Larry Wainstein in "hot seat"

From Racing express, I wish him all the best in his new challenge.

PROMINENT owner Larry Wainstein has donned another cap in racing. He has been elected chairman of Racing South Africa, an organisation established to focus on ``breaking the shackles that have isolated South Africa's horseracing industry from the rest of the world’’. He replaces the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s Adv Altus Joubert in the hot-seat.

Wainstein, who runs telecommunications business GVSC, is also chairman of the Racing Association which represents the interests of racehorse owners in Phumelela racing regions. He took on many challenges when he took over at the helm of the RA but believes much progress has been made in the last year. Never one to dwell on the past, he adds: ``Going forward, there are a lot of exciting things on the horizon.’’

That comment not only applies to the RA because Wainstein intends to steer Racing SA into a position of even greater strength.

``It’s an exciting new venture for me,’’ he comments. ``The last year with the RA has been a huge learning curve for me and I believe this portfolio will broaden my horizons even further.’’

Racing SA, which was established by the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, Phumelela, Gold Circle, the RA and the two Gold Circle owners’ associations, has five core functions:

- To fund and direct the management of the Equine Research Centre at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria.

- To manage the functions of the former South African Horse Import & Export Council

- To manage the Kenilworth Quarantine Station

- To fund and direct the work of the South African Equine Trade Council

- To facilitate and encourage debate on matters of national importance to the South African horseracing industry

While Wainstein believes the veterinary and quarantine aspects are vitally important, he believes his primary function will be the marketing of South African horseracing and breeding abroad.

``Racing SA’s chief executive Peter Gibson deals with those issues every day and reports to me as chairman. But I believe our primary focus in the next year should be on marketing. With the feats by our horses, trainers and jockeys, we’ve never been in a better position to entice new people to our shores - not only to buy horses for export, but to race them in South Africa. That should be particularly appealing at the current exchange rates.

``I believe there is a huge untapped market in America, especially with Mike de Kock putting a spade in the ground. Archipenko and Eagle Mountain’s good runs in the Arlington Million and at Breeders’ Cup respectively have opened up a host of opportunities for us. But we must also look to Asia, the UK and Australia.’’

He enthused that SA Day at Newmarket on 20 September had been an overwhelming success and hinted that more such expos would be held in the future.

Sent via e mail to Larry Wainstein on Wednesday evening November 12,2008.

From Barry Irwin
To Larry Wainstein

Memo re WATCHING RACES FROM SO AFRICA

Dear Larry,

Several months ago when I visited South Africa to attend the yearling sale, you gave me two large, bulky machines to lug all the way back with me to the United States.

You told me that you were two weeks away from testing this technology that would allow me the ability to access live racing from South Africa.

I have tried to contact you several times in the interim via e mail and I have asked Clyde Basel about this situation. He told me that you were in England with the trade junket and would surely contact me upon your return.

Here we are, at least 7 months after I brought home the goods, and you have never bothered to return a call or answer an e mail.

I got quite a chuckle this evening reading about your new position with Racing South Africa and how you are going to spread the word about South Africa's success around the world.

Here's hoping to you a damn sight better job at this task than you have done with your previous communications.

FYI, I consider myself to be a passionate supporters of racing in South Africa. But I must tell you that one of the biggest problems in your country is a complete lack of follow through on anything.

Simple things like getting a DVD or a photograph or a video of a race, which are easily accessible in most countries in the world that conduct major racing, for some reason become major challenges in your country.

When you get people interested in racing in South Africa, what are you going to do to hold their attention when they don't even have the ability to watch one of their horses race?

Thanks for your considerable courtesy.

Yours truly,

Barry
TEAM VALOR INTERNATIONAL

On the subject of feedback and passionate about the sport, I was delighted with the response from Robin Bruss on the question from Jamster/Jim on "owners" thread.

Morning Cat, I have just read the emails and trying to stick a post together, however on Abode/pdf format, but give me a chance!