Africa-Press – Botswana. Horse riders take on the unforgiving Makgadikgadi terrace
Horse riders and thrill seekers will be treated to a dusty whirlwind of fun from the 30th- 31st of May in the inaugural Makgadikgadi Salt Pans Horse Riding Challenge.
Set in the flat plains of Lekgadikgadi at the Nata Bird Sanctuary, the epic battle for jockeys is expected to attract thousands of horse lovers to witness the majestic animals gallop in what is perceived their natural habitat.
The highly anticipated event will feature top-tier horses in a variety of races, including thorough bred, cross bred and Tswana bred races, each offering heart pounding moments of anticipation and emotion.
The event’s spokesperson, Thato Best Dineo, said the challenge is a medley of tourism and horse racing-bird watching, and star gazing sunset on the pan.
“The pan offers the best sunsets in the world,” he said as matter of fact.
“Nata/Gweta area is one of the most disadvantaged in the country with very little economic activity for people to earn a living,” Dineo added in an interview with Voice Sport.
He said besides the annual Makgadikgadi Epic in Sowa Town, the area has no other activity that can bring people together and benefit the SMMEs.
“Beyond the exhilarating entertainment, the event will uplift local communities, as the revenue will support a wide range of charitable initiatives,” Dineo said.
Dineo further said Makgadikgadi is a perfect setting for horse racing and Nata/Gweta, a natural habitat for horses.
“This is a horse area. From Mosetse all the way to Zoroga, horses are ruling the land,” said Dineo.
He further said besides the horses and the allure of the pans, the area also has abundance of wildlife
“This horse race will also shine a spotlight on Nata/Gweta as a viable tourist destination. Our people naturally love horses, but this area is more than just about horses. We do have natural wonders, and animals such as elephants,” he said.
He further stressed that there will be exciting prizes for winners from different categories.
For the 800m thorough bred race the winner will pocket P10 000, while the runners up and third finisher will get P 8000 and P5 000 respectively. For the 1000m crossbred the top three finishers will get P5000, P4000 and P3000 respectively.
There are individual prices for jockeys too, ranging from P1000 to P500 for the top three in the thorough bred category, and from P500 to P300 in the cross bred.
Dineo said they’ll continue to activations in the coming weeks and months, starting this Friday in Nata.
“This is going to be an epic event, and the guest of honour will be the former President Seretse Khama Ian Khama,” he said.
Registration is open to all willing participants, at P250 (Tswana Bred), P350 (crossbred) and P600 thorough bred.
“We assure spectators that we’re committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the horses, jockeys and everyone in attendance,” Dineo told Voice Sport.
He said they’ll have medical experts and safety on standby at the venue to ensure the race adheres to the highest levels of safety standards.
“And for the kicker at the end, we’ll close the event with a music festival in the evening,” he said.
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