Evert Van Breukelen’s Last Farewell And The End Of A Racing Family

Security guards at the Perak Turf Club salute Evert Van Breukelen as his hearse drives by the PTC

It was the last journey for Dutch-Malaysian horse trainer Evert van Breukelen as the van carried him on his final farewell the management and staff of the Perak Turf Club (PTC) staged a fitting farewell for him.

The management and staff, trainers, syces and security of the Perak Turf Club 

2nd from left are trainers Peter Lee and V. Sivan followed by Chairman of PTC Dato John Lim Ewe Chuan. 2nd from right is GM Mr Lai Hah Wan.

Standing in a straight line at the verandah the management, staff, fellow trainers and syces bowed and saluted him as his cortege passed by and proceeded to the stables the family had occupied for over 70 years.

Evert's request - to drive by the family stables one last time

The funeral mass was said earlier at the OMPH Church. It was a solemn affair and the mass was said in BM by Fr Patrick Massang and Fr Robin Lomangkok before proceeding to PTC.

It was a very solemn funeral mass 

Evert was the last Van Breukelen that has used the stables at the Perak Turf Club for training their horses. The family first started with the PTC when granduncle Marinus Van Breukelen first came though it wasn’t confirmed if he came before or after the war.

Later he brought his two nephews Rinus and Eddie to join him. Eddie had three sons Hans, Pieter and Evert who were all trainers. 

The Van Breukelen's. L/r: Pieter, Evert, dad Eddie Van Breukelen and Hans

Pieter and Evert at their stables celebrating Everts win circa 2010

Evert won the Rm1mil Yang di-Pertua Negeri Gold Cup, Penang 2009

Pieter took over the stable from his father and in 2005 Evert was handed the stable from Pieter. Since that time Evert has saddled 350 winners in 18 years. On the last weekend before he died Evert  scored a double win with Tilsworth Mali and Trinity Honor.

Perak Turf Club GM Lai Hah Wan said that Evert was a survivor. Horse racing in this day and age is a tough business. However Evert has toughed up to it and stayed in the game because he came from a racing family and had a passion for racing.

He was a fixture in the club and although he had physical mobility issues he treated people well and was generally well liked and was called the “Gentle Giant’.

In his later years Evert was very much a family man who enjoyed tending to his small garden after his workday. His birthday was due in September and his twin sister Manja, who lives in the US, had made plans to spend two months with him and the family come this August.

Left. Evert with his twin sister Manja. (R) The family man. Carl, Evert, Sonia and Margret.

But alas with the passing of Evert all has come to an abrupt end without any warning leaving his wife Margaret and family and the end of a Racing Family.   

Goodbye my friend. Gone forever but never to be forgotten.

JAG