Jockey aims high
Springs has its own jockey, Hennie Greyling (23), who won this year's Prestigious Castle Tankard Horse Race in Zimbabwe last Saturday.
The winning horse, Rock the Country, beat the strong field of 14 horses to win the biggest horse race in southern Africa in prize money.
Hennie’s weigh-in requirements for this big race was 53kg.
“Rock the Country, which comes from the Gorkan Terzi stable in Harare, Zimbabwe, is a big strong horse to ride,” he says.
According to Hennie this is a special thoroughbred horse that had to be ridden in a certain way.
“I had to relax the horse a bit for it to have enough strength towards the end of the race,” he says.
He claims he was speechless when he won the race.
“The feeling is indescribable and the excitement is uncontainable,” says Hennie.
He always loved horses and decided to attend the SA Jockey Academy in KwaZulu-Natal when he was in Grade Nine.
“Being a jockey has its ups and downs and although it can be a rewarding job, it takes a lot of hard work to get to the top,” says Hennie.
His mother, Yolande Greyling says they always watch Hennie’s races on TV, but the prestigious race was something they wouldn’t have missed.
Rock the Country’s betting was only 50-1 as an outsider and the horse wasn’t even in the run to win.
“Being at the back, we suddenly noticed Hennie pushing the horse forward,” she says.
They were all very excited to see him win his first big race and they hope there will soon be many more.
His aim is to ride in the annual July race and then overseas, goals he believes that are every jockey’s dream.
