Former Cape champion trainer Joey Ramsden celebrates his 52nd birthday on Thursday with fiancé Stephanie Grentell and their daughter Ruby at Bribie Island in the south of Queensland, as the trio continue on their incredible Australian journey.
Joey, Ruby & Steph get to meet the locals
Joey aka ‘The Captain’ left South Africa in January this year after a long and distinguished career as a multiple Gr1 winning trainer.
He was thrilled to hear from the Sporting Post and to send a birthday message back to the cold and wet Cape, while enjoying all the fun the warm Australian winter has to offer.
“I’m missing my girls Holly and Zara more than words can say. It certainly wasn’t my plan to have not seen them since we left. They’re very good at keeping in touch, but I must say I quite often get teary on ending our calls. They’re turning into beautiful young ladies,” he added proudly, saying that he was ‘also missing everyone and the Cape’.
From one Joey to another…
Joey, Steph and Ruby started their travels in Tasmania but ‘got curtailed’, stayed a while in Victoria and have now wound their way up the East Coast.
“Steph and I got engaged in Tasmania, but as our trip there was cut short there’s definitely unfinished business. We might wait for the weather to warm up there before venturing back down! But at this stage we plan to just keep going north and then eventually head west to continue ‘The Big Lap’,” says the popular former Milnerton-based horseman.
Joey and Ruby soak up the sun
He adds that, as with everyone else, COVID-19 has ‘put a little pause on our lives’.
“But we’re lucky enough to be fairly free regarding movement now and Australia is the most beautiful country. Every place we stop we think it just can’t get any better – but it does every time!” he reflects in his typically positive manner.
They are travelling in a motor-home, and Joey says enthusiastically:
“We called her The Mystery Machine…Ruby/ScoobyDoo! And Steph and Ruby are well, happy and loving it. But we think Ruby could be the naughtiest, most stubborn child to have ever lived – but then, look at her parents!”
Joey quips in closing that they will ‘continue on in this changed world of ours and just take it day by day’.
Happy birthday JR!
