GRAHAM BECK
It was with great sadness that we learnt this morning of the passing of a truly great man. Graham Beck died in London in the early hours after a long period of treatment and discomfort.
Our sympathies to his wife Rhona, son Antony, wife Angela and their children. To Mike Sharkey and his team at Highlands and to his wonderful PA Lynette Barnard, great pal Abe Mahlangu and everyone else that cared and loved him so much. Graham engendered loyalty amongst his staff and many like Jack Segal, who retired only a few years ago in his late 80’s after more than 50 years in office, have significant terms of service.
I feel hopelessly under-qualified to attempt a tribute to such a great man. There are no words to describe someone who was larger than life – so meaningful. A self made entrepreneur, keen golfer, award winning environmentalist, well know horse-owner and breeder, pioneer of coal-mining, transport technology and export of coal, passionate wine-maker, superb father and grand-father, a bon vivant.
He became an icon not only in our industry, but in so many others. A leading light and a visionary. His charity and sense of fair play knew no bounds. He made a seriously big difference in the lives of so many people. I never knew Graham to turn down a request for help – on the contrary he often volunteered assistance and the scope of his generosity was staggering. Graham loved to help the needy not the greedy.
He never wanted anyone to know of the good deeds that he did and I guess that only his accountants know exactly how many people he helped over the years – we all know of many from personal contact but that can only be a fraction of the whole. I know that he’d not like anyone to attempt credit to him in this regard and in any event the list would never be complete. No-one will ever know but many will miss him – as I will.
The Graham Beck foundation has helped everybody from workers on his farm, to the grooms in racing, underprivileged kids all over SA and people he knew who fell on hard times. He was major benefactor of the Jewish community as well. Graham and Rhona recently built a state of the art skills and training centre on their farm near Robertson for the local community which runs in partnership with the local authority.
Graham enjoyed life to the fullest and loved a good party. He had an incredible sense of humour and we all have very fond memories of how he had us rolling on the carpet in hysterics at times.
We all knew him for his interests in racing and breeding. He was introduced to the industry by his late friends Laurie and Jean Jaffee. Laurie once told me that he invited Graham to the races after a game of golf to see one of horses run and it won. He asked to be introduced to their trainer Willie Kleb who bought him his first horse Foreign Prince at the 1974 National Yearling Sales. Graham and Rhona’s brown and white silks have been a popular feature of SA racing ever since.
His first foray into breeding was when he took over Regent Stud in Mooi River in the late 70’s. He later bought 25 mares from the Dell’s Platberg operation near Colesberg and started Stormberg Stud with Fanny and Eric Tenderini under Syd Birch’s guidance. He later acquired Maine Chance Farm from Godfrey Gird, then Noreen Stud from Granville and Myra Gorton and finally John Stubb’s Highlands Stud and eventually added the world's biggest stallion station – Gainesway in Kentucky.
Graham – you will walk tall in our memory forever – your fantastic wines and great horses will carry your name for many years to come and will light the way for your grandchildren to know what a significant man you were. You will be sorely missed by everyone that crossed your path.
John Freeman
