HESTER KUHN

With hubby Heinrich seriously involved and having so much enjoyment with the racehorses he owns, housewife and mother of young children Hester eventually decided, about four years ago, to “jump on the bandwagon” and join Heinrich and his brother as a racehorse owner – a move that in February saw three of her runners make it to the winner’s enclosure at Scottsville and Greyville.

Currently involved in about 20 horses, Hester has found the racing experience to be intriguing and the interaction with the horses very therapeutic. She has always loved animals and now accompanies Heinrich at times to the stables on a Saturday morning.

“You know how things are with all the daily challenges you face running a home and taking care of the children and there are occasions when, on the way to the stables, you don’t really feel like going – there are too many things on your mind.

“But I love to go into the boxes with the horses and interact with them and no matter how up tight I was when I arrived, after spending time with the animals I come away feeling so relaxed that I would just like to go to sleep.”

With their home in Cape Town, Hester and Heinrich have horses in the Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng and visit Durban regularly in January and July and on other occasions when their horses are competing.

Hester is fascinated by the intrigue of the sport where one never knows just how things are going to develop. “You can have the best horse, the best jockey and the best conditions but it doesn’t mean you are going to win.”

But sometimes you do, so well done Hester and may you have many more winners.