The South African horseracing and breeding industry is on a knife-edge, but with a flicker of hope, after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a phased-in lifting of restrictions on Thursday evening.
The ongoing lockdown, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, was initiated on 27 March, with an extension until 1 May, announced on 9 April.
After he had apparently consulted with US President Donald Trump earlier in the evening, Ramaphosa announced that there was clear evidence that the lockdown was working and that it had slowed down the progression of the pandemic in South Africa.
He said that a gradual phased in recovery of economic activity would be implemented from Friday 1 May, in order to try and balance the needs of containment versus economics.
There are five levels over which the restrictions will be lifted. He pointed out that we are currently at level 5. There are also varying national and provincial restrictions.
South African racing, much in the same state of ill health as the broader Rainbow Nation economy, can hardly afford the luxury of more lost time, and last enjoyed a racemeeting at the Vaal on 26 March.
Without live racing, there is no opportunity for stakes earnings for owners, and no commissions for trainers, jockeys and grooms.
Remember the last race? Tajesh Juglall steers Grindelwald to victory (Pic – JC Photos)
The knock-on effect across the industry is devastating, with the National Horseracing Authority suggesting that 5000 grooms are reliant on wages paid by trainers, and 60 000 more are employed directly and indirectly.
There are also obvious horse welfare ramifications, the longer we remain in limbo.
South African racing relies heavily on international income streams from televised local racing broadcasts.
Globally there is little sport, although Hong and Australian horseracing have continued behind closed doors, much to the joy of a handful of staunch local punters.
National Yearling Sale (photo: TBA)
The National Yearling Sale would have currently been in process in Johannesburg, but has been postponed until end of July.
The major annual sale is an important source of revenue for breeders countrywide, many of whom face a grim 2020 with the prospect of stock being converted to much needed cash by September.
The general environment of negativity and economic dire straits is also likely to lead to a heavily loaded buyer’s market – for want of an optimistically euphemistic assessment in the current climate.
So horseracing stakeholders wait with bated breath!
The chief executive of the National Horseracing Authority submitted an application to government on Wednesday on behalf of the industry, requesting an exemption from specific lockdown regulations.
In his announcement, Ramaphosa notably invited submissions from individual industries before the various processes are gazetted.
And without jumping the gun, Thursday evening’s announcement will surely make things more favourable for racing to return behind closed doors, sooner rather than later as Mr Ramaphosa indicated that concerts and sports events would also only be allowed to continue when ‘deemed safe to do so’.
Although travel restrictions remain an issue – with only about ten jockeys available in the Eastern Cape, for instance.
It’s been a tough five weeks and it’s not over yet! A prominent Sports psychologist, Dr Henning Gericke, was recently quoted suggesting that many sports-mad South Africans have lost a sense of social identity and belonging as a result of blank sports programmes.
He explained that watching and supporting sport is a social event that feeds a primal need, fosters social connections, and gives many people a sense of identity.
Watching sport can also be a form of stress release. Whether the average punter would agree with Dr Gericke, is an entirely seperate debate for another day.
The bottom line is, while it is a time for caution, consideration, sacrifice and patience, we all want racing to resume.
