Allen Roux (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Allen Roux was a Stipe, a trainer, an archivist, an artist, a father, a grandfather and a good friend to many. He passed away, quietly and privately, on Tuesday, 20 December 2016.
I only met Allen briefly, first at Riethuiskraal where he was helping out Altus Joubert. It was a long drive to Stilbaai, but Allen made us incredibly welcome and spent the day showing us the farm, telling us about the horses and helping us photograph Imperial Stride, clowning around with a dustbin on his head to help us get the stallion’s ears forward !
We’d see each other here and there at the odd sale or race day and he always remembered me by name and came over to say hello. He had a quiet, unhurried way about him and when you were in his company, he always gave you his full and focussed attention – a rare compliment in today’s hustle and bustle.
I most recently bumped into Allen at a show at Stellenbosch District Riding Club and he was as kind and solicitous as always. I’d had no idea that he was ill, but Allen was not the sort of person to discuss that sort of thing and we spent a pleasant half hour or so chatting about the horses and bloodlines on show. I didn’t know him for long and I can’t claim to have known him well, but our brief acquaintance was enough to know that he was the most wonderfully kind and gentle person. I am sad to hear of his passing. The world needs more gentle people.
Allen
Allen (whose middle name is Morris – something not many people know) was born on 16 June 1955 and grew up in Johannesburg. He went to Sir John Adamson High School and went on to do a BA in Fine Art at Wits University. From there he entered the corporate world, ending up in corporate finance. One can’t imagine the corporate world being a comfortable fit for Allen and before long he decided he’d had enough and started studying to be a Stipendiary Steward.
Throughout his life, Allen always loved horses. His son Brett says, “He was completely passionate about horses and all aspects of them. It mainly started through show-jumping and he was in the equestrian section in the army. I’m not sure where the link came with racing, but as far back as I can remember he was involved with horses. He studied horses and breeding for years and eventually got involved as a Stipe. Then he decided he wanted to become a trainer, so he quit his job and became a full-time racehorse trainer and then racing became his focus.”
Allen met and married Diane and they had two children, son Brett and daughter Blair, and lived and raised their family on a smallholding in Walkerville. Brett remembers “a million dogs and horses. We eventually moved more towards the city as he was training out of Germiston and then Turffontein.”
Racing career
Allen at Turffontein
Allen founded Roux Racing Stables, finding success with the good filly French Braid in particular. He later went into partnership with Lyle Anderson as the Anderson-Roux training partnership. They trained mainly for owner-breeder David Makins for 16 years. Although Makins was not a buyer and Allen trained his homebreds, he did so with distinction, training amongst others, the good filly Jamaica. Other good horses they were associated with included Evening Attire, Shades Of Winter and Good Samaritan. Gold Currency was another multiple winner that held the course record at Turffontein for a while and was close to Allen’s heart.
Lyle Anderson shared some of his memories. “I first met Allen when I was 5 years old. His wife was my Gr1 school teacher, so I’ve known Allen virtually my whole life and he was like a second father to me. We both had similar philosophies on training and looking after horses and got on very well together, but he didn’t suffer fools. He was very forthright in his beliefs and how things should be done. He stood up for what he believed in and could be difficult if things weren’t done the way he thought they should, so he had a few run-ins with the Stipes and the Operators. I think people either loved him or they didn’t.”
Allen eventually decided to give up training, although Lyle continued for a few more years. Lyle says, “We didn’t have huge buying power and had reached the point where we had a string of very modest horses and needed to strip right down and rebuild from scratch. Allen had been there and done that and didn’t want to go through it all again, but I think he’d lived his dream and done what he wanted in racing. Even after he stopped, he was licensed as my assistant and popped in regularly and looked after the yard whenever I was away. He always had an active interest and followed our results.”
“He was really a solid human being, salt of the earth. Nothing was ever too much trouble for him and he was always willing to help or give advice. He is a big loss to racing.”
Legacy
TBA Museum
For a while Allen was employed on a contract basis for the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and in conjunction with Adv Altus Joubert and Robin Bruss, he left a legacy by establishing the Museum of SA Racing & Breeding at the TBA Sales Complex in Germiston. He assisted John Kramer doing selections for the Cape Premier Sale and National Yearling Sale for 2011 and drove all over the country with John and Tom Thornbury. He later worked with Adv Altus Joubert at Riethuiskraal.
“He’d still go to sales and was involved here and there looking after a few stud farms,” continues Brett, “but for the last couple of years he was focussing a lot more on the art side of things and we have a whole pile of paintings he’s done over the years.”
“Latterly, he was based in Betty’s Bay. My grandfather has a cottage out there, so my dad worked from there for the last few years. His brother Colin resides in Noordhoek. His sister Carol lives in Somerset West where he spent a few weeks before being admitted into hospice two days before his passing.”
Asked to describe Allen, Brett says, “He was definitely a person who had very strong opinions and views on things. He was a very independent person and liked to do everything himself – he was not dependent on others. He felt strongly about animal welfare, both regarding horses as well as in general. He was quite adamant about trying to make sure people didn’t treat animals badly and he was passionate about conservation. He had a couple of things that he was really passionate about – horses, art and his other great passion in life was wildlife – those were the things that he really got the most joy out of. Any opportunity he got he would spend time at Kruger or any other game reserve he could.”
Approximately 15 months ago Allen was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, but it progressed aggressively and he passed away on Tuesday, 20 December 2016.
Allen is survived by his father Colin, his brother Colin, his sister Carol, ex-wife Diane, his son Brett and daughter Blair and grandchildren, Jarryd, Jaydee and Luke.
A memorial service will be held on 28th December 2016 at 3983 corner of Diastella and Dilatris Road, Betty’s Bay at 2pm.
Allen Roux – 16/06/1955 – 20/12/2016.
