The Nicholas Rey Foundation is proud to announce that a new partnership was established between the foundation and Luyt Lager in early January 2011.
For Luyt Lager it was an obvious decision to show its commitment to The Nicholas Rey Foundation, and to obtain a share in the racing career of Shark Attack, the colt bred by the founder of the foundation, Ricky Smit. Shark Attack was sired by Casey Tibbs, who also sired Big City Life, winner of the 2009 Vodacom Durban July.
“It brings everyone together”, says Smit. “The Foundation is a North Coast initiative launched by me, in 2005; both the Rey and Luyt families live on the North Coast and we are fortunate to have our own brewery – Luyt Lager Brewery – on the North Coast.”
“Being a long-time friend of the Rey Family, we decided to support this worthwhile and much needed cause”… says Dr Louis Luyt. “I have been very involved with the Chris Burger/Petro Jackson Rugby Fund and I recognise many similarities between these two organisations. What I find astonishing is that Ricky managed to create this foundation – driven by her passion for all things equestrian and helping others – to what it is today. The time has come to help her so the foundation can grow.”
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Luyt Lager was first launched by Dr Louis Luyt in the early 1970s. “Luyt Lager was very popular in the 70s and it is very popular now,” says Louis Luyt Jnr. “We brought back the original taste, the crispness and freshness and with that, come nostalgia that goes with this beer.”
Luyt Lager is a micro-brewery involving a bio-chemical process. “We filter our beer twice, we cool it off immediately thereafter in a very big cold room at 2 degrees so the beer always remain fresh” says Dr Luyt.
Commenting on this new partnership, Louis Luyt Jnr said: “We’ve chosen the Nicholas Rey Foundation as one of the equine-type organisations we’d like to be involved in because of the close relations that exist between us all. This is all very exciting and new for us and we look forward to getting more intimately involved in the equine industry in the future.”
During 2006, the Summerveld Equine Hospital donated a thoroughbred mare, Far and Away, to the Nicholas Rey Foundation with the sole aim of helping with fundraising. Negotiations took place between various roleplayers and she was finally sent to Cape Town for covering by the stallion Casey Tibbs at the Hemel en Aarde Stud in Hermanus. She was returned to Summerveld Equine Hospital during early 2007 and the foal arrived on November 23, 2008.
Shark Attack and his mother, Far and Away, were taken to Roski Stud, where they lived together under the special care and attention of Stud owner and breeder, Greg Royden-Turner.
In late June 2010, Shark Attack was taken to Ambleway Spelling Farm, just South of Pietermaritzburg, where he was placed under the care of Jane Trotter. “When Shark Attack first came to me he was very nervous, but he soon settled in and became relaxed. He progressed very well into the programme and I’m satisfied that he has turned out to be a fine horse, ready to start his training at the end of January 2011, with trainer Bart Rice,” says Jane.
Bart is equally enthusiastic, and has been closely monitoring his progress with Jane over the past few months.
There are only a few shares still available in this fantastic race horse. For more information on the foundation or Shark Attack contact Ricky Smit on rickysmit@mweb.co.za