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JOHN FREEMAN MAKES SA AUCTION HISTORY... JOHN FREEMAN John attended his first yearling sale with well known bloodstock agent father John Freeman at the Milner Park showgrounds as a budding six year old horse enthusiast. The bug bit early. Matriculated at Marist Brothers College. After completing his obligatory national service he spent a gap year working for veterinarian and stud master Dr. John Pettifer in Mooi River before reading law at Wits University. The lure of horses drew him back to his father's bloodstock operation and he soon displayed an affinity for the industry. He formed his own horse auction and insurance company, The Thoroughbred Group, in 1983. The leading horse insurers for ten years and consistently leading buyers at the National Sales. Elected a member of the Jockey Club in 1977. To the board of the Transvaal Owner's and Trainer's Association in 1986 as deputy chairman. Since then he has served as chairman of SABA (SA Bloodstock Agents Association), as owners representative on the Import Export Council, National Federation of Owner's and Trainer's and as Chairman of the Finance committee of SAHIEC, The SA Horse Import Export Council. Elected to the board of the WPOTA in 1994. Co-opted as a steward of Western Province Racing in 1995 and served as a steward and director of Gold Circle Racing and Gaming Group until 2008. John founded the WP Grooms' School Trust and remains that body's Chairman and principal sponsor. |
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3 DECADES OF CHAMPIONS Some Gr1 Horses associated with John: Other recent graded stakes horses: |
6 HORSES OF THE YEAR: DYNASTY, ENCHANTED GARDEN, FREE MY HEART, PINEHURST (IN MAURITIUS), |
The agency counts amongst it's successes a noteworthy list of Champions purchased as yearling's for clients. John is reluctant to claim sole right to the success of any horse that he has helped select as a yearling (believing that the trainer's involvement always deserves prime recognition). He is happy to list some that were not directly bought for their ultimate owner's and some that he "owned" himself for a short while like:- ENCHANTED GARDEN (The first ever female Horse of the Year in SA), NATIONAL EMBLEM (a champion racehorse at 2, 3, 4 and 5 years - bought on spec with Charles Laird), SAN CARLOS (bought for an owner who dissappeared and was later resold at a loss - champion racehorse and winner of over R 1m), RIP CURL (same story as SAN CARLOS), LEOPARD STRIKE (winner of South Africa's first ever R 1m race for 2yo's - John owned half this horse for the first 3 months of his career in racing).
Others that have had significance in John's career as a judge of yearlings since moving to the Cape in 1993 include FREE MY HEART (Horse of the Year 2002 and Champion Older Horse - 6 Gr1 wins), ROMAN CHARGER (Cape Champion 2yo - 2001), COLONIAL GIRL (purchased as an unraced 2yo - Gold Cup Gr1 winner and Equus Champion Female Stayer 2000), 2003 Horse of The Year DYNASTY, who according to Peter Kannemeyer and most racing enthusiasts was "the best horse in South Africa" as well as PAST MASTER, winner of the 2011 J&B Met. The legacy continues...
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John's Thoroughbred Group
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Tel: +27 (0)21 418 0566 - Fax: +27 (0)21 418 0254 - Cell: +27 (0)82 7778117 - pegasus@mweb.co.za