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News & Events
Swede on Safari
Leading Swedish Harness Racing Driver, Johnny B Karlsson, recently visited South Africa to promote the introduction of Harness Racing to the country. Contracted to and driving for the powerful Stefan Hultman and Menhammar stables in Sweden, this young driver shared his vast experience about the tactical world of trotting.
Invited by the Harness Racing Association of South Africa and hosted by the Association’s Chairman, Dean Latimer, Johnny’s first opportunity to demonstrate his driving skills was at Randjiesfontein, where participants at the trotting workshop were left in awe as Johnny hitched-up a sulky to a Hackney horse, Mega, owned by Vee Laros and then proceeded to trot him at a brisk pace around the training track. A Regal-brand sulky was specially imported from Australia and onlookers were amazed to watch the assembly of the light-mass sulky within minutes. It was apparent at this first workshop that potential participants of the sport in South Africa would hail from all types of equine disciplines.
A trip to Gauteng would not be complete without a visit to Johannesburg’s twin city, Soweto, where Johnny and Dean were treated to traditional township fare at Wandie’s Place, while experiencing the innate sense of hospitality and warmth of the local people.
The home of Western Cape racing, Kenilworth Racecourse, was the venue for the second workshop. Attending his first South African race meeting, Johnny was intrigued to note the similarities between the South African Thoroughbreds and the Standardbreds utilised for trotting in Sweden. One of the concerns raised at the workshop was the occurrence of accidents in the sport, at which point Johnny was able to confirm that accidents are extremely rare.
Cape Town’s incredible natural beauty, fascinating history, Mediterranean climate and its melting pot of inhabitants make it one of the world’s most interesting cities. The Cape tour included a visit to one of the greatest landmarks in the world – Cape Point; pictures with the penguins at Boulders Beach; walking the Waterfront and Johnny’s highlight of the Cape – Groot Constantia Wine Estate. As Johnny says, “South African red wine is like trotting, if you’ve tried it once, you’d like to do it again and again.”
This being Johnny’s first trip to South Africa and his farthest destination from Sweden, it was essential for him to experience the African bush at its best. Racing Journalist Andrew Harrison, former KZN Champion Trainer Tony Furness and Gold Circle’s Sipho Gama, accompanied Johnny and Dean to Biyamiti private bush camp in the Kruger National Park. Andrew proved to be a man of many talents, who was completely in his element wandering barefoot through the bush; braaing the meat (of which there was enough to feed a small country) and even proving to be a valuable tour guide being able to identify every type of tree, bird and mammal in the park. Always on form, Tony kept the group entertained with his dry humour but it was he who had the last laugh on the final evening of the trip, Tony recalls the story, “The snorers in the group, Dean, Sipho and Andrew decided to sleep outside the cabins. At 4am the roars of two male lions lying at the camp’s fence suddenly woke everyone. What a sight to see the three of them in their underwear scattering back to the lodge!”
For the final stage of the tour the group traveled to Dundee in KwaZulu-Natal, where plump cows graze on the battlefields of the Zulu and Anglo-Boer wars. The hot and dusty airfield in Dundee was the venue for the penultimate trotting workshop, where a number of rural horse owners gathered to learn about the exciting prospects of the establishment of a permanent harness racing track. A horse appropriately named Mercedes Benz was kindly provided for the driving demonstration by Mr. Gama of Majuba. Once again onlookers were spellbound as Johnny and Mercedes Benz trotted down the track as if they were a long-acquainted team. The rural horse owners expressed great enthusiasm for the sport and there is no doubt that with the provision of the correct facilities and suitable training, Dundee airfield has the potential to flourish as one of the country’s first harness racing tracks.
Scottsville Racecourse hosted the final workshop of the tour, where a number of the province’s leading owners and trainers attended, including Michael Roberts, Tony Rivalland, Dylan Cunha and Keith and Pauline Young. Dylan Cunha was so impressed and enthusiastic about the introduction of harness racing to the country, that he has already volunteered now retired 7-time winner, Flaming Pink, to be trained as a trotting horse. “It is possible that harness racing could provide a lucrative option for owners of under-performing or retired Thoroughbreds,” said Dylan.
Johnny surprised everyone with his polite and humble demeanor. All he came in contact with were impressed by this young Swede, everyone enjoyed his company and it is strongly hoped that we’ll have him back on these shores once again soon.
We have just learned that on Johnny's return to Sweden it was not long before he claimed for the second successive year the prized "Guldklokken" award, and has been pronounced "Rookie of the Year"
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