Fond tributes and a spirit of genuine collegial admiration and respect have poured in from across the length and breadth of the South African horseracing and breeding industry as news filtered through that a breeder of champions, Dan de Wet, a man described as a romanticist, poet and philosopher, had succumbed to motor neurone disease on Thursday 1 August 2024.
Dan de Wet – a remarkable guy
A charismatic horseman, food and wine connoisseur, and a family man with a lusty passion for life, the Montagu-born Dan de Wet would have been 71 on 27 August.
Born to Paulie and Sadie de Wet on 27 August 1953, Dan grew up in the beautiful surrounds of Zandvliet Stud and went on to matriculate at the Diocesan College.
After completing his national service in the Navy, he studied animal husbandry and viticulture at Elsenburg.
Dan spent 6 months learning the tricks of the trade with Christie Grassick at Coolmore Stud, notably getting to watch The Minstrel win the Epsom Derby, before joining Dad Paul on Zandvliet stud in 1977.
Zandvliet was as much a part of the De Wet family history as it was of the history of our country.
In 1695 Jacobus de Wet arrived from Amsterdam as an official of The Dutch East India Company where he became the cellarmaster.
Zandvliet was proclaimed and named as a 5000 morgan entity by the Cape Colonial Government.
In 1870 the scenic farm was purchased by JS De Wet (Dan’s great- grandfather) who divided the property between two sons during the latter part of the 1890’s.
This was the birth of Excelsior (Stephen, Freddie and Veronica de Wet (Foulkes), Prospect (Malcolm and later Louis de Wet) and Zandvliet (Paul Johannes). Dan and his brother Paul were fourth generation.
His Dad Paul acquired shares in the stallions Grassgreen and L’Aretin (the first sires to be syndicated in South Africa) and in 1952, with his cousins Chris and Malcolm de Wet, Paulie took the progressive step of importing a son of Hyperion, Double Eclipse, who had finished third in the Derby (Double Eclipse was later sold to America).
Paulie de Wet
During the early 50’s and 60’s, with booming agriculture and, believe it or not, a strong Rand, it was the order of the day for local breeders to shop at the Newmarket sales in England.
With the assistance of BBA’s Keith Freeman (and the proceeds of the sale of Double Eclipse), Paul de Wet imported a number of well-bred mares. Added to shrewd purchases from local farms he carefully built a band of high class mares including Inverlassie, Filcar, Miazzina and Popcorn that went on to establish some of Zandvliet’s important foundation families.
In 1954 Noble Chieftain (Nearco) was jointly acquired with Malcolm de Wet. He was a Champion Sire for three consecutive seasons, Champion Broodmare Sire and gave the stud access to every avenue of the breeding industry.
The first yearlings were offered at the Witwatersrand Agricultural Society during 1954 and here Gallican realised 500gns and later won 10 races for Reggie Passmore.
When Prospect’s Chris and Malcolm dispersed their breeding stock, Paulie purchased their interests in Noble Chieftain as well as a number of select mares, including the wonderful Sailor Beware II.
Noble Chieftain was an unmitigated success – he was named champion sire for three consecutive seasons as well as being Champion Broodmare Sire – and his success helped the stud become a major branch of the farming operation at Zandvliet.
Paul de Wet’s philosophy was there was only one way, and that was the right way!
The vines had to be planted exactly, and the horses fed only the best home-grown lucerne, and the best grade oats were imported from Freddie Duckitt in Darling.
The first yearlings were offered at the Witwatersrand Agricultural Society during 1954 where Gallican realised 500gns and later won 10 races for Reggie Passmore. Zandvliet produced exceptionally handsome-looking stock and with this strict attention to detail, Paulie won the coveted Gold Cup for the best turned out yearling at the Rand Easter Sales no less than four times.
Zandvliet produced a number of very good horses and some of the early big names include Roderick (1964 Queen’s Plate), his full brother Caradoc (Summer Cup, Gold Cup and Champion Stakes), Goldwater, Home Truth, Don Cossack, Cornice, Davy Jones and Peter Beware (Queen’s Plate and 1969 Metropolitan Stakes, which he won in Paulie’s silks).
Zandvliet’s first Met winner, Peter Beware
During their time together, the father and son team produced the likes of Smackeroo, Moccasin, Harry Hill, Susan’s Dream, Amberlad, Coolstar, Bloodline Million winner Fast Gun, and their second J&B Met winner, Wild West in 1986.
