NEWSLETTER January 2011

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1 NEWSLETTER January 2011 Another fresh New Year is here... another year to live! To banish worry, doubt, and fear, to love and laugh and give! This bright New Year is given me to live each day with zest... to daily grow and try to be my highest and my best! I have the opportunity once more to right some wrongs, to pray for peace, to plant a tree and sing more joyful songs! From the Head Master s desk Dear Parents and Friends of the Academy William Arthur Ward The beginning of 2011 has been rather dull and wet with a tremendous amount of rain having fallen. This is not reflective of the mood at the Academy. We finished on a high at the end of last year and we have started this year on a high. I am very privileged to report that the matric class of 2010 did not let us down, and in true Academy tradition produced a 100% pass rate. We congratulate apprentice Teaque Gould who passed with a Bachelors Degree pass. He achieved a distinction for Life Orientation, and two B s, one for Afrikaans First Additional Language and one for Mathematical Literacy. We congratulate Stallone Lee Naidoo who achieved a distinction in Mathematical Literacy and a B in Life Orientation. Both Jayson Dladla and Athandiwe Mgudlwa achieved distinctions in isizulu First Additional Language. Athandiwe also got a B for Life Orientation. Finally we congratulate Jassurick Jordaan and Hennie Greyling for achieving a B in Afrikaans First Additional Language. Hennie also achieved a B for Life Orientation. We welcomed the new first year group who arrived on the 10 th January After dealing with all the necessary paper work, they settled into their new environment and bid their parents, families and guardians a fond farewell. They were then whisked away to the stables to be introduced to their horses. During their first week at the Academy, the first year apprentices were treated to a special welcome braai and then attended a team building camp for a weekend at Sweetdale on the KwaZulu Natal South Coast see full story and pictures later on in this Newsletter. They have all settled in well and have been given their respective tasks. As soon as their insurance papers were signed they were all riding on the lunge rein. They are all getting the feel of being on top of a horse and if the truth be told, a number of them have already learnt what it is like to be on the floor looking up at a horse. Some of them have shown early progress and have already started gaining confidence. On the 2 nd February 2011, Victor Morake qualifies as a professional jockey. As he steps up to the next level we wish him every success.

2 1 st Year apprentices Thanks to funding received from the National Lotteries Board last year, work has begun on the refurbishment of our training track. There is no doubt that we will face many challenges and exciting opportunities as we continue through this year. In conclusion I end with a quote from Winston Churchill, A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity and an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. Best wishes Graham Bailey Some important dates to remember DATE ACTIVITY Friday 18 March 1 st term ends Monday 4 April 2 nd term starts Friday 24 June 2 nd term ends Monday 18 July 3 rd term starts Friday 30 September 3 rd term ends Monday 10 October 4 th term starts Tuesday 15 December 4 th term ends. Apprentices go home for Christmas Holidays October Apprentice interviews for 2012 intake (throughout SA) Forthcoming Events DATE EVENT Tuesday 1 February 1 st Year Apprentices go Night Racing at Greyville Saturday 16 April SAJA Charity Race Day at Kenilworth, Cape Town Wednesday 27 April SAJA Charity Race Day at Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg Friday 22 July SAJA Charity Race Dat at Arlington, Port Elizabeth Saturday 10 September SAJA Charity Race Day at Turffontein, Johannesburg Sunday 16 October SAJA Charity Race Day at Greyville, Durban Friday 21 October Annual Speech Day and Prize-Giving Ceremony at Greyville 2

3 Introducing our 1 st Year Apprentices Our 2011 intake consists of sixteen boys and five girls from all over South Africa. They have arrived at the Academy during January with great excitement and anticipation, ready to commence their challenging five year apprenticeship. During their first year of training, each apprentice is allocated a retired race horse which they use for riding lessons and learn to take care of the horse. Over and above the practical training offered by our riding masters, each school going apprentice (Gr ) will attend normal school, where they will study Stable Management, Equine Studies, Maths Literacy, Business, Consumer Studies, Afrikaans or isizulu and Life Orientation. Three apprentices from of the 2011 intake are post matrics. We welcome Virgil Joshua Marnu Potgieter Divan Neethling Nicholas Patel Sonwabile Papu Heavelon van der Hoven 3

4 Collen Thabana Maydene Pretorius Calvin Ngcobo Wayton van Staden Ryan Munger Teiller van Schalkwyk Monique Raco Luyolo Mxotha Jose Barnes 4

