Board of Directors

My association with racing is partly attributable to my student days “pencilling” for a bookmaker, then a brief stint as a bookmaker, being closely associated with my cousin Clive’s racing interests and then more laterally as a racehorse owner.
As a director of the RA, I hope to bring to bear my extensive executive management, skills and business experience to help foster accountability, governance, transformation and sound business practices within the RA for the benefit of all its stakeholders and the racing industry as a whole. In working with the CEO alongside with my fellow directors and other players in the industry, I expect to contribute to the sustainability of horse racing in the country, while at the same time helping improve the experience for all RA members and other key participants.

‘I am delighted to be a part of the RA Board and will be striving to continue to help evolve the thoroughbred industry as a whole. The South African thoroughbred industry has all the ingredients to become a world class environment - and I am determined to help develop and grow the environment into an enjoyable, transparent, and fair industry for all.’

Passion for racing via family from young age.
Uncle Natie Kotzen was a jockey/trainer, Late cousin Grant Kotzen was a jockey ,cousins Glen and Nathan Kotzen and wife Sharon Kotzen are trainers.
Have been in the corporate world my entire career, Academic achievement NQF Level 7, now retired as senior manager from the DCD group.
Currently assisting SKR as racing manager, and a trustee at our complex.

Racing Highlights

1) 2008: My 1st Winner as a Owner: Shipwreck: Trained by by cousin Glen Kotzen
2) 2015: Have a runner in the S A Derby: Save The Rhino: Trained by Mr Ormond Ferraris. The winner that year the Amazing Legal Eagle.
3) 2018: Wining My first listed Race. Just Chaos: the Racing Association Stakes. Trained by my Wife Sharon Kotzen (SKR)

Proposed plan as Board Member: see younger people being brought into the racing game and to ensure more transparency and confidence in the racing industry. Looking after the needs and the interest of All the Owners involved in East Cape Racing.

Mapula Sambo is a Masters’ in Business Administration (MBA) graduate, a seasoned entrepreneur with a broad proficiency in business and operations management.

Her other areas of experience are in estate agency management, education, financial management and internal auditing.

Mapula is a colour holder and has an interest in a syndicate in the Mike de Kock Racing Stable.

Besides serving on the RA Board, Mapula also serves on the Social, Ethics and Transformation Committee. She is described as a visionary planner, and a creative and innovative leader.

Philip completed his Bachelors of Business Science degree in Finance at UCT and then qualified as a Chartered Accountant (SA) in 2008.
Philip is a Registered Auditor (SA), holds a Master Of Commerce degree in Taxation and is a partner at an accounting and financial services firm in Cape Town.

As a third generation owner, Philip was born into an equine loving family. He has participated in various facets of the sport for the past 27 years. Philip has been a licensed colour holder since 2004 and currently has shares in many horses in training, with a variety of trainers.

Philip was elected onto the board of the Western Cape chapter of the Racing Association in 2020 and chaired the Western Cape RA awards panel for the 2019/2020 awards.

As a true racing enthusiast and lover of the sport Philip believes that his passion coupled with his financial expertise, will assist in racing overcoming the tough economic climate it currently faces.

I am currently employed as the Racing Manager of Drakenstein Stud Farm in the Western Cape. My first job in racing was in the breeding sector as a groom at Ballylinch Stud in Ireland, after that I completed the Irish National Stud course. I attend the Darley Flying Start course after that and then headed home to work for Northfields Bloodstock for a year before going to America and working for the world’s largest sales company Keeneland. I remained overseas and worked for Juddmonte Farms as head of nominations for 4 years, after that joined Cape Thoroughbred Sales for a short period before joining Drakenstein Stud Farm in my current role. Currently my role consists of managing the horses in training and dealing with the trainers on a daily basis, I also oversee the running of Drakenstein Stud Farm. My proudest moment in racing was being involved with Gaynor Rupert receiving the Owner of the Year title in 2018 and Drakenstein Stud winning the Outstanding Breeder of the Year title in 2019. I am heavily involved in the local racing industry and sit on numerous boards and committees including the Cape Breeders Club and Graded Races Committee at the NHRA. I believe I would bring International experience both from a racing and breeding perspective to the RA WC Board plus a huge amount of passion for the South African Racing Industry as this is my life blood and I want to see it succeed. Looking after owners and their passion for the sport is critical to both Drakenstein and the sport as a whole hence why I would like to get involved and assist where I can.

Garth completed a B.COMM LLB at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1993, and
joined FTSE 100 listed CPG company Kimberly-Clark, holding numerous senior
management and executive positions in South Africa and the United Kingdom, with
responsibilities across the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Africa (MEA) region,
culminating in the Managing Director role for sub-Saharan Africa from 2008-2013.He
contested the 2014 South African national general election with a newly formed
political party, Agang-SA, winning two seats in the National Assembly.

Garth subsequently joined the Ethos Private Equity Group in 2014, completing the
acquisition of a number of CPG companies and successfully leading to the
establishment, integration and operation of the Twinsaver Group. He has recently
completed a 3-year contract as Group Chief Executive Officer.

He is a former Board member of the South African American Chamber of
Commerce (AmCham), Vice-chair of the South African Paper Manufacturers
Association (PAMSA) and current Board member of the South African Institute
of Race Relations (SAIRR).

Garth has been a member of the Racing Association for over a decade and has
horses in training with the Sean Tarry yard.

Natalie Turner joined the RA in 2009 after completing her articles and holds a B. Com degree in Financial Accounting. She managed Finance, HR and Administration until her appointment as CEO in July 2020. In addition, she oversees the transformation projects of The Thoroughbred Horse Racing Trust which include the Work Riders Programme on the Highveld and Eastern Cape as well as the Gauteng Jockey Academy. Natalie also represents the RA on the South African Jockey Academy Board.

She registered her individual colours in June 2020 and has been involved in various partnerships. She has an inherent passion for the industry, strives to serve not only members but all participants in horseracing and is determined to make a meaningful difference.