Everisto with his champion, JJ The Jet Plane (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Everisto Nyambo is the quietly smiling man we all got to know alongside the mighty J J The Jet Plane. He accompanied his charge throughout his 2010 international campaign, endearing himself to legions of fans for his airborne victory antics and mile wide smile after JJ’s Cathay Pacific Sprint win.
While ‘JJ’ has since retired, Everisto has remained a firm fixture with the Lucky Houdalakis yard at the Vaal. On the morning of Friday, 21 July 2017, Everisto was walking a horse out to roll, when it freshed and kicked out, connecting him in the face. Although not on site at the time, Lucky reported that the horse kicked Everisto on the jaw, knocking him unconscious.
JJ & Lucky
“It K.O.’d him. Luckily it missed all the important bits, but he was lights out for about 40 minutes,” said the charismatic trainer. “The paramedics were called, took one look and said it was head trauma, so they got a helicopter out to airlift him to Union hospital and he went straight to ICU.”
The Houdalakis’ went to visit on Saturday, by which point Everisto was conscious and responding to questions. Everisto has been making good progress and was transferred to a general ward on Sunday, although Lucky joked that it looked as though he might relapse when his boss suggested seeing him back at work on Tuesday.
“On a serious note, they’ve checked him and his vitals are all fine. They’re just waiting for the swelling to go down to see if there are any fractures, but even if he only got a hairline fracture with that trauma it will be a blessing.”
Everisto is expected to be discharged later this week and we wish him all the best for a speedy recovery.
Click below to relive JJ’s wonderful 2010 Cathay Pacific win.
