Jake rescues race horses
2010-02-03 07:15
Stellenbosch - Former Springbok rugby coach, Jake White, rushed to the rescue of two "retired" race horses to save them from a life of misery in Philippi last week.
White, who coached South Africa to World Cup victory in 2007, was at an event where he heard of the terrible conditions in which the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) had found the two purebred horses.
He immediately responded with an offer to put up the animals, said Allan Perrins, executive head of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.
White's wife, Lindy Taberer, breeds with show horses on the horse farm Avontuur on the R44 between Stellenbosch and Somerset West.
Famous
The stallion New Horizon and the mare London Tabloid had in their day been famous race horses that could have been sold for thousands of rands.
A foal and an Arab, both potentially purebred race horses, were found with the other two and also confiscated.
London Tabloid was bred from the world-famous champion stallion London News.
Perrins said the problem with purebred horses which no longer had any use, was in establishing who their owners were.
In both cases, there were fortunately clauses in the purchasing contracts which enabled the former owners to immediately sign over the horses to the SPCA once news of their plight came to light.
Owner facing charges since 2006
Perrins said they had twice issued warnings to Irene Steyn from Ottery before a court order was procured. Steyn was allegedly the owner of the four horses.
"Charges against the owner would be made as soon as the veterinarians completed their reports. We are here dealing with a real Cruella de Ville.
"We know her well, the SPCA has made court cases against her since 2006," said Perrins.
Steyn appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges relating to a separate issue.
She was accused of breeding pit bull terriers for dogfights.