Jockeys from the southern African kingdom of Lesotho on Saturday gathered with their mounts in the mountain village of Semonkong to compete on one of the continent’s highest racetracks.
Horse racing is a major social occasion in the mountainous nation of about 2 million people nestled inside South Africa.
“I can go fast, very fast,” 17-year-old Tsaeng Masotsa said before heading to the starting line.
Photo: AFP
At more than 2,200m above sea level, the high plateaus of Semonkong in central Lesotho play host to a nationally famous racetrack. Races are held here throughout the dry season from May to September with the most prestigious one marking King Letsi III’s birthday in July.
A few hundred people, mostly wrapped in bright traditional shepherd’s blankets, gathered on Saturday to watch dozens of riders square off under the pale sun.
“The news spread like wildfire from village to village,” said Jonathan Halse, 52, who runs a lodge in the area and is among the race’s sponsors.
Photo: AFP
Many things are still organized by word of mouth here.
The horse came to Lesotho with European settlers in the 19th century and the local Basotho pony is the result of crossbreeding over time. They are mid-sized and known for their endurance.
Locals use them to herd sheep and goats or for everyday transport. Some villages are accessible only on horseback.
“It’s an absolute necessity in everyday life. There are places where you can’t go otherwise,” said Motlatsi Manaka, a 45-year-old herder.
Before the races, the animals are brushed, their manes braided or trimmed. They have undergone months, or sometimes years of training.
Prizes can reach US$130 dollars — about the same amount as the average monthly salary. Gambling is rife with bundles of cash being passed among spectators seated on large stones.
Most horse owners are shepherds who make a living selling wool. The annual shearing season has just begun and shepherds receive about US$3 per kilogram of the fiber.
Jockeys get just a little more to ride and most of them are younger than 20.
The race is divided into several events, based on the age of the horses racing.
“My horse will be victorious, no adversary can resist him,” some riders chant, before launching their horses at breakneck speed on the curved course.
The dirt track, about 1km long, is enveloped in mist from the nearby Maletsunyane Falls, among the largest in Africa. Its finish line is marked by a pile of stones.
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