Anita Akal: Celebrating 54 Years of capturing Durban July moments

 IT IS A WIDELY held view in the horseracing industry that there are no racing certainties.

Anita Akal is a long-time action photographer focused on horseracing, and has bucked that trend.

Akal, 82, has been on the money with her shots for over half-a-century, having covered a large majority of KwaZulu-Natal horseracing meetings in that time.

Always perched somewhere near the winning post, Akal counts capturing the final strides of thoroughbreds' powerful finishes as a sight to behold.

And having a ringside seat in Africa’s most prestigious race, the Hollywoodbets Durban July, she believes was a privilege.

Saturday's race marked the 54th consecutive occasion that Akal photographed the July, and she has not lost none of her verve or vitality.

Her image of jockey JP van der Merwe driving last year’s winner, Oriental Charm, towards the finish line was rated as the “Shot of the Day” by the sponsors, Hollywoodbets. 

In the build-up to this year’s July, Akal’s photograph was used extensively countrywide, splashed on billboards, buses, and buildings, as the main marketing image.

“81, and shooting that image in last year’s Durban July was very fulfilling, a big thrill. That showed that I still have what it takes.” 

She has hopes that her shots of The Real Prince winning this year would rank tops once again.

“I was very excited when the Oriental Charm picture was chosen because I was competing with younger photographers and there were many on the day.”

"That was a very special moment,” said Akal, who recalled that there was only one other photographer on course when she photographed her first July.

Akal said she was "still learning” at her first July, and it was “very difficult”.

“The winner in my second July was Yataghan (1973). I remember it clearly because the owner was Dutch and he was a difficult person.”

Akal’s photographic services on racedays also include capturing the owners and connections leading their horses into the winner’s enclosure, media interviews, the whole shebang. 

“I showed Yatagan’s owner a picture I shot and he asked me about the unknown man standing next to his wife. 

“He wanted the guy cut out and that was not easy to do back then...we eventually did.“

Regardless of that experience, Akal regards every July as memorable. 

“It is a very special opportunity to photograph a July.”

What to wear is also a big part of the excitement for her.

“You think you look drop dead gorgeous and then they (racing officials) put a bib on you (indicating photographers).

“It’s a marathon day, I’m on my feet the entire time and I shoot about 2 000 pictures”

For the last 10 years she has been working in tandem with her daughter Anneke on racedays, that’s because Akal had a bad fall on the tarmac at Greyville and sustained serious injuries.

“It was raining and I skidded. I smashed everything on my right-hand side.” Akal feared she would never walk again.

“My husband (Ronald) and her two children (Fred and Anneke), who were both accountants, pushed me through.”

Akal is naturally a determined person and her family’s support proved to be the tonic that got her onto the road to recovery.

“Anneke went the extra mile when she didn’t have to, she gave up her accounting practice to take over for me.

“She was already well immersed in photography by then. She is doing superb work and is well loved by our clients.”

Akal said when Anneke was younger, she would “smuggle her into the racecourse because Under 18s were not allowed entry. 

“She was 10 when I took her to the July and had her positioned at the top of the grandstand with a camera. I told her when those horses come past she must put her finger down and fire away.”

Akal’s family relocated to South Africa from Utrecht, Holland, when she was 12.

“My father was a businessman for many years and he had to choose between South America or SA. His choice was made over a flip of a coin and the rest is history.”

They settled in Durban initially and she attended the Maris Stella School before her family moved to Johannesburg.

After completing school she worked as a sales representative.

She did a course in photography and was the only female in a class of more than 30, and also learned the art of producing pictures in a dark room.

“I have always been fascinated with photography since I was little and bought myself a camera with my pocket money.”

After the death of her brother, Akal and her mother relocated to Durban, and within six months she engaged Ronald, who died last year.

“I've known him since I was little, his family were well-known business people. His sister was in school with me.

“Ronald owned horses with friends and encouraged me to take pictures of them when they won.”

Akal said at that stage a photographic company based at Durban Turf Club (Greyville) took all the pictures and hand-coloured them, while she was producing colour photos.

The general secretary of the turf club approached her about taking pictures for them, even though some of their directors resisted.

As the clientele gained confidence in her work, she was approached by the Clairwood and Scottsville Turf Clubs to do the same at their race meetings.

Her long association with racing afforded her interactions with many famous people including royalty like King Goodwill Zwelithini, Queen Elizabeth and King Charles, and horseracing personalities like Lester Piggott and Syd Laird.

A memorable July was in 1984 when her husband's horse Versailles, a rank outsider, ran a close second to Devon Air.

“That was a very emotional moment. As the horses approached the finish line, I got a bit anxious and dropped my camera.”

The other time Akal felt a bit rattled taking photographs was when she was photographing rugby, the 1995 rugby Currie Cup Final between Natal and Western Province at Durban’s Kings Park Stadium. Natal won 25-17.

During the match Natal’s star winger Cabous van der Westhuizen not only had to weave his way past opposing players before dotting down for a try, but Akal too.

She had unwittingly encroached into the in-goal area and into the path of the long-haired van der Westhuizen.

“As he approached the tryline, I thought to myself that this was going to be the shot of the century and stepped forward. You can imagine the attention I drew from a crowd of 55 000 and the TV audience.

“I got such a fright as Cabous approached me and the referee was shouting. I panicked.

“The racing fraternity was hysterical…they never let me live it down.

“Cabous had a grin on his face when he dotted-down.”.

Akal said she has never felt bored in all her years of photography and has learnt to adjust to the digital way of capturing images.

“At the end of the day it's all about your instincts and timing. Something that becomes part of who you are.

“Horses are magnificent and beautiful animals. Nine times out of ten you will get a lovely picture when they are in full stride.

“I hope to be taking pictures for as long as I can,” she said.

Anneke said: “Working with mom has been an absolute joy, making every task an extra special bonding moment. Her guidance and support have been invaluable. 

“ I'm grateful for the experience, together, we've created memories that will last a lifetime.” 

DAILY NEWS