James Goodman -Sportingpost

One of the best profiles I have read , has led a really interesting life, read the whole profile by clicking the link, preview below ..

www.sportingpost.co.za/profile/james-goodman/

How it all began
I come from a dyed in the wool horse family. My mother and father both rode. My mother was a great horsewoman and bred one of my good early horses, All The Rage. I have two brothers and three sisters (I’m the oldest) and none of the others are interested in horses.

I did all phases of equestrianism and had my junior Transvaal colours in show-jumping, eventing and all those things. Then I started playing polo and I think in the first tournament we played down in Cape Town, we beat Tommy Loftus, Terrance Millard and the Rixon brothers. I was 15 or 16 at the time. I also rode in some point to point races in the Cape, at the old Kenilworth inside track, mainly for Tony Kalmanson.

Goodman on the army
Alistair Gordon and I went to school together and have been best friends ever since. When we finished school, I went to the army and Alistair went to England to work for Tom Jones. It’s a little known fact that Alan Richards, James Nesbit, Roy Gershow and I started the horse school in the army. The whole thing was set up by Roy’s father Manny, who approached Colonel Stark and asked ‘why don’t you set up a horse unit? You’ve got the perfect bunch of guys.’ So we built the stables in Potch.

Goodman on polo
While I was trying to make my way as a jump jockey in England, I got to play polo with Prince Philip. My father played polo and he and the prince were great friends. My father broke his leg just before a match, so Lord Beresford invited me to play at the Guards Polo Club. Charles was overseas doing his Navy stint, so I got to play Prince Philip’s ponies alongside the Prince, Lord Beresford and Lord Waterford. It was the last game Prince Philip ever played, actually. I was terrible and we got an absolute hiding from the Argentinians, but it was a wonderful opportunity – I got to meet and have tea with the Queen!

I also met Eduardo Moore who was the best polo player in England at the time. He said “Jamie, you’ve got no idea about playing polo, but if you come to Argentina, I will make you into a polo player.” My dad encouraged me to go – I think he was hoping to get me out of racing. It was really close too. Anyway, I went to the Argentine and I did learn to play polo. A Texan oil billionaire offered me a job in the US and I tossed a coin whether to play polo in the US or come back to SA to train horses. I came home. I should perhaps have gone to US. That’s probably my only regret, but for the rest, I’ve been blessed to have got this far and lived the life I’ve had.

Great interview. James is one of the true characters of the game. The Winning Ways show has grown on me. Wishing James all the best for the future. I am sure he will train a champion again!

"Good" man

Fun doing the interview and Robyn Louw is just the best journo, she just seems to make it work and thanks to her for listening to me for so long. Geez I don't know how she did it

Robyn is top class, i`m always waking her up at un sociable hours lol

Made for very interesting reading. Shit, James I never knew you were that well connected

I thought the exact same thing Neigh, wonder if he sends the Duke of Edinburgh the same sms as me every friday night


OFF WITH HIS HEAD

Who is this Duke you talking about ? I know The Good however ! :whistle:
You think he looks down on us mere mortals ? :silly:

He talks posher on winning ways than his dialect comes over when he replys to my sms "you canie tip buckets "

i see the good has a runner in Gauteng next week.

Can we put the lights out???

Sylvester wrote: i see the good has a runner in Gauteng next week.

Can we put the lights out???

I await the sms

How are the cigars?