Passionate Owner Supports Good Cause

It was Anne Frank who said that ‘nobody has ever become poor from giving’ and it is through her own life philosophies and personal experience that Johannesburg-based owner Lorette Louw has launched the Thread Of Life initiative, which first saw the light of day on a beautiful sunny afternoon at Fairview on Friday.

In a nutshell, all stakes earned by her 2yo filly Thread Of Life will be donated to cancer causes.

Lorette, a single person, whose horses are her ‘kids’, has raced for five years and started out at the Vaal with Lucky Houdalakis, before enjoying her racing with a few other trainers, before meeting Dorrie and Mark Sham, and ultimately falling in love with the Eastern Cape.

“I just find the warmth and hospitality of the racing community in the Eastern Cape so special. The feeling of a sincere welcome cannot be quantified. The intimacy of Gqeberha clearly lends itself to being a destination where one feels one is amongst friends,” says Lorette.

The passionate owner had a few runners down at the Nelson Mandela Bay Racing HQ these past few days, and took some time off to spend with veteran trainer Tara Laing, and to publicly launch the Thread Of Life at Fairview on Friday.

“It was so emotional – the release of the white doves and the presence of people wearing the pink t-shirts. You will notice I am wearing my dark sunglasses in the photographs, for good reason!” she added emotionally.

Thread Of Life is a Birch Bros bred Master Of My Fate filly that was purchased for R220 000 by leading horsewoman Jane Thomas at Nationals last year.

“She was the first filly purchased for us by Jane, whose own story is a remarkable one of courage after fighting her own battle with cancer recently. We took some time to find the right name for her, but Thread Of Life works – she is meant to be seen and supported as a symbol of hope for all and a tribute to Jane’s courage,” says Lorette.

Having lost her own Mom to the dreaded scourge in 2020, the 44 year old commodities trader tells the Sporting Post that there were over 20 million cases of cancer reported worldwide last year, and that almost every person around us would have had their lives touched in some measure by the ‘big C’.

“We all have a relative or friend, or somebody close, whose lives have been impacted, and giving and helping others is something close to my own heart. I am fortunate to have a successful business and to be able to enjoy racing horses. So I came up with the Thread Of Life concept. Besides giving back, as all of Thread Of Life’s stakes cheques will be donated to Cancer aid organisations, it also has the goal of lifting some of the cloud of negativity that pervades racing,” she adds.

“There are so many great horse and people stories. But, boy oh boy, there is a lot of negativity in this game and we need to start expending some of that energy in a more constructive direction. Hence, the idea to give to a great cause and I hope that other owners will consider donating the career of at least one horse to carry the flag of a charity, that is in dire need of every rand.”

Another of Lorette’s trainers, Jacques Strydom introduced Cindy Lottering, herself a cancer sufferer, who will be the Thread Of Life ambassador.

“This is a great initiative by Lorette and I hope it catches on. I am aware that our local Cancer Organisation needs to replace their mobile clinic. It costs R750 000, but Ford have offered them a replacement engine for only R30 000. I intend arranging a raceday to raise the funds. It’s amazing how good things evolve from great ideas. This world is unquestionably a better place when we are helping others,” added Strydom.

Thread Of Life has now run three times, and has earned two place cheques.

“She was only a brick and a ticky high and could hardly see over the stable door in the early days. But she is maturing and Tara feels that she will be a stronger three year old,” says Lorette of a filly whose racing career has now taking on a whole new dimension with the added interest.

Always a great sport, Thread Of Life’s trainer Tara Laing says that she loves Lorette’s energy and determination to drive such a wonderful cause.

“Cancer can happen to any one of us at any time of our lives. I admire the fact that Lorette is balancing her love of racing with a generosity to give back, while maintaining a positive public outreach platform for the sport. The Tara Laing Racing team is proud to be a part of the foundation of a great cause, and three cheers again for East Cape racing,” added a happy Tara.