SA Horse Racing recently took time to speak to Julia Pilbeam, whose Soetendal Estate is one of the Western Cape’s premier boarding and spelling farms. Soetendal also offers clients backing and pre-training facilities, as well as rehabilitation and post-op care for their horses, and are also stalwart supporters of the CTS Ready To Run Sale, where they regularly consign a large number of two-year-olds.
How long have you been involved in the racing/breeding world?
I’ve always been passionate about horses, followed racing since I was 11 years old, started riding work in 2000, and started the business in 2005.
How did you get involved?
Apart from being a semi-regular racegoer over the years and being intensively involved with my own horses, I used to go around the stable yards looking for horses off the track to re-school for polocrosse and polo – I played for the National Ladies Polocrosse Team for a number of years. Through that, I started riding work for Eric Sands, and when we moved to the farm in Wellington, he started sending us horses, first to spell, then later on for pre-training, and it all started from there.
Are your whole family involved with horses/racing?
NO! My mother started me riding at the age of 5 – she lives on the farm and follows all the horses closely. My husband Deon has been riding since he was small, qualified as an instructor in the army and (luckily!) we share a passion for horses. My daughter, Sjaan (6), rides and loves horses - who know, perhaps one day she'll be involved in the business too.
When do you start up Soetendal and what services do you guys provide clients?
We started on a very small scale in 2005, and the business has gradually grown over the years. Our main focus is pre-training; we also take a small draft to the Cape Ready to Run Sale every year. We provide facilities for spellers. We board a small number of permanent broodmares (up to 20) as well, and have recently completed our new foaling barn, together with new mare/foal paddocks.
How big is Soetendal and why did you elect to settle in the Wellington area?
50 hectares. Our smallholding in the northen suburbs had been re-zoned for town housing, so in 2003 we looked around for property further out that would remain agricultural, but wasn’t too far from Cape Town. It has good access (tar road), and is close to Wellington Animal Hospital for emergencies, and as we have discovered, Wellington is a lovely town!
What are the benefits to spelling horses and approximately how many clients do you have?
A spell on the farm with time in the paddock seems to freshen horses up, allows them to put on condition if they’ve become a bit light, and lets any little niggle settle down that may have been bothering them.
We are extremely fortunate to have the support of several big training yards, along with smaller owners that have been with us for a number of years, and it is a real pleasure to do business with these fantastic people we have met through the industry.
Who are some of the top horses to have called Soetendal home?
We are very privileged to have worked with some very special horses: Horses of the Year Irish Flame and Futura; Jackson; Champion Sprinter Via Africa; Captain America; last season’s KZN Guineas winner Black Arthur; Gr2 winner Dynastic Power; Champion Two Year Old Seventh Plain; Champion Three-Year Old In The Fast Lane; Gr2 Selangor Cup winner Hard Day’s Night; and recent Selangor runner-up Edict of Nantes to name a few.
You must have a strong team behind you –who are some of your backup staff to members?
Our manager, Ricardo Christian, has been with us for 2 ½ years and is a huge asset to the farm. My husband, Deon, who claims he is semi-retired, but puts as many hours in as anybody, does all the maintenance and new buildings/paddocks, and sources all the feed. Our headman Charlie has been with us for many years and runs the feedroom, such an important aspect of the business.
And of course we rely heavily on our farrier, Kevin Dodd, and vet Jim Antrobus.too.
What are some of your future aims/goals?
To constantly improve the job we do on the farm and the service we give our clients. I really enjoy my work and find the variety and new challenges stimulating, and just hope that one of our children might become involved in running the business one day.
What is your busiest time of year?
Definitely from June to October, although the ‘busy’ season seems to get longer each year.
Are you involved with the breeding aspect at all?
We don’t own any mares ourselves, but perhaps at some stage would like to get share in a mare or two.
What advice would you give a woman keen to get involved in the racing world?
You must be passionate not only about horses, but about Thoroughbreds. Be prepared to work long hours, learn from everyone you meet along the way, and you can get to live your dream every day!
Who, if any, people have inspired you in this sport?
Eric Sands basically started us off, and has been a support and inspiration all the way along. It takes quite a leap of faith for a trainer to send horses to someone new, and Eric referred other people to us as well.
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