Namibia: Otjivero endurance club hosts Independence Ride

Namibian.com.na

By: STAFF REPORTER

THE Independence Ride will be hosted by the Otjivero Endurance Club this Friday and Saturday at Gobabis.

The horse riding competition received approximately 50 entries from across the country and will consist of different distance categories, which are 30 km, 60 km, 80 km, 100 km, 120 km and 160 km.

Bank Windhoek announced their support towards the competition.

“This is not the first time that Bank Windhoek supports a horse riding competition, a sophisticated sport, which requires skills, training and continuous practice.

Bank Windhoek believes that with hard work and dedication you will reach your goal and is therefore proud to be a sponsor of a competition that is based on the same principles”, said Riaan van Rooyen, Head of Corporate Communications and Social Investment at Bank Windhoek.

Without the support of Bank Windhoek to host competitions, such as the Independence Ride, growth of the sport will be limited, said Bennie Venter, chairperson of the Otjivero Endurance Club.

“Horseback riding is a popular sport, however it is also expensive and without support it would be impossible to develop the sport further. Therefore, we are very grateful to Bank Windhoek for the continued support over the past few years.”

The Otjivero Endurance Club is the largest of seven competitive horse riding clubs in the country and has 80 members.

All the clubs fall under the umbrella body, the Namibia Endurance Riding Association (NERA).

The Otjivero Endurance Club has been the national horse riding champion for the past three years and recently was awarded the best performing club by NERA.

The current title holder of best rider, a member of the Otjivero Endurance club, is 14-year-old Bredell Wessels.