Cape Town - Kenilworth Racing (KR) have announced the appointment of Justin Vermaak (of Vermaak Equine) as the Head of Racing Operations with immediate effect.
In KR’s recent history, Racing Operations has been managed or overseen remotely under management agreements by third parties on KR’s behalf. Given the critical nature of this role, KR, as a matter of priority and urgency, sought to bring this key position in-house.
Having Racing Operations locally based will go a long way to improving and enhancing communications and engagements with owners and the industry.
Vermaak’s knowledge of all equine affairs (on both a global and local basis) is unparalleled. His love for racing started as a four-year-old. He started his career in the equine industry as an assistant trainer, before going on to build a successful agency serving some of the country’s top jockeys.
Thereafter, he was hired by the National Horse Racing Authority to serve as a handicapper, and was the youngest official handicapper in the world at the time, being only twenty-one years of age.
Subsequently he was recruited by Andreas Jacobs to serve as the Racing Manager of one of the country’s top breeders, Maine Chance Farms.
Additionally, during this period, Vermaak successfully founded the racehorse syndication company Green Street Bloodstock, and so began his parallel path to becoming one of South Africa’s leading bloodstock agents, selling South African horses around the world under the “Vermaak Equine” brand.
IOL Sport