Our Young Bloods FOR THE LOVE OF HORSES AND HORSERACING - JESSICA SLACK “I love hats, let’s bring hats back!” says Jessica Slack who is passionate about bringing glamour back to modern day horseracing. With Harry and Bridgette Openheimer as grandparents, one might assume that she grew up with a love of horseracing. Jessica admits that while she loved horses, and rode provincially for the then Transvaal province, she was not interested in horseracing at all and attended her first race meeting under duress when her grandmother invited her to Newmarket Racecourse. “I was dreading it and all week tried to come up with a valid excuse but failed. We arrived at Newmarket on the Thursday night and grandma’s friends were not at all what I had been expecting. Chesty Woolfhaard taught me how to place a bet and Mike de Kock won Grandma that leg of the Triple Crown with Fort Defiance. I won R500 for my R50 bet and Mike bought champagne and we celebrated until the early hours of the morning. I couldn’t believe how much fun Grandma’s friends were, and the rest is history,” Jessica recalls. Jessica, 35, from Dunkeld West Johannesburg and attended Redhill School before studying Fine Art at St. Martins in London and Graphic Design at Design Centre in Greenside. Jessica has, since her first introduction to horseracing, immersed herself in the sport, and is currently involved with both Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud Farms with her mother Mary Slack, who herself has been described as a doyenne of the South African racing industry and a die-hard supporter of the sport. Jessica Slack in Turffontein’s parade ring with jockey Weichong Marwing wearing the late Mrs Oppenheimer’s racing colours which Jessica has now taken over.
“At the moment my biggest priority is in helping to get Mauritzfontein to the top of the breeders’ log. I am still learning, I think in this game no one can ever stop learning, but I am incredibly lucky to have fantastic people to learn from. My mother, Guy Murdoch and Jehan Malherbe are three of the best horse people I know”.
Jessica only has praise for the Racing. It’s a Rush initiative launched last year. “I think it’s fabulous! It’s glamorous and slick and it’s so refreshing to have an exciting initiative that is not obsessed only with betting”. She reinforces the objective of the Racing. It’s a Rush campaign to attract younger fans and followers to the sport. “The survival of our game depends on it!” she says. “Getting new people into the game is essential and promoting the race experience is vital. I have always had the most fun times at the races, and they don’t necessarily involve winning. We need to make racing more accessible and just get people to the track. What could be more fun than spending a Friday night or Saturday having a wonderful meal with a table full of friends, enjoying the action and entertainment?” Jessica spends her time between Johannesburg and the two stud farms which are located in Kimberley and Piketberg in the Western Cape. Telly Track, (239 on DSVT) covers all local race meetings and most of the big international racing events too. Having such easy viewing ensures that one never has to miss any action even if you are nowhere near the racecourse. Jessica says that this is how she keeps a finger on the pulse on all the action taking place in the industry, which runs 364 days a year. “J&B Met Day, L’Ormarins Queens Plate Day and Champions Day would be my top three race meetings. There are always so many exciting features on one day and they usually attract a big crowd which adds to the excitement and of course the after-party!” she says. Jessica proudly feels that horseracing is one of the few sports in the world that does not discriminate. “Female jockeys ride against male jockeys and get no weight advantage. Lady trainers do not get any special perks, and if your filly is good enough, there is nothing stopping you from racing her against the colts”. Media plays an important role in increasing the good news stories about horseracing! “Racehorse trainers work far harder than trainers in any other sport and jockeys put in long exhausting hours while coping with constant danger and adrenalin on a day to day basis. They are heroes and it’s important that the media help to raise their profiles”. Jessica is also adamant about the vital role played by social media in giving the sport due recognition especially amongst the younger population. Jessica is herself in charge of the Facebook and Twitter pages for both of the farms which she loves. ”It allows me to be a part of all the wonderful success stories and excitement at the farms”
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INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE