Zebaldt Ngaruka
OTJINENE – The president of Namibia Horse Racing Association (NHRA), Godfried Mootu, said the future of the horse racing sport in Namibia will be bleak if sponsorships are reluctant to come on board.
Currently, Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) is the only NHRA sponsor following the departures of FNB Namibia, Standard Bank Namibia, and Debmarine, which previously invested in the sport.
Mootu shared that the lack of sponsorship is the real challenge and will hamper the development of horse racing in the country.
“This is a serious concern; we need more backing from the private sector to join and contribute to sport development in the country. Sport is one of the key priority areas of the eighth administration; it is high time for the corporate world to come on board and assist with whatever is possible,” he said.
The president said maintaining racehorses is not easy, as the money earned from winning competitions is too little.
He emphasised that the cost of maintaining horses and the payments from competitions don’t match, as transportation and feeding are high.
“Something must be done, we are only having MTC and Castle Bet will join, but still, that is not enough. We want to expand this sport to all parts of the country, but it’s difficult with little funding. We need to have started stalls at all our venues,” he said.
Another challenge, Mootu added, is the technical equipment like drones that can be used in instances when there is no clear winner.
“This sport is very competitive and sometimes winners are decided via photo finish from video cameras. We need a drone that can be useful in these circumstances to prevent chaos or misunderstanding,” said the president.
He also added that NHRA is now part of the government and hopeful that soon it starts getting benefits.
Mootu also promised to work with all regions to be part of the racing sport.
“We are trying, although it is difficult, as some regions don’t have interest or are not familiar with horses. All these could be possible if we can get sponsorship or a helping hand from the line Ministry,” he said.
The president said that, currently, Omaheke, Khomas, Otjozondjupa, and Hardap are dominating horse sports, and he advised individuals with horses from other regions to join existing clubs.
“This is a national sport, and it will be good if all participate in it. We will try our best to start from grassroots participation,” he said.