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GOLD CIRCLE - KWAZULU NATAL CHAPTER
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF
MICHAEL ROBERTS
Second-year apprentice Richard
Fourie has become the first recipient
of the Michael Roberts Bursary, a fund
established by Gold Circle early in
the year to provide financial help to
one young apprentice from
previously disadvantaged
communities each year to pursue a
career as a jockey.
Michael Roberts (left) and Gold Circle's KwaZulu-Natal Chapter
Chairman, Mr Bill Lambert (right) congratulate Richard Fourie, the
first recipient of the Michael Roberts Bursary. The bursary provides
financial assistance for an individual to attend the Racing and Equestrian
Academy at Summerveld in KwaZulu-Natal.
South African racing has adopted an aggressive programme of
transformation through all levels of the industry and in KwaZulu-
Natal, under the mantle of Gold Circle, major steps have been
taken to fast track the process.
Parade
The Michael Roberts Bursary Fund is just one of those initiatives
and follows on the highly successful stable employees training
school at Summerveld.
The apprentice bursary carries the name of racing’s most famous
son, former international jockey Michael Roberts, who was happy
to become associated with the programme and made a significant
contribution to its initial funding when it was launched.
Michael Roberts is a living legend in the annals of South African
racing, the country’s greatest jockey and the man who paved the
way for his fellow countrymen to enter the international racing
world.
Champion jockey in South Africa 11 times and the only rider
from this country to ever win the jockey championship of Britain,
he has been the hero of most young riders who dream of emulating
his incredible success here and overseas.
Now retired and living at his farm in the Karkloof area of the
KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Roberts has given his name to the
Gold Circle bursary fund which provides financial assistance to
one young apprentice each year to attend the Racing and Equestrian
Academy at Summerveld near Durban.
Roberts was forced to retire from riding after sustaining severe
neck injuries in a racing fall in the United Kingdom. His
determination to succeed in England against the stiffest of
opposition earned him the respect of the British racing fans and
against all the odds he went on to win the coveted British champion
jockey title.
Young Richard Fourie has shown considerable talent in his short
time as a race rider and in October received the Gold Circle Jockey
Achiever Award for his success during the month.
In announcing Fourie as the recipient of the Michael Roberts
Bursary for 2004, Gold Circle’s KwaZulu-Natal Chapter Chairman,
Mr Bill Lambert, thanked Michael Roberts for giving his name
to the bursary and congratulated the young apprentice who had
“a very promising career” ahead of him.
“Richard, as the first recipient of this bursary you have very big
shoes to fill, but Michael and all at Gold Circle would never
expect you to fill his shoes. We do, however, expect you to forge
your own pathway to success, but always remember to use
Michael’s achievements as a guideline for your career.
“He has been South Africa’s greatest racing export and nothing
would give us more pleasure than to say the same of you.”
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