The Sporting Post received an open letter from owner Robert Bloomberg to Coastal Jockeys Association Chairman Aldo Domeyer, prior to the joint racing operators statement which was published earlier.
Mr Bloomberg’s communication followed the association’s letter of 24 March 2023, wherein the body outlined unilateral increased stakes commissions effective 20 April 2023.
Robert Bloomberg writes:
Dear Aldo
This open letter is written to you in your capacity as Chairman of the Coastal Jockeys Association (“CJA”) and is penned in my personal capacity.
I have also taken the liberty of copying your Vice Chairman, Corne Orffer, as well as your organization.
I refer to your letter dated 24 March on behalf of the CJA which was addressed “To Whom It May Concern.”
Click here to read the letter dated 24 March 2023.
As your said letter contains an unequivocal statement that you will be taking an additional 2% of win/place stakes from 20 April onwards, then I guess ”as a registered owner with the National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa (“NHA”), that said letter includes me as well.
Considering that I had albeit unsolicited, done you guys a significant turn yesterday following discussion with the NHA, in particular that the new guidelines for whip penalties were cumulative in perpetuity and that no provision had been made for an end date when the status quo would be restored and the clock would revert to zero, and had prevailed upon senior management to ensure that from 1 August each season the slate would be wiped clean – something that you had not raised prior, and which I had drawn the attention of MJ Byleveld and the stipes to, to then read your diatribe last night made me very regretful of having rendered any assistance.
Whilst I could have understood and accepted a request – not accompanied by a veiled threat as per your letter – for a riding fee increase, as this would assist the battling jockeys, your self-approval of a 2% win and place increase pertaining to stakes, only benefits the top earners. So, the rich get richer, and the poor – well you guessed it.
I would have also thought that as the sole body in SA Racing that actually makes zero financial contribution to the running of the industry, that you should be last on the conveyor belt in making extortionate demands and endeavouring to hold the industry to ransom – in particular owners already under the cosh. It would appear that narcissism is still rife, alive, well and kicking in SA.
Normally when a letter is written on behalf of an organization it goes hand-in-hand with a mandate given by its members.
What I find rather disturbing is that a number of senior members of the CJA – which represent approximately 80% of all jockeys in the country – know absolutely nothing about the content of said letter and when apprised thereof were exceedingly embarrassed and shocked.
What I personally find deplorable and detestable is the fact that were it not for the unbelievably magnanimous Greg Bortz and Owen Heffer/Hollywood, you probably wouldn’t even be riding anymore – at least not here in SA.
You are well aware of the massive financial contributions that they have made to racing in particular in the Western Cape in recent times – your home Province – and which they continue to do. The stakes increases and incentives have been enormous, and their future plans will benefit you as jockeys, exponentially. Instead of being grateful that you are not in fact racing for 7% stakes as in days gone by bearing in mind the parlous state of the racing industry, you behave with avariciousness and entitlement in your seemingly “Oliver Twist-like” impressions.
Maybe you worked on the premise that despite the massive collective ownership of Bortz and Hollywood, that as you scarcely ride for them anyway, their possible rejection of your demands would be irrelevant.
I’m not sure you however thought about the ramifications if Drakenstein don’t adhere to your demands.
I was always taught never threaten what you can’t carry through on, so it will be interesting to see you sitting in the grandstand whilst one of your benefactors rides Charles Dickens, or maybe Mrs Rupert can have a 2% discount just to ensure you can still keep the ride.
I would go as far as to say that your faux pas is a possible winning candidate for the Equus “own-goal of the year.”
I would make an educated guess and say that the vast majority of your members will desert your ill-considered and irrational demands faster than you can say “Aldo.”
Your quest is doomed to failure, and you have done yourself no favours that’s for sure and any respect you may have previously garnered has now flown unceremoniously out of the window.
I would respectfully suggest that in future you stick to race-riding and rather take sage counsel before your embark on foolish escapades.
Kind regards
Robert
