The Racing & Equestrian Academy is hosting a celebration dinner to honour South Africa’s champion jockeys and establish a bursary fund for disadvantaged apprentices entering the Academy.

The Academy, based at Summerveld in KwaZulu-Natal, the heart of horse country, has provided the basis from which a number of leading jockeys have gone on to achieve international fame. Jockeys such as Michael Roberts, former champion jockey of England, Basil Marcus and Douglas Whyte, both champion jockeys of Hong Kong, all started off learning the basics of race riding and horsemanship at the Racing and Equestrian Academy. There are many more graduates of the Academy achieving success in countries such as Hong Kong, England and Mauritius.

The celebrations will take the form of a night race meeting in the Steward’s Room at the Greyville Racecourse on Wednesday, 16th June 2004. There will be nine sponsored races on the night. Champion South African jockeys on the guest list include Michael Roberts, Douglas Whyte, Pierre Strydom and Mark Khan amongst others. The purpose of the celebration is to firstly honour these champions and their great efforts and success in their careers and to establish a bursary fund for disadvantaged apprentices.

The past few years have seen great developments taking place in the racing world, most notably the admission of both female jockeys and jockeys of colour onto the racetrack. Since then the Academy has produced talented black jockeys who are beginning to notch up racing successes, the most notable being Gift Funeka, who in the year 2000, became the first black jockey to ride in the Rothman’s July, now known as the Vodacom July. Other black apprentices currently enjoying much success at the Academy are Sandile Khathi, Muzi Yeni, Sean Veale as well as Robert Khathi and Sihle Cele, both based in Cape Town and Kevin Derere, based in Johannesburg. Leon Govender, who graduated at the Academy last year is currently riding high in Mauritius.

In previous years, black jockeys were uncommon, however there is a growing interest in racing from the black sector where youngsters are now aspiring to become jockeys. The unfortunate truth is that many parents of young black children cannot afford to pay towards their child’s training, hence the need for bursaries to deserving students. The Academy has received many bursaries to date, some of which have already been awarded to deserving students and others that will be awarded on the night of the celebration. Sponsors of the various bursaries have been invited as special guests at the celebration in recognition and appreciation of their continued support of the Academy and its young, enthusiastic apprentices. There will also be great entertainment lined up on the night.