At a historic lunch celebration held on Thursday 25 May at the Summerveld Training Centre, five recently retired grooms, Messrs S Gelede, M Jwala, M Ngilana, Q Zwelilfikile and Z Yebula, and a former assistant trainer to David Payne and Gavin Van Zyl, Opensea Mhlamvu, were presented with their retirement pay outs in front of a large jubilant contingent of more than 500 grooms employed in the Kwa-Zulu Natal racing industry.

The investment for retirement scheme was initiated by the KZNOTA benevolent fund board and strongly endorsed by the Gold Circle board whereby an amount of R4.5m was set aside to kick start this momentous scheme, a first of its kind in the country. Grooms who are employed in the racing industry in KZN were allocated various amounts of seed capital based on their age and length of service in the province.

Dr Manfred Rohwer, a board member of Gold Circle who is fluent in both IsiZulu and IsiXhosa presided as MC. In attendance were the Chairperson of KZN Grooms Association, Ernest (Rasta) Jalybane, supported by his entire committee, Gold Circle CEO, Michel Nairac, (also a member of the KZNOTA board), Tony Rivalland, Chairman of KZNOTA, along with fellow directors, Paul Lafferty (Chairman of the KZN trainers Association) and Raf Sheik, Racing Executive for Gold Circle.

Jalybane, who was also celebrating his birthday, was presented with a wonderful framed gift, fittingly celebrating African tradition on the occasion of Africa Day which symbolises unity and commitment to peace and development on the continent. Tony Rivalland, one of the main drivers of this investment initiative, thanked the grooms for their attendance and support and assured them of the benefits of their participation which would ultimately provide a financial pay out to them through the contributions of both the trainers and themselves, not only in retirement but also as an investment in their future should they wish to exit the industry for any reason, provided they have contributed in terms of the rules. He concluded by reminding all grooms that the allocation of seed capital would conclude at the end of June, as the deadline had already been extended a number of times. He also thanked Mr Preggie Somasundram, a leading owner in the province, for his generosity in sponsoring all meals and drinks for this occasion.

Prior to lunch being served there was much jubilation among the grooms as a lucky draw comprising of ten R1000 cash prizes sponsored by Gold Circle concluded the ceremony.