09 Mar 2022

The Mascom Derby returns on April 16 after being halted for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 120 horses and jockeys from Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia are expected to whet the appetite of punters who have been starved for action at the Shashe horse track in Maun.

“The last time we hosted the Mascom Derby was in 2019, surely that was a long time ago and we are very excited to be back this year for yet another eventful Mascom Derby,” said Mascom chief communications officer, Tebogo Lebotse-Sebego when briefing the media on March 9.

The Mascom Derby, she said,  had been in existence since 2006.

“While we celebrate 14 years of this great horse fortitude, the 2022 Mascom Derby promises an extraordinary show of fashion and cultural diversity. In its maiden years, the race was held between Gaborone and Maun, until finally relocating to Botswana’s cosmopolitan tourism capital, beautiful Maun,” she said.

Lebotse-Sebego noted that the event was the highlight of the Maun Easter Holidays calendar with dignitaries and tourists coming in from different countries around the world to join in the excitement and experience Maun cuisine, music, cultural fashion extravaganza and the horse race competition.

She said sport was part of the country’s national pride and as the leading network provider, Mascom was involved in several sport sponsorships including football, motorsport, athletics, netball, boxing and horse-racing.

“Through sports, we engage with our stakeholders and also do good by giving back to Batswana and contributing towards making better the lives of ordinary people,” she said.

 Tebogo-Sebogo said the derby was part of Mascom’s efforts to support tourism and give back to the communities within which the company operated.

 The event, she said, allowed Mascom to show appreciation to the customers.

She said Mascom had over the years been able to make meaningful contributions to organisations in Maun and surrounding areas as part of corporate social responsibility strategy with a keen interest on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in the society especially women and children.

Some of the festivities lined up for the derby weekend included a fashion show, music festival and workshops for aspiring fashion designers and models.  Ends