Horses and music to light up Makgadikgadi
In a bold effort to breathe new life into their economically stagnant village, a group of ambitious Nata youth have launched the first-ever Makgadikgadi Horse Race Challenge.
Scheduled for May 30th and 31st, the first-of-its-kind event blends sport, culture and entertainment, all set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Makgadikgadi pans.
Once home to the vibrant Makgadikgadi Epic Show, Nata has felt the pinch since the tourism spectacle relocated to Sua Pan. Now, locals are taking matters into their own hands.
Speaking at a media briefing in Gaborone today, Friday (May 16th), one of the organiser’s, Vicer Eleck explained they came up with the concept in an attempt to revive Nata’s fortunes. “When we assessed our village, we realised there is a lack of economic activities. Our village is small, but it has a big population. As youth, we decided to join hands with others to revive the economy of our village,” Eleck elaborated, adding they wanted an event with strong ties to Nata. “A horse is something we are familiar with, we grew up riding them. We also looked at our beautiful pans filled with water and wildlife and decided to merge the two to create a horse race in the pan,” he said.
“Nata is an area with a lot of potential to bring life to people through economic activity. SMEs will benefit from having stalls, while hotels and other businesses will also see a boost,” Eleck predicted.
The two-day extravaganza, which will be held at Nata Bird Sanctuary, offers much more than just horse racing. The fun starts on Friday evening (May 30th), with a cultural night experience, showcasing traditional dance and special performances from local Nata-based acts. The following day is set aside for the main horse race, followed by a music festival under the stars, with tickets priced at P100 and available online at tickito.thevoicebw.com
The riding will feature three competitive categories: Thoroughbred, Crossbreed and Tswana Breed, culminating in a grand final where P30,000 awaits the winner. No rider will go home empty-handed, with all guaranteed a share of the P350,000 prize pot.
Adventure seekers can look forward to: boat cruising, helicopter rides, quad biking, game drives, and horseback riding throughout the weekend. Eagle-eyed nature lovers, meanwhile, are advised to be on the lookout for birdlife, with several species, including flamingoes, in the area. Revellers are also assured of spectacular sunsets.
In a big boost for organisers, SunBet has come on board as a key partner, offering on-site betting services, adding an extra thrill to proceedings.
Expressing excitement at the sweet adventure that awaits in the salt pans, SunBet Country Manager, Tsholofelo Makgoweng said, “We have successfully co-hosted horse races three times in Botswana, and all of them were a success; we are confident this one will be too! “We have partnered with the Botswana Horse Racing Association, who provide us with accurate data on participating horses so we can determine fair odds for our clients.” Makgoweng added that all due diligence has been followed. “Everything we do is accurate. Supporters and horse racing enthusiasts can come and safely bet on their favorite horses,” he assured the public.
