Zebaldt Ngaruka
The Otjinene Supporters Club (OSC), in collaboration with Standard Bank and Mobili Fishing, will be hosting their much-anticipated horse racing competition at the Otjinene turf club this Sunday in the Omaheke region.
OSC chairperson Progarius Muriambihu said more than 50 horses have already arrived in Otjinene ahead of the weekend’s 17 plates races, which will coincide with the popular Otjinene Expo.
“An amount of N$100 000 has been set aside for the competition. Winning horses and jockeys will receive their prizes on the spot,” said Muriambihu, who also shared that iconic racehorse Von Trother will be retiring at this weekend’s event.
Von Trother is one of the country’s top home-grown talents which has proudly represented Namibia at various international-level competitions in Botswana and elsewhere.
“This is our local Otjinene horse owned by Kenamuruke Kandjii, who played a pivotal role in the development of horse racing in the constituency. It won many competitions in the Nambred categories, and it will be missed by many, especially in the main race of local horses, where it battled out with many other top horses such as Freedom Fighter of Uaraa Tjiho from Ovitoto and others,” he added.
Meanwhile, Earl of Cardigan from OSC and Seretse Olibile’s Action Time are set to make their debuts at the competition.
“These are two young horses, and they will be baptised here in Otjinene. This is good for the development of horse racing sports in Namibia, and the interest is there among racing fans,” Muriambihu shared.
In the 1 000 metres (m) graduation category for Nambred horses, Zuma Boy, Cut a Corner, First Come First Serve - all from OSC - will battle it out against Otjombinde-based Life is Good, Mr President from Professor Supporters Club (PSC) and Get Ready of Mbinae Kasume.
In other races, local horses Black Mountain, Ohange, Joburg, Kamujamuna, Eta, Ritara Boys, Kanaan C, Whitey, Kapiringi and Bye Bye will all compete in a fun race before the main races of the event get underway.
“This fun race is aimed at entertaining the crowd and giving an opportunity for local horses to shine in Otjinene. We have many young and locally-produced horses and jockeys who don’t get the opportunity to travel outside the region, and this will be their time”, he added.
One of Otjinene’s top horses, Silver Sun, will go up against Bin Laden from PSC, Try Again of Tjiho from Ovitoto and Epukiro Racing’s Bright Eye of Iritjiua Murangi in the 1 800m of the Nambred D division.
The Nambred A division 2 000m, which is the main race for local horses, will see Von Trother, Freedom Fighter, Sunny Side, Mboma from Harambee Racing and BB Kata of Hiskia Kanangure from Ovitoto battling against each other.
Many other top Namibian horses will close the day in the 2 200m. The likes of Star Boy of Hiskia Tjimbundu, Aminuis Racing’s Visigoth and Honest Illusion, Burundi of Kanangure, and newly-imported Imperial Ruby will join Okahandja-based Starlile for the top prize in that category.
One of the notable absentees from the competition will be Aminuis-based French Leave, which was recently crowned champion in Botswana.
Aminuis Racing’s Uakaeta Tjiramba confirmed that the current thoroughbred champion will not travel to Otjinene.
“Our horse needs rest after participating in almost all competitions since last year. But we have confidence in our two horses Visigoth and Honest Illusion to do well at the competition,” he continued.
*Zebaldt Ngaruka is a freelance journalist based in the Omaheke region.