5 Xavier Carstens Craig Zackey Keanu Marisol Lorenzia van der Rheide Roxanne Thomas Collen Storey Teambuilding at Sweetdale "Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success." Henry Ford During January, our 1 st and 2 nd year apprentices joined forces at the Academy s annual teambuilding weekend at Sweetdale Camp, situated near Margate on the KwaZulu Natal South Coast. The apprentices were accompanied by Academy staff; Mr Graham Bailey (Headmaster), Mr Rhys van Wyk (Head Riding Master), Mr Charles Grey (Marketing Manager) and Mr Marius Nel (Head Educator and Housefather). The camp provided our apprentices with the fantastic opportunity to get to know one another, learn how to work together as a team, improve upon their communication, project management, planning and problem solving skills, building on their self confidence, patience, and most important of all, to listen carefully to one another and their leaders. 5

6 The professional staff at Sweetdale organised a host of exciting and challenging teambuilding activities that tested our apprentices to the hilt on the above life skills. On their arrival at the camp, the apprentices were split into two teams for the duration of their stay. These teams had to compete against each other in various activities, such as mini Olympics, shelter building and cooking lunch (chicken curry and rice). Group activities included volleyball, night time treasure hunt, morning exercises, abseiling, confidence course, zip slides and tight rope bridge crossing. One of the staff at Sweetdale also provided the apprentices with an informative talk on leadership. In their spare time, swimming seemed to be the most popular activity. On their way back to the Academy, the apprentices were treated to a trip to the Margate beach, where a fun time was had by all. Some of our 1 st year apprentices had never been to the beach before. Confidence building course 1 st year apprentice, Nicolas Patel, abseiling 1 st year apprentices, Maydene Pretorius, Lorenzia van der Rheide and Marnu Potgieter all geared up for abseiling Keanu Marisol abseiling 6

7 Apprentices having a great time on the pole over the swimming pool Divan Neethling, Franklin Maleking, Nicolas Patel and Sonwabile Papu sack jumping in the mini Olympics Now this is what teamwork is all about Apprentices posing in front of the shelter they made Apprentices all geared up for the zip sliding experience Gerrit Olwagen just about to hit the safety net or the tree. Judging by the look in his eyes, the tree 7

8 Jose Barnes walking the tight rope bridge Academy staff, Charles Grey, Graham Bailey and Rhys van Wyk ready for the zip slide Work begins on Academy s training track Thanks to funding we received from the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund last year, work has begun on the refurbishment of our existing training track. Under the supervision of our Headmaster Mr Graham Bailey, the Academy maintenance staff with the assistance of our out of school apprentices has begun to construct the new rails for the track. Mr Bailey has decided to replace the old rotting wooden post and rail fencing, with a more realistic, cost effective and durable racing track barrier. Mr Bailey showing Jaswick Jordaan how to drill a hole Apprentices assisting Mr Bailey with the placement of the new posts for our training track 8

9 An idea of what our new track barrier is going to look like Academy in now on Face Book The Academy now has an official Face Book Page. We urge you all to search for South African Jockey Academy on your Face Book account and when you have found our page, click on the like button. You will then be updated on the apprentices achievements and the Academy s activities on a regular basis. You can also visit our website and click on the Face Book logo. Academy s fleet of vehicles get a new look The Academy s existing fleet of vehicles (nationwide) were starting to look tired and were in desperate need of being re branded. We have to date re branded the IVECO bus, Hi Ace, Venter trailer and the Hilux bakkie. Our new Quantum, horsebox, Tata (Port Elizabeth) and Hi Ace (Cape Town) will be branded during February. The vehicles are looking great and have received many complimentary remarks from people in the racing industry and general public. IVECO Bus Before After 9

10 Hi Ace Before After Apprentice birthdays celebrated during January Girish Goomany Lorenzia van der Rheide Here s wishing you both a very happy birthday and trust that you had an awesome day!!! Apprentices recognized and rewarded for their riding skills NAME DESCRIPTION AWARD Gerrit Olwagen Riding his first race ride Certificate & Scroll Apprentice Log Positions to Date for the Current Season (as at the 31 January 2011) LOG POSITION APPRENTICE WIN S PLACES RIDES STRIKE RATE % 1 Juan Paul v/d Merwe Evert Pheiffer Jassurick Jordaan Nooresh Juglall Gareth Wright Grant van Niekerk Tshwaro Appie Anthony Andrews Keagan de Melo Athandiwe Mgudlwa Doctor Sifiso Lembethe Ryan Roy Curling Justine King Teaque Gould Johannes Greyling By Karla Higgs 10

