About
Johan Janse Van Vuuren
Question & Answer
Janse van Vuuren, 42, has had his training licence for over a decade and is among the top dozen conditioners in the country in recent years, being unafraid to travel around the country in search of opportunities for his horses.
What is your Star Sign and Birthdate?
My birthdate is 2 January 1982 which makes me a Capricorn and believe me I am a Capricorn.
Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I was born in a little town, Vereeniging, which is about 30 minutes outside Johannesburg. I grew up on a farm which has been owned by my family for many years.
Where do you live?
I currently live in Vanderbijlpark which is only a 10 minute drive from the Vaal racecourse.
Tell us about your family?
My dad, Johan, and my mom, Daleen, live on a farm just outside Meyerton. They have been married for more than 35 years. My folks are self-employed. My dad owns a steel construction company called J J Staalwerke. I have a younger sister and a brother who are both Capricorns. My sister teaches at my old high school and my brother is in business with my father.
Do you have a ‘nickname’?
I do have a nickname amongst the grooms. I don’t know how to pronounce it but it means tall boy with a loud mouth (because I hate making a noise).
Favourite food?
My favourite food is food. I am not picky and I have a good appetite.
Favourite drink?
I don’t drink fizzy drinks. I drink mostly water and I absolutely love red wine.
Favourite sport?
I have always been a very sporty person. I played all kinds of sport from a very young age. I still play a bit of tennis.
Favourite soccer team?
I support Arsenal-we are desperately in need of a striker.
Favourite holiday destination?
I would say Mauritius. I have been there twice and I must say that they were the two best holidays of my life.
Who is your favourite author?
I am not really a big reader but I must say I enjoyed Lance Armstrong’s books. I enjoy autobiographies from sports personalities.
Which characteristic about yourself do you like the most?
I am a very honest person which is something I really like about myself. I try to associate with honest people.
Is there anything the public don’t know about Johan Janse van Vuuren that they would be interested to know?
I am a person who enjoys routine. I hate being out of routine and being disorganized.
Where did you go to school?
I went to school at a little Afrikaans primary school called Japie Greyling and finished school at Dr Malan High School in Meyerton.
When did you first start taking an interest in horses and more especially horseracing?
I basically made up my mind to get into racing before I left school. I started working in a racing yard only a couple of days after completing high school. My family have been involved in racing for many years.
Who were the first trainers who took you under their wing?
I was with the late Mike Riley for a short while as my uncle was an owner there at the time.
How did you become involved with trainer Geoff Woodruff?
I was an assistant to Mr. Woodruff for 13 years. I learnt most of what I know from him. He is an unbelievable horseman and I think I was very lucky to have been in his care for so many years. He was always very willing to teach us and never held back when we needed anything.
If you had to name a horse from that period which you will always remember?
I was very fortunate to have worked with many great horses-more than 30 individual Grade 1 winners. Amongst them were the mighty Jet Master and also El Picha who were the joint horses of the year one season. Other great horses were Argonaut, Cataloochee, Elusive Fort and Ravishing. All of them have become stallions since their careers ended. My all-time favourites were Fantastic Horse, Ice Cube and Yard Arm.
Your job as assistant to Woodruff could be considered a ‘plum’ job. How difficult was it for you to decide to apply for your own licence?
It wasn’t really hard to decide to take out my licence. I had always wanted to train for myself. The hard part was to get the right clients to back me when I started. I am hugely grateful to Laurence Wernars and Harry Wilson who put their money where their mouths are. I was extremely lucky starting with the stock they sent me.
When did you take out your trainers licence and how many horses did you start with?
I took out my licence around 2012. Initially, I only had 5 older horses in the string but then Laurence and Harry allocated some yearlings to me which came in late that year.
Where are your stables based and how many horses do you currently train?
My yard is based at the Turffontein Racecourse and I have more than 50 horses in training.
Tell us about the team that assists you at the stables?
At the moment I have more than 18 grooms and my very good friend Monique Mansour helping me. Monique is a real horse lover and does an exceptional job, especially with the babies.
Tell us about your first winner?
My first winner was a bit unexpected. I bought a Stronghold filly, Casha, out of a Coastal mare, at the Ready To Run sale last year. I thought she would need a mile, and I still think so. Owner Jaap VD Vendel asked me to give her a run to see if she was any good. On 7 May 2013 I decided to run her in a 1000m race, for experience, and she ended winning by a short head at odds of 50/1.
Apart from Work Riders who are the jockeys who give you the most help?
Gavin, Diego, and Nathan most of the time. They are my very close friends. Then there are other up-and-coming riders and they come to me a couple of mornings to help out.
How highly do you value the input jockeys give you about how your horses work or how they feel in races?
I feel a jockey’s input is vital at work. It would be hard to train a successful string without it. That is the main reason I am fond of my working riding team as they give great feedback.
Obviously it is very important to keep new horses coming into the yard. Do you have help in selecting horses, either young or old, to buy, or do you do it on your own?
I pick most of my horses myself. I learnt a great deal from Geoff Woodruff when looking at horses with him. He has an exceptional eye for a horse and has picked many Grade 1 winners himself.
Who are your main patrons?
My main patrons are Laurence Wernars, Harry Wilson. They own more than 40 horses in my yard.
What would you say would be the biggest advantage for an owner to be in your stable?
The biggest advantage for an owner is obviously the care we give to our horses. We offer the very best care possible. Without horses there would be no racing.
One of the big drawbacks to owning horses is the cost involved. Have you found any way to keep the costs down?
We try to keep the costs down by buying the stable essentials in bulk. We do a lot of essential work like bandaging etc to keep veterinary costs down.
Many trainers now have treadmills, hot walkers, swimming pools and the rest to give their horses every opportunity to reach their potential. Have you managed to acquire any of these ‘helps’ as yet?
We are in the process of getting a hot walker which I feel is essential to any yard.