South African horseracing bid farewell on Saturday 26 April to one of our most accomplished, yet low-profile horseman.
Nathan Kotzen Snr passed away peacefully at home at the age of 85 with his loved ones around him.
Nathan Kotzen – a horseman and gentleman (Pic – Supplied)
Born to a Polish-Jewish father and Catholic mother in 1939, just months before the outbreak of the second World War, Mr Kotzen, as most of us knew him, would have turned 86 on 28 May.
A jockey in the early 1950’s, he rode in a number of Durban July’s but weight got the better of him and he ended up in Zambia on the Copper Belt, where he was an accomplished owner-trainer-jockey.
He would pull off betting coups, as many of the yards took 6 months off in the rainy season on the Equator. In that time, the astute equestrian would keep his horses fit while the other yards were in down-time and when racing returned, he would literally ‘clean up’, winning 8 races on an afternoon!
The family moved to Bulawayo in the then Rhodesia and he was forced to give up his jockey’s licence. Mr Kotzen trained for the late Avontuur supremo Tony Taberer, and won 18 races with a top horse by the name of Joker, who raced in the famous Taberer silks.
The family moved to Newmarket in Johannesburg, where son Glen was born. The Durban July winning trainer, was coincidentally and unsurprisingly, named after a horse called Russian Glen, who his Dad rode. To put the years into perspective, Glen turns 60 this year.
Those were the days of the foundation stone that set the Kotzen sons on the path to follow careers in racing and chatting to the Sporting Post this week, Glen fondly recalled his Dad as a quiet man with an inordinate amount of horse knowledge and experience.
“There are so many anecdotes I could talk to you for a week. But one I recall was when my Dad bought 6 yearlings from Garth Puller down at Pine Ranch Stud I think it was, in the Cape. Dad only had a budget I think of R30 000. So the six arrived, except one was unusual. He was a 4yo gelding! My Dad queried it and called Garth, who said he had sent him the older horse to give him a kickstart and a horse to race. My Dad got the refund of the R5000 but wasn’t over the moon. The horse, a Great Brother gelding called Stay Away was a one-time winner from probably 28 starts or something. He had bad feet but what a revelation he turned out to be- going on to win about ten races, including two features. Every time we were short of cash or needed money for wages or feed, my Dad would say to my Mom – ‘don’t worry Dawn, Stay Away is running this week!’ So big ups to Garth! We could write a book and that’s why we love this game like we do. My Dad had a good innings and passed peacefully. May he rest in peace and thank you sincerely to all the kind folk who have sent condolences and notes of sympathy. Horseracing really is one big family,” added Glen.
Mr Kotzen is survived by his wife Dawn, daughter Chantal, sons Darren (a farrier) and trainer sons Glen and Nathan Jnr, and a number of grandchildren. His son Grant, who was a top jockey and won the 1985 Met on Charles Fortune, passed away some years ago.
The Sporting Post wishes the entire Kotzen family strength and love at this sad time.
MHDSRIP.
