Pascalinah Kabi
MASERU — Two Lesotho horses scooped gold and silver medals from the Dundee Horse Racing competitions in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa last weekend.
Kapoleli, owned by Mabeea Matekane, won a trophy and M5 000 as first prize of the B International.
Ha oa Lebona — owned by Mpapa — came second in the A International category and scooped a silver medal and M5 000.
Lesotho has been participating in the Dundee Horse Racing competition for the past three years.
The purpose of these competitions is to build, sustain and protect cultural heritages shared by South Africans and Basotho.
Lesotho Horse Racing Association coordinator Hlonepho Nts’ekhe told the Sunday Express that Lesotho was only allowed to compete in two competitions A and B internationals.
Other South African horses from four provinces are allowed to take part on six competitions.
Nts’ekhe said Lesotho’s two victories in South Africa were a sign that the country is improving in horse racing competitions.
“When we started competing in these competitions we were very poor with our jockeys lacking excellent skills in horse racing as well,” Nts’ekhe said.
“But ever since we competed in the past three years we’ve improved and have learned a lot from those boys (South African jockeys).”
“We are sure that for the three years, we will be competing with them on the same level and can even handle more international competitions with confidence,” he said.
There are currently four local annual horse races held to celebrate birthdays of Prince Lerotholi in Thaba-Tseka, late Queen ‘Mamohato Bereng Seeiso in Mafeteng, Queen ‘Masenate Bereng Seeiso as well as King Letsie III in Leribe.
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