The Story Behind Owners’ Colours: Julia Kieswetter

Colours that have stood the test of time – and straddled continents – are now in the Western Cape where Julia Kieswetter continues a family history that started over 60 years ago and spans three generations. 

Kieswetter, nee Conway, grew up in Australia but relocated to South Africa in 2017 where she married husband Ross. Having her own racing colours were far from her mind at the time. 

“I took such enjoyment in watching the Ridgemont horses that I never felt the need,” she says.“Of course things change, and my riding horse is now a broodmare and has produced three foals. The second foal, a Lancaster Bomber gelding called Apache Chief is now a four-year-old and I would like to think is knocking on the door.”

“One other horse I have in training is a five-year-old gelding that’s come back from a significant suspensory injury. He is back in full training so he won’t be far off racing. I don’t think he will shoot the lights out, but he’s a lovely athletic horse. It will be lovely to see him back on course in the purple and gold.”

The purple and gold silks they race in were registered in Australia around 1960.

“My paternal grandfather Maurice Conway was a bookmaker and therefore couldn’t hold a training license, so his friend Tom White took up the licence to train Standardbreds in Victoria around 1960,” Kieswetter says of the origins.

“Tom was from a small place called Yaapeet, and together they chose purple and gold as they were the local football club’s colours. That club was always the heart of the remote, small farming town communities. 

“People have moved away though these small towns have shrunk. Yaapeet, some 400km from Melbourne, has a current population of 75 people! 

“But back in the day my grandfather purchased a stallion from America named Tarport Low to stand at their farm stud. My father then took over as a trainer. When I was in my 20’s we registered the family colours with the Victoria Racing Board and had a mare called Must You Go. She had two wins for us in the family silks and it was such a thrill. And now those family silks are in South Africa!”

By Gary Lemke