No horses were harmed during grooms’ strike‚ trainer says

Well-known horse trainer Geoff Woodruff on Friday was grateful that none of the horses were harmed during the strike by the grooms at the North Rand Training Centre in Randjesfontein‚ Midrand‚ on Wednesday and Thursday.

Woodruff said the claim by grooms that wages were extremely low was untrue.

“Every single groom is paid above the minimum wage (R3‚500 a month). Mine are well above. The trainers also pay UIF contributions and workmen’s compensation. I run a happy stable‚” Woodruff said.

Woodruff‚ who has about 40 grooms‚ said most of his grooms‚ based on experience and the years they have worked for him‚ earned between R8‚000 and R9‚000 a month.

He said with the new agreement‚ some of the grooms he employed would earn above R10‚000 a month.

The trainers‚ on top of the salary‚ also pay for the grooms’ board‚ water and electricity.

Media reports on Friday quoted some grooms as saying they earned between R2‚000 to R3‚000.

Woodruff said the strike‚ in which the EFF was involved‚ was characterised by threats of physical harm to the trainers at the centre which houses about 1‚000 horses.

The strike led to the cancellation of the Vaal race meeting on Thursday‚ but grooms returned to work on Thursday afternoon after reaching an agreement with the trainers.

Woodruff denied claims that the horses had not been fed and watered for three days.

“No harm came to any of the horses. They were fed and watered twice that day by us (trainers)‚” Woodruff said.

He said every horse in the complex was fed‚ including those whose trainers were prevented from entering the centre.

“We were threatened by the EFF. There was also the breaking of gates and fences. We found it difficult to negotiate when the threat of violence became a bargaining tool.

“However‚ we negotiated with the grooms and reached a financial agreement with them.”

Woodruff‚ who will have four horses at the Turffontein race meeting on Sunday‚ said the grooms and trainers also agreed that Phumelela racing‚ which has refurbished the grooms’ living quarters in 2015 at a cost of R3-million‚ would do so again.

Although the living quarters were designed to house the 400 grooms at the Randjesfontein centre‚ there were reports that some of the rooms were rented to people who had nothing to do with the grooming of horses.

“We said security must be stepped up‚” said Woodruff.