Paulie passed away in 2000 and Dan stepped in seamlessly, with the likes of Swartland, Vertical Takeoff, and of course, the incomparable Pocket Power, carrying the Zandvliet flag.
The Pocket Power story began when Dan purchased Stormsvlei, a daughter of Prince Florimund at the 1998 Natal Broodmare Sale at Summerhill Stud.
Stormsvlei – Pocket’s mom!
He told the Sporting Post in an interview some years ago that she was an average-looking mare, but what attracted him, he said, was the genetic make-up of her pedigree, because it was compatible with a host of top stallions.
The 12 year-old was in foal to Damascus Gate and Dan procured her for a bargain R20 000 from the now late Henry Devine.
Stormsvlei duly produced a filly christened Stokkiesbaai, but she was born with a cleft palate and had to be destroyed as a yearling.
Next she visited Western Winter and produced Snow in Summer (later renamed Maximum Break) who was a beautiful yearling and sold for 160k to Ian Veldman. Maximum Break became a 4-time winner before retiring to stud. Stormsvlei’s 2000 colt, Stormberg, by Freedom Land ran for Pietie Giliomee and co and notched up 8 wins.
Patricia and the late Henry Devine’s Jet Master stood his first season at stud in 2001.
Jet Master (Rakeen – Jet Lightning)
With his great performance record and being a wonderfully good looking horse into the bargain, Dan was convinced that Jet Master simply had to make it and faithfully sent him four mares right from the very start.
To add to his conviction, Dan is a keen student of Tesio and says the programme ‘did a double somersault’ when he entered a proposed mating between Jet Master and Stormsvlei.
The bay colt that was to change lives arrived at 02h00 on Saturday 28 September 2002.
As Stormsvlei hadn’t produced anything of note at that point, Dan said there wasn’t too much excitement at the time, but he remembered that the guinea fowl were especially noisy that morning as if they were celebrating something special.
Dan (in his trademark white hat) third from left, after Pocket Power’s Met win in 2007
Pocket Power caught the eye of Mike Bass at the 2004 Grand West Yearling Sale and the hammer fell at R190 000.
The rest is modern SA turf history.
And another! Pocket Power’s connections celebrate the 2008 J&B Met win – Dan is in white suit, third from right
There is a small postscript to the story in that Dan sent Stormsvlei back to Jet Master in 2002, but then sold the mare – carrying the filly River Jetez – for a mere R12 000.
He told us at the time that he obviously regretted selling her.
“She was a 16-year-old mare, she hadn’t done much, and I thought I would move on. Breeders sell horses like her – it’s something we do – and I can remember my Dad selling Tivoli when she was carrying Beau Art.” Such are the vagaries of breeding!
River Jetez – 2010 Met winner
Speaking on behalf of the Avontuur team, General Manager Pippa Mickleburgh said that they will be forever grateful to Dan de Wet, breeder of their wonderful matriarch River Jetez.
“River was a champion in her own right. Dan always had a cheeky smile and loved his horses. The stories over a glass of red wine were legendary. He was a family man to the core. We will all miss him but are relieved he is now pain free,” added Pippa.
A friend of Dan de Wet from his primary school days, Robertson breeder Duncan Barry of Riverton Stud, also a product of Bishops, said that Dan epitomized all of the very best that friendship meant to all of us.
Dan’s folks, Paulie and Sadie de Wet
“My parents George and Philippa were friends of his folks, Paulie and Sadie. I am a few years younger than Dan, and fondly recall the carefree days running wild on the beautiful Zandvliet lawns. Dan and I remained friends for life,” added Duncan, who said that he had visited his friend in Hermanus two months ago.
“I walked in and Dan greeted me with a smile, and reminded me about a funny story of about nineteen years ago, when we attended a Captain Al Syndicate meeting in Franschhoek. He had just won the SA Freshman sire title.”
Duncan said that he had taken a lift with Dan, but he was promoted to dedicated driver at around 18h30 as the ‘lunch’ continued and the wine flowed.
“I agreed to drive. As we went round the corner, I attempted to change gears. But it was an automatic and my hitting the brake saw Dan’s head shatter the windscreen. There was no serious injury and Dan said he’d tell Kosie (his wife) that a guinea fowl had caused the damage. A few days later, the guy fitting the new windscreen asked how it had happened that the guinea fowl started out inside the car! We had a good laugh all over again. Dan was a legend. He will be sadly missed,” added the veteran.
John Koster (Pic – Wayne Marks)
Klawervlei’s John Koster, who did his apprenticeship at Zandvliet, told the Sporting Post that Dan de Wet was a romanticist, a poet and philosopher.