11 Apprentice Race Results January 2011 DATE RACECOURSE APPRENTICE RACE RESULTS 01/01/11 Turffontein Donavan Mansour 3 wins Hennie Greyling 1 place Evert Pheiffer 1 place 02/01/11 Scottsville Jassurick Jordaan 1 place Doctor Sifiso Lembethe 1 place 02/01/11 Kenilworth Gareth Wright 1 place 04/01/11 Vaal Nooresh Juglall 1 win & 1 place Hennie Greyling 1 place Evert Pheiffer 2 places 05/01/11 Kenilworth Jesen Vyapooree 1 place 07/01/11 Fairview Anthony Andrews 1 win & 1 place Justine Blue Eyes King 1 place 08/01/11 Kenilworth Grant van Niekerk 1 place 09/01/11 Turffontein Nooresh Juglall 1 win Juan Paul van der Merwe 1 place Evert Pheiffer 2 places Hennie Greyling 2 places 09/01/11 Clairwood Jassurick Jordaan 1 win & 1 place Athandiwe Mgudlwa 1 win & 1 place Keagan de Melo 1 place Ryan Roy Curling 1 place Jason Smitsdorff 1 place Graham Gregorowski - place 10/01/11 Flamingo Park Juan Paul van der Merwe 1 win & 4 places Nooresh Juglall 1 place Tshwaro Appie 3 places Evert Pheiffer 2 places 11/01/11 Vaal Nooresh Juglall 1 place 12/01/11 Kenilworth Grant van Niekerk 1 win & 1 place 13/01/11 Vaal Hennie Greyling 1 win Juan Paul van der Merwe 1 place 14/01/11 Arlington Gareth Wright 1 win Anthony Andrews 1 place 15/01/11 Turffontein Juan Paul van der Merwe 2 places 16/01/11 Scottsville Keagan de Melo 1 win 2 places Doctor Sifiso Lembethe 1 win & 1 place Jassurick Jordaan 1 place Athandiwe Mgudlwa 1 place Vikram Sola 1 place 17/01/11 Arlington Gareth Wright 1 win & 2 places Justine Blue Eyes King 1 place Anthony Andrews 1 place 18/01/11 Turffontein Juan Paul van der Merwe 1 win & 1 place Nooresh Juglall 1 place 11

12 18/01/11 Scottsville Teaque Gould 1 win & 1 place Victor Morake 1 win Ryan Roy Curling 1 place Jassurick Jordaan 1 place Keagan de Melo 1 place 19/01/11 Kenilworth Gareth Wright 2 places Teaque Gould 1 place 20/01/11 Vaal Tshwaro Appie 1 place Nooresh Juglall 2 places 21/01/11 Arlington Niven Marday 2 places Gareth Wright 2 places Justine Blue Eyes King 1 place 22/01/11 Turffontein Evert Pheiffer 1 place Hennie Greyling 1 place Nooresh Juglall 1 place Juan Paul ven der Merwe 1 place 22/01/11 Kenilworth Gareth Wright 1 place 23/01/11 Clairwood Keagan de Melo 1 place Jassurick Jordaan 3 places Ryan Roy Curling 1 place Athandiwe Mgudlwa 1 place 25/01/11 Turffontein Juan Paul van der Merwe 2 places Hennie Greyling 1 place 25/01/11 Clairwood Jassurick Jordaan 1 place Keagan de Melo 1 place 26/01/11 Arlington Anthony Andrews 1 place 27/01/11 Clairwood Athandiwe Mgudlwa 1 win Jassurick Jordaan 2 places Keagan de Melo 2 places Doctor Sifiso Lembethe 1 place 28/01/11 Fairview Anthony Andrews 1 win & 1 place Niven Marday 1 place Justine Blue Eyes King 2 places 29/01/11 Turffontein Tshwaro Appie 1 win Juan Paul van der Merwe 1 win Ryan Roy Curling 1 place Nooresh Juglall 1 place 29/01/11 Kenilworth Grant van Niekerk 1 win 30/01/11 Vaal Neo Qaule 1 win Nooresh Juglall 1 win Juan Paul van der Merwe 1 place 31/01/11 Flamingo Park Evert Pheiffer 2 wins & 1 place Juan Paul van der Merwe 1 win & 4 places Hennie Greyling 1 place 12

13 Ending off with a smile A man was stopped by a game ranger in the Drakensburg recently with two buckets of fish leaving a lake well known for its fishing. The game ranger asked the man, "Do you have a license to catch those fish?" The man replied to the game ranger, "No, sir. These are my pet fish." "Pet fish?!" the ranger replied. "O.K. I've GOT to see this!" the ranger replied. "Yes, sir. Every night I take these fish down to the lake and let them swim around for a while. I whistle and they jump back into their buckets, and I take them home." "I don t believe you! Fish can't do that!" The man looked at the game ranger for a moment, and then said, "Here, I'll show you. It really works." The man poured the fish in to the water and stood and waited. After several minutes, the ranger turned to the man and said, "Well?" "Well, what?" the man asked. "When are you going to call them back?" the ranger prompted. "Call who back?" the man asked. "The FISH." "What fish?" the man asked. OUR FUNDERS The South African Jockey Academy s monthly Newsletter is compiled by Charles Grey Marketing Manager. Tel: Cell: marketing@theacademy.co.za 13