‘Mantšali Phakoana
The Radebe Foundation has injected a whooping M300 000 for the first edition of the Moshoeshoe’s Day Horse Race on March 11 2024.
The event will take place at Peka Race Course in Leribe.
According to a press statement from Radebe Foundation, jockeys will battle it out for honours in triple and flat races.
A total of 190 equestrians – 135 in the triple Race and 55 in the Flat Race – from Lesotho, South Africa, Namibia and Botswana are expected to compete.
For each category, the horses are clustered into four sub-categories depending on their performance on the field, with the best performers set to clash in Triple A or Flat A respectively. The lowest groups will be Triple D or Flat D.
The money will cover the two categories of triple race and flat race, with M150 000 expected to be distributed among the winners of each group.
The race celebrates the founding of the Basotho nation by King Moshoeshoe I in 1824. It will coincide with Basotho’s bicentennial anniversary.
“This one-of-a-kind race is also directed at commercialising horse racing in Lesotho and also promoting tourism as an influx of tourists is expected to flood the country, thus, boost the economy,” the organisation said.
It also indicted that it seeks to elevate horse racing to international level.
“Lesotho needs to be renowned as a destination for a world-class horse racing contest,” said the Radebe Foundation chairperson, Lebo Radebe.
Radebe noted that the foundation’s goal is to build a top-tier race course within the next two years.
The organisation also has plans to capacitate local equestrians with skills on how to breed the best quality race horses to market internationally.
Plans are also in the pipeline to construct a veterinary clinic for horses.
The statement added that the event has accorded the Radebe Foundation an opportunity to make horse racing one of the top calendar events in Lesotho.
For his part, the Equestrians Association of Lesotho president, Khalanyane Lehora, said the race will help develop Lesotho.
Lehora stated that this would be the first time they have a sponsor like Radebe Foundation, dedicated to the development of the sport.
“The M300 000 which the foundation has pledged for this race is overwhelming. We used to compete for M5000 in prizes,” he pointed out.
Because of low sponsorship, some Lesotho jockeys had even opted to compete in popular races in South Africa such as the Durban July and Tanti Horse Race where local horses are known for their superb performances.
“It is through this Moshoeshoe’s Day Horse Race that they will be able to return the favour and host their foreign counterparts. This pilot edition is likely to boost Lesotho’s horse racing status both in the country and beyond our borders,” Lehora said.
Radebe Foundation further noted that although horse racing has remained a multimillion sporting code, it has become neglected in Lesotho, forcing local equestrians to seek greener pastures elsewhere.
