Maun Polo Affair the Apex Easter Event of 2023

  • Jockeys from Lesotho, SA and Namibia to ensure a sight to behold
  • Organisers call on MYSC to come on board to sponsor the fashion show

GOSEGO MOTSUMI

All roads will lead to the tourism capital of Botswana, Maun, for the inaugural Maun Polo Affair in which jockeys from Lesotho, South Africa and Namibia will be a sight to behold this Easter.

The Maun Polo Affair is the latest entry on Botswana’s calendar of events and will kick off with a pre-party called “Polo White” on Friday 8 April ahead of the horse racing event the next day at Shashe Horseracing Track.

“The masses go on a pilgrimage to Maun every year during Easters and this year is no different,” said event spokesperson, Mox Gaolape.

115 registered horses

“With this new horse racing and lifestyle event, we want to change the look of horse racing. The exciting changes will be seen over the years as we continue to host the event.

“The Polo Affair is also set to contribute to the economy of Maun immensely in the transport, hospitality and food industries and their value chains.”

Horseracing

Partners in the event, DC Tours and Ngamiland Horse Racing, will feature a horseracing showcase with 115 registered horses.

The organiser of the event, Chalebgwa Mabua, says they have invited jockeys from Lesotho, South Africa, Namibia who are currently on horseback to familiarise themselves – and their horses – with the race track.

“We had a short time to plan for this event because we were separating from our previous partnership,” Mabua said. “But we have managed to increase the viewing stands to accommodate about 4000 people and erected the horses’ starting gates.”

Lifestyle

The horseracing event will have a lifestyle feature where patrons will get to put their best fashion foot forward.

According to DC Tours director Lapologang Molemele, they have invested heavily in the look and feel of the event that will feature influencers such as Kagiso Sento and Khumo Kgwaadira as host. To ensure that it is a classy and elegant affair, there will be three marquees corporate, VVIP and VIP patrons.

The lifestyle section will also host fashion designers from Zimbabwe and South Africa. “We are a hospitality company at DC Tours, and when we talk about the horseracing, it is the second biggest event after the Toyota 1000 Desert Race,” he said.

“We named this Maun Polo Affair so that we brand Maun as a tourism destination, in the process selling Botswana. As a hospitality company, we assure you that you are going to get your money’s worth because we have been doing events for a long time.”

Sponsorship needed

All sponsors of Maun Polo Affair will be unveiled on 6 April.

Meanwhile, Molemele has called on the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture to come onboard to sponsor the fashion show aspect of the event, saying (MYSC) has been doing so over the years.

“This event is not about DC Tours but the nation at large,” he said. “How are we going to professionalise these sectors if sponsors pull away? It’s a bit political because I was told that there is no money, for the first time.

“We have an agreement with another company that is hosting an international pageant a week after the Maun Polo Affair. Their Top 12 is supposed to feature in the fashion show. However, the event cannot happen his if there is no sponsorship.”