South Africa’s racing and breeding industry is mourning the death at the weekend of one of its most passionate and influential members, owner-breeder Hyman “Hymie” Maisel, who passed away on Saturday night only hours after attending the Selangor Cup race meeting at Kenilworth.
The race was part of the partnering arrangement between South African and Malaysian racing which Hyman had played a major role in establishing some years ago.
Numerous tributes to the man, who was heavily involved in the breeding industry in the country and in the administration of racing in the Western Cape, have poured in including those of very close friend John Freeman of Freeman Bloodstock and Gold Circle CEO Michel Nairac who described him as “one of the most passionate lovers of the thoroughbred and the sport”. They extended their condolences to his widow Joan and his family.
Hyman was the owner of the Hyjo Stud in the Cape and bred many top horses including the winner in January this year of the J&B Met, Past Master. He was responsible some years back for selling the first South African-bred horse, Money Market, to race in Malaysia and it went on to win the country’s richest race at the time, the R3-million Cunku Gold Cup.
He played a leading role in trying to establish a protocol between the two countries that would allow South African horses to be sold to Malaysia which would have given a major boost to this country’s breeding industry but through the lack of government support the protocol was never concluded. He had also worked tirelessly while in the TBA to open the South African market to the racing world.
He was the chairman of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association for many years and also chairman of the Western Province Racing Club, playing a major role in the amalgamation of Western Cape Racing with Gold Circle in 2000. He served as a board member of Gold Circle and was the first chairman of the Western Cape Chapter of Gold Circle.
Richard Mcmillan
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