18 Apr 2017

The Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Thapelo Olopeng has emphasised the need to put up proper infrastructure for horse riding industry across the country as it is now growing in leaps and bounds.

He said the industry is economically bigger than football and it is their intention to see it being held in different areas across the country.

He said in an interview that his ministry took the industry seriously and urged private sector to come on board and help with infrastructure in areas such as Ghanzi, Kgalagadi and Maun where the races were mostly held.

He also indicated that they intended to come up with a legislation going forward adding that they wanted to see more young people participating in the horse races as they could take advantage of youth development fund to buy horses.
Olepeng also appreciated the Mascom derby noting that it attracted a lot of tourists and emphasised the need to help in improving the current horse race ground.

He said indeed the event had become the highlight of the Maun Easter Holidays calendar with dignitaries and tourists coming in from different countries around the world to join in the excitement and experience Maun cuisine and the horse race competition

He said they had realised that there was congestion and that spectators could not enjoy the view of horses the whole ground.

The minister said they intended to meet with the organisers, associations and see how best they could help with infrastructure because they wanted it to be up to standard.

He appreciated efforts made by Mascom so far and assured that they would join forces and put more focus on the race to ensure it was held in a professional manner. The Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development have been sponsoring  four races in the Mascom Derby.

Asked about the plot that was identified in Maun to establish the horse race stadium, the minster pointed out that he was informed that the land board did not approve the plot.

However, Olopeng revealed that Botswana had quality horse breeds adding that recently some horses from Ghanzi were sold to some horse owners in Dubai.

He said his ministry’s aim was to see the country hosting the horse race at an international level where more countries as far as Dubai could come here and compete.
 

“I believe all we need is infrastructure because we have the right breed which could compete internationally,” he added.

Olopeng further explained that soon they would visit Dubai to conduct a research on their horses as they wanted them to come to Botswana adding that they wanted assurance on whether the country was free from diseases and other logistics. BOPA