“He had an enormous passion for nature, for tilling the soil, for breeding high class thoroughbreds, fishing, for the preparation of and eating delectable food and relishing fine wines. He cherished and adored his friends and family.
In short – Dan loved and lived every aspect of life on this earth. Until we meet again, Danny,” said an emotional John.
Beaumont Stud’s Anton Shepherd said his good friend would be sadly missed.
“In Ireland he was known as Danny de Vito. Dan was truly one of the most colourful people in our industry, always great value , with a great sense of humour. He was a gentleman and never, never, boring! As we used to say, being normal is overated! My deepest sympathies to Dan’s family,” said Anton.
Speaking on behalf of Mike, Carol and Mark Bass, and the whole Bass Racing Team, Candice Bass-Robinson said that Dan De Wet will always be remembered by the Bass family for the countless, wonderful memories they spent together re-living Pocket Powers’ great achievements.
“Dan was a passionate and astute horseman who was respected greatly by his peers. Dan had a knack of producing brilliant horses like Pocket, Hammies Hooker, Smackeroo, River Jerez and Peter Beware, amongst many others through the generations. He hails from a family steeped in history and a heritage of producing and breeding champion horses and fine wines from their Zandvliet Wine estate. Many bottles of his finest shiraz were shared together over some good laughs with My Dad and our family and he will never be forgotten. His dry sense of humour and love for his children will always be admired and remembered by us all, and we send our heartfelt and our sincerest condolences to his family,” concluded Candice.
Having been part of the South African racing and breeding landscape since 1870, Dan announced in 2015 that Zandvliet Stud was closing its doors on a large portion of South African racing and breeding history.
The new owners did not continue with breeding and Dan quipped philosophically at the time that ‘all things come to an end’. He registered a new operation by the name of Heritage Stud.
Dan is survived by his former wife of 38 years, Kosie and four grown-up children, Jeanne, Sadie (who is expecting in September), Emma and Daniel, and a grandchild, Anna.
Dan met Kosie when they were 16 and 9 respectively.
He once shared with the Sporting Post that he told Kosie he would marry her when she was nine.
“She told me to wait 12 years. I waited!” he said affectionately.
Kosie, who farms chicken and eggs with her son Daniel outside Swellendam, told the Sporting Post on Friday that the age story recounted by Dan, is in actual fact, true!
Pocket Power -champion!
While Dan was a role model and mentor to many, he always held his Dad Paul in the highest regard.
“Dad was a master salesman and dedicated horseman. He was my role model. Then I admired Willie Jooste, who was stud manager during my youth. He was a precisionist and loyal to the bone. I remember Simon, who was stockman at Zandvliet in the early years. He was amazing and could identify the mares in the dark of night!” he recounted in a chat years ago.
Dan de Wet was an entertainer and a social man of repute.
Dan de Wet
He told us that fresh West Coast Oysters wrapped with Smoked Norwegian Salmon is the most ‘decadent starter’ that one could eat.
To that he added fresh fried Hermanus plaat Steenbras as an entrẻe and AB Sirloin Steak, medium rare, with large grilled black mushrooms and baked potato, dripping with butter, and topped with sour cream and hot English mustard.
His favourite dop was a gin and tonic, crushed ice, a slice of lemon and a twig of mint at 12h00 – that is only once the boeing had gone over, before lunch on a Sunday!
He told the Sporting Post that French Champagne’ must be the closest thing to mother’s milk and he also enjoyed a Zandvliet Kalkveld Shiraz, 2008.
Dan’s favourite sport was rugby, ‘until they screwed it up’, as he lamented to the Sporting Post. He loved cricket in all forms, as well as women’s tennis and athletics.
He enjoyed the music of the 60’s-80’s. His favourites included the Beatles, Rodriguez, Joe Cocker, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tom Sawyer, Roy Orbison, Queen, and even Shakira.
Chatting once about the export protocols and the likelihood of them changing the landscape in South Africa, Dan suggested we listen to John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’.
We could never do justice to a character and legend like Dan de Wet in the space of a story.
His memory will live for generations in the lives of his family and friends, and the great bloodlines that first saw the light of day at Zandvliet.
A memorial service will be held in Dan de Wet’s memory on Friday 9 August 2024 at 14h00 at the United Church, Hermanus.
A celebration of his life will follow at 7 Poole Street, Hermanus.
RIP Dan.
For further information – please email [email protected] or [email protected]
