By Alec Hogg
Among my earliest memories of my remote hometown of Newcastle in KZN was how I’d travel for hours with my father to attend motorbike racing. His hero was six-time world champion Jim Redman, a London-born Rhodesian who became one of the sport’s earliest superstars. Although he campaigned globally most of the time, wherever in SA Redman raced, we usually followed.
My father passed away a few years ago, but his spirit was surely in the room yesterday when I spent a couple hours with the now 85-year-old biking legend. Redman, who lived most of his life in South Africa, finally dismounted from his racing bike last year. He relocated back to the UK in February and our meeting came via the good offices of a mutual friend, Servest chairman Kenton Fine.
Watch out for the interview which will be published later this week. Jim Redman is the real thing, with a life story as inspirational as any you’ll hear. “Jammy Jim” also owned Foveros, the champion racehorse whose offspring dominated SA’s thoroughbred racing for over a decade. Some days are better than others. Yesterday was one of them.
