prospects for the year ahead. Those things can be a little mundane to the man in the street, but this Professor has mastered the art of entertainment, and he’ll be back to delight us again in the year ahead.

Jehan Malherbe pointed to the challenges which owners and breeders face in the present market, the latter in particular with the substantial sums they paid in service fees in the 2008 season, which has meant the sale of considerable numbers of horses this year at a loss on their production costs.  He did mention though, that this was a time of opportunity, as service fees had rationalised themselves substantially. The debate then centred on the fact that the UK and Ireland, Europe and America, had cut their foal crops by something approaching 33%, and that being the case, those with the foresight to cover their mares, would have the stock to replenish the world’s thoroughbred reserves in 2014.

Altus Joubert Senior Counsel is an incomparable speaker on a number of topics, but the one that animates him is the thoroughbred, and his story on the history of the South African racehorse before the Second World War, was quite riveting. We’d had a bit of a conscience, asking a man who makes his living from the time he spends with clients in his chambers, to prepare for a school of this sort, but all signs of conscience dissipated when we saw the pleasure he had in delivering this story. Like those that went before him, he promised to provide us with the rest of the story next time around, which would take us from those days to this. Let’s not forget though, that our forebears like Sir Abe Bailey (whose daughter married Winston Churchill’s son), tampered at one time with Candlemas, whose influence on the breed extends to the likes of Mr Prospector and Seattle Slew; that old man Henry Nourse ran the biggest stud in the world in the early 1900’s, and that the Birch Bros., the most successful of all South African Breeders, were born in this era as well.

We’ll give you the comments of our attendees tomorrow - you’ll know then, what you missed.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING : SOME WEEKEND

Our first students.
(Photo : Leigh Willson)

AL MAKTOUM SCHOOL
OF MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE

The first students to attend our new Al Maktoum School of Management Excellence arrived on Saturday. One of the school’s founding governors, Judge Alan Magid, was here to celebrate his wife, Brenda’s birthday and Saturday marked the anniversary of the passing of Erica Bennett Goss, an inspiration and a major contributor to the establishment of the school. We’ve said all along that the first intake would be limited to six students, but we had seven outstanding applicants successfully negotiating their admission interview. They represent the cream of South Africa’s racehorse nurseries, Drakenstein Stud, Highlands Farm Stud, Maine Chance Farm, Summerhill and Mike de Kock through Stef du Preez’s spelling and pre-training yard.

There was no time wasted, as lessons started yesterday morning for Mziwethemba (Dassie) Stuurman, Marius Losch, Frederick Makerman, Mesuli Mthembu, Thabani Nzimande, Delani Mtshali and Richard Hlongwane, who were spoiled on Saturday evening, with an induction dinner attended by close to fifty people, and laid on by Hartford House. While the meals won’t always be of this calibre, certainly the teaching will, and it’s now up to these fellows, who are attending the only school of its kind in the world, to turn out the managers their interviews suggested they could be.