24 Jul 2022

About 65 horse jockeys will battle it out for the P100 000 grand prize for Gabs July event billed for Sebele on July 30.

This was announced during the Gabs July activation event on Saturday were horse race fanatics had an insight of how show jumping was done.  

Riding his horse, Walk Tall, Gabs July director, Wiseman Ben, jumped a height of 95cm over the fence.

Walk Tall also jumped alongside Siobhan O’Neil’s Sonata of Haven Stables who also showed the crowd that she could jump over a 95cm fence without knocking it down.

In an interview, Ben said he rode Walk Tall to show Batswana what the Gabs July had in store for them.

Ben said about P185 000 had been raised for the competition.

“P100 000 will be the grand prize money for the jockey which gets the first prize,” he said.

He thanked Batswana for the support indicating that the event would be one of its kind as more than 65 motorcycles would parade, among other activities.

“There will also be stalls and the event will be a platform for Batswana to make money,”

Patrons will be serenaded by the Mpoledise hit marker Khoisan and Dr Vom of the Tsaya thobane fame alongside other performers.

For his part, Gaborone mayor Austin Abraham, urged revellers to come in big numbers to support the event and its business value

“Come and enjoy the horse races, the motor bike races, the jumping and many other activities in the line-up,” he said.

The mayor also said the Gabs July show would be amongst Botswana’s iconic events that promoted both domestic and international tourism.

One of the Gabs July fans, Lesego Bakoko, said she was passionate about  show jumping, which she used to watch on television.

She said the Gabs July event was a sign of growth and was convinced that it would attract many.

Bakoko also said she always attended the Durban July in South Africa and could not wait for next week to try what she would be wearing for the glamorous event.

She also thanked the organisers for pulling off such an event that already had economically contributed to Batswana. Ends