Beauty Ndlovu’s story is one of a deep rooted passion, a love for horses that found her long before she knew it.
“I grew up at Summerhill Stud where my parents worked,” she says. “Weekends were for helping with the horses. Even though I dreamed of becoming a doctor, something about the horses stayed with me. It grew inside me, and I started enjoying and loving them.”
That early spark eventually became a full time calling. Beauty began working with horses permanently in 2011 under the guidance of Annet Becker. “She always made sure we knew what we were doing,” Beauty recalls with admiration. “It’s been 14 years now, and I still carry with me what she taught me.”
In 2016, Beauty enrolled at the Summerhill School of Equine Management Excellence, a year she credits as pivotal in her career. “I wasn’t great at theory and my classmates and friends were very helpful, and I returned the favour in that I could help my friends with the practical side. Mark Naidoo and Catherine Zolner helped me through as well as my managers Thabani Nzimande (all of the aforementioned working at prominent farms overseas) and Taryn Liebenberg (working at Drakenstein Stud), and together we ended up as the top students,” she says proudly. That same year, she was awarded a National Stud scholarship. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t go due to visa issues – but just receiving it meant so much.”
Today, Beauty is the supervisor at Bloomhill Stud, a role she treasures. “Working at Bloomhill is more than a blessing,” she says. “I’m so grateful to Mr Goss for making it possible, and to Lance and Sandra Trethewey for trusting me with this responsibility as Supervisor of Bloomhill Stud. I wake up happy all day every day at Bloomhill.”
She has a soft spot for foals, despite the sleepless nights and extra care they demand. “I love working with the foals and I love yearling preparation too.” As for advice to anyone thinking of entering the stud industry? “Love the horses. Pay attention. Treat them like your own and enjoy everything you are doing.”
At Bloomhill, Beauty has helped usher in winners from the get-go, many of whom followed her from her Summerhill days – names like Rabada, Wysiwyg (voted KZN Breeders Broodmare Of The Year in 2022 and the dam of Bohica and Bartholdi) and now her winning son Wyzeact, trained by Corne Spies, who’s currently enjoying a break at Bloomhill in Mooi River. “I follow all of our horses on the track. It’s part of the joy to watch them run.”
“In future I wish I could get a chance to go overseas and get more experience, I would love to help people who want to work in this industry.”
When asked about career highlights, Beauty doesn’t point to a single race or title — but to the people, the horses, and the opportunities that have arisen for her.
Sandra Trethewey, owner of Bloomhill Stud, shares high praise for Beauty’s contribution:
“Beauty is an asset to our farm, a real gem. We are very proud to have her heading up our team at Bloomhill Stud.”
A familiar face at sales and always ready to assist during viewings, Beauty and her team at Bloomhill are now preparing for the foaling season, a time of fresh beginnings and long nights. As the racing season draws to a close, the next chapter begins on the stud farms, with new life arriving from 1 August. For Beauty, it’s not just a job – it’s a purpose, and the story is still being written, one foal at a time.