Jannie Borman – lived for his horses (Pic – 4Racing)
The South African horseracing community awoke to the shocking news on Easter Sunday morning that veteran trainer Jannie Borman was murdered at the Vaal Training Centre on Saturday evening.
Jannie Borman had a small string of horses and had just turned 73.
“It is a very sad and terrible time for all who knew Jannie. He was a colourful person. He loved baking, played rugby for Griquas and lived for his horses,” trainer’s wife Emmie Lensley told the Sporting Post.
Jannie Borman started training on a farm with his Dad Henry Sham and took out his own trainers’ licence in 1997, starting with 18 horses based alongside Bertie van der Merwe, Mike McLachlan and Kevin Coetzee at the old Bloemfontein track.
He was initially supported by the late Stefaan Botha and Faan Mynhardt and got going well with horses like Pounds For Pennies (Shalford) and Enchanted Angel (Dolpour), who won several races between them.
He moved to Kimberley in 2005 and was a regular in the winner’s enclosure with up to 40 horses.
“Those were good days because Kimberley was flourishing and there was a spread of horses between trainers. I had winners almost every week,” he once said.
His best horse was a reject, Beach Flight (Jet Master) a colt bought for just R5 000 at the pre-July Sale in KZN in 2010.
Beach Flight was troublesome, but talented won four races in a row at Flamingo Park between March and May 2011.
Beach Flight was improving so much he travelled to the Vaal on 19 May of that year and he ran away from them, winning by five lengths under Marthinus Mienie. Beach Flight won seven of 15 starts.
When Flamingo Park was closed, Jannie Borman moved to the Vaal just before the onset of Covid, and lost horses and patrons as a result.
“I am here for the love of my horses and the game, I have a happy stable and I am capable of training a good horse. It’s not easy to train moderate horses, one goes much faster driving a Mercedes Benz than a Tata!” he quipped at the time.
The Sporting Post believes that the Borman string has been placed in the care of Chris Jonker.
A man has been arrested by the SAPS in connection with the incident.
Jannie Borman is survived by a son and daughter in Kathu in the Northern Cape, and another daughter in Cape Town, as well as five grandchildren.
His son Jan told the Sporting Post that the family was reeling from the shock and that their Dad and Oupa would be dearly missed.
No arrangements have been made as regards a memorial or funeral service.
