Owner of the Month – August – Lorette Louw
The Racehorse Owners Association first learnt about the Thread Of Life Initiative at the East Cape Derby on the 10th of May and the story behind this was truly remarkable. We are thrilled to present Lorette Louw as our Owner of the Month.
The dynamic owner behind Econo Agri (Pty) Ltd, has been in the horseracing industry for the past five years. The company specializes in the import and export of maize, wheat and other products and Lorette has combined her business acumen with her passion for racing and equine welfare, as her company actively supports the Highveld Horse Care Unit as well as Coastal Horse Care unit and their company culture is very community driven.
Growing up in the Northern Cape, Lorette was one of two daughters in a close-knit family. The loss of her mother to cancer had a profound impact on her, sparking the creation of the Thread of Life Initiative, a cause that has grown exponentially since its launch in May. This initiative is close to Lorette’s heart as a dear friend Jane Thomas fights similar battles, with all proceeds from her horse, aptly named Thread of Life, being donated to cancer causes. Lorette’s vision doesn’t stop there, however and the initiative is set to expand with a new website and an anonymous chat community aimed at providing support for cancer patients. This platform will also connect patients with a network of health professionals, creating a vital lifeline for those navigating the challenges of this illness. They are currently working on the roll out of this platform, and we hope to share more details in the future. “Blessings should be shared,” Lorette says, urging others to extend kindness both to others and to themselves. Lorette expressed her gratitude to the owners in the industry who have already pledged to support this most worthy cause.
Lorette started off her racing journey with Lucky Houdalakis and had horses conditioned by Corrie Lensley, Heather Adamson, Fanie Bronkhorst and Mark and Dorrie Sham, who, when they retired left Lorette quite devastated. This did not quell her passion, and she currently owns roughly around 20 horses, where most of the string is with the Tara Laing stable in the Eastern Cape, and a few small shares in syndicates with Jacques Strydom and Gavin Smith. Lorette added that she enjoys spreading the joy and supporting other trainers but remains loyal to the Tara Liang Racing Stable. Lorette expressed her appreciation to the T.J Laing racing team and explained that Tara is excellent with horses and the team ensures that videos, gallops and updates are always provided. She fell in love with Fairview racing and explained that it feels like a big family on a race day. When asked about her most memorable victory, Lorette recalled the running of the Grade 1 Gold Medallion at Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse on the 4th of June 2022. She part owned Now I Got You and explained the absolute pride she felt when the son of Admiral Kitten (USA) ran second to the 2024 Equus Award Champion Sprinter, Thunderstruck. Horses also owned by Lorette include Stolen Kiss, Rain Bird, Sky Velocity, Global Scene, Sequoia, Timbavati River and Fredericos Passion.
Lorette explained that she loves learning just how much horses mean to their owners, whether it be the meaning behind naming a horse, or following their second careers after racing, there are different personalities in the industry, and they definitely make it more interesting. We enjoyed hearing about Lorette’s horse “Stolen Kiss” and her best friend Henny Pen (a chicken) who followed this mare everywhere and even enjoyed standing on her back in the stable. Lorette explained that at a point in time they had more chickens than horses and that they are now so blessed to have expanded their string.
When chatting about Lorettes time as a member of the ROA, she said: “People see the initiatives such as the added bonus stakes, but I see a much deeper purpose. I love the incentives and the facilities but there is an opportunity to connect owners to make a difference in racing, communities outside of racing, and to educate people in other equine disciplines, about racing”. Lorette added that syndicates are becoming more positive for the younger generation to be involved.
We were absolutely delighted to learn more about Lorette, the people dear to her, and the passion she has for the horseracing industry, equine welfare and community outreach. We wish Lorette, Tara Laing Racing and her loved ones the very best for the season ahead.
