Maurice Kambukwe
After months of inactivity due to Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, the Namibia Horse Racing Association (NHRA) will this weekend stage its third horse racing tournament at Rehoboth.
This will be the third tourney after previously hosting two successful competitions at Otjinene and Okahatjipara Turf Club back in July.
For this event, a whopping N$40 000 will be competed for in over 18 races, comprising of short and long distances.
The N$40 000 has been proportionally divided among the 18 sprints as categorised.
Confirming the race, NHRA president Martinez de Waal said it will take place this coming Saturday at Rehoboth.
“We have a tournament planned to be hosted at Rehoboth on Saturday, and we are expecting all horse owners and jockeys to enter,” de Waal said.
The racing will be jointly hosted by the two clubs from the town Kobos Racing and Tsumis Turf Club.
According to one of the event organisers Wenzel van Wyk, the event will be held under strict Covid-19 rules and regulations.
He added that raft measures have been put in place, which allows only a total of 50 people at the venue.
Hand-sanitising and mandatory wearing of facemasks will be required at all times.
“We are only taking 50 people, and we are very strict with our rules. We expect all the top-performing horses from across the country to enter in this exciting competition,” Van Wyk said.
Although the number of participants has been reduced to 50, the organisers remain optimistic that they expect a successful and competitive tournament on Saturday.
“Yes, we expect a very competitive event, especially in the A 1 000 m division, we have horses coming as far as the east, Gail is our favourite and various horses from Otjozondjupa region. So, we expect stiff competition over the weekend.
The organisers also called on the participants to adhere to the rules and regulations of Covid-19 to ensure everyone is safe at the event.
“To horse owners, adhere to our first and last rule, the Covid-19 rules. You must have your masks at all times and sanitise your hands regularly. We should also apply social distance at the event. We want it to be as safe as possible for everyone,” added Van Wyk.
– mkambukwe@nepc.com.na