When it comes to racing, the spotlight is invariably on the winners, snapping the moment of victory, the joy and the reaction. After all, everyone loves a winner – from punters to owners to trainers to jockeys to grooms, and even the horse itself basks in the glory.

However, getting the horse to the races, let alone into the winner’s box, is an arduous and often emotional journey. It’s that journey which even the all-seeing lens of the camera can’t capture. And it’s this journey where Kuda is becoming ever more visible in the industry.

Some 184 yearlings are scheduled to go under the hammer at this Sunday’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale to be held at De Grendel Wine Estate and Kuda will be there to offer expert advice and assistance in the go forward of the horse’s future career.

While the adrenalin – and wine – flows at an auction, and the excitement of having tasted success with your particular bid can reduce even the most experienced buyers to quivering wrecks, a Kuda “quartet” will be in attendance. Their CEO, Wehann Smith, will be at De Grendel, where he will be supported by a formidable trio in Kuda’s Chief Revenue Officer Dawn Newman, Bloodstock Product Manager Jo-An Campher and brand ambassador Fiona Ramsden to assist you with “what happens next”?

Their collective roles are to help and educate buyers with making the right choices once they’ve made their purchase, which would be to ensure their precious new cargo is insured through Kuda. It’s a matter of ticking the right boxes, quite literally.

Campher explains: “Kuda will be offering a very good rate for all horses purchased at the CPYS. Buyers can choose from the 90-day option or a full year’s cover immediately from the fall of hammer. Buyers would need to select the Kuda box on the purchases/buyers slip and the insurance will automatically be added onto the same invoice as the horse. It’s really as easy as that!”

All of Kuda’s “people at the Sales” are familiar faces in the equine industry.

Smith is, amongst other positions held, a former CEO at Cape Thoroughbred Sales and he is a passionate role player in racing and who came within the width of a piece of paper of winning his first Grade One as an owner with African Rain at the weekend.

Newman is a reigning national equestrian champion who started her competitive career on some outstanding thoroughbreds, the best of whom was a horse called Foxcroft bought from Stan Elley for the princely sum of R500. This horse went on to become a multiple SA champion.

Both Campher and Ramsden have been heavily involved in horses and both started riding at a young age and are familiar races on the racing scene, particularly so in the Western Cape.
“Kuda is a company that is passionate about bloodstock and our clients. We understand how important buying and owning a horse is and that the animal is also covered should anything happen. Having been a horse rider and involved with horses most of my life, I understand that accidents, illness and injury occur,” Campher says.

“I know what makes horses tick, and I’ve foaled them down, fed them, raised them and taken care of them. But, illness and injury is part of a horse’s life, just as it is with humans. It’s important that anyone who has a horse has cover and I believe that the cover offered by Kuda gives total peace of mind to the client and that’s a great blanket of comfort to have.”

The After Auction Upkeep Cover is a fall of hammer product where Kuda adds to the insured amount any spelling, pre-training, training and other horse related “running” costs. In the unfortunate event of the death of your horse, choosing this cover at auction means that we will then also reimburse up to R12 500 per month in respect of these expenses incurred, less any stakes earned.

“We understand that the cost of investing in a yearling does not stop at the purchase price at auction, and have developed this product to give our clients better protection against financial loss in that first year of owning a horse,” added Newman.

Worth a reminder is that Kommetdieding, the current hottest property in South African racing and hero of the past weekend’s Cape Town Met, is insured by Kuda. Further example that when it comes to Team Kuda everyone is a winner.