06 May 2024

In a tightly contested race that pitted the cream of horses at the 2024 Khawa Dune Challenge horse race, Western Bypass from Motokwe cruised to victory, handing its jockey Kelapile Letlatlawe the coveted P2 500 prize money.
The 2 400m race became the climax that summed up the series of shorter races that preceded it, one of which was the 1 800m Thorough Breed category race in which the same horse earned second spot.
Montanna Sky from Maokane and Silver Sky from Takatokwane settled for second and third positions respectively, also earning their riders Joe Roman and Gosego Sekgele accolades from spectators.
In an interview after the race, 40-year-old Letlatlawe, the oldest and probably most experienced of the jockeys was overjoyed that Western Bypass had finally dethroned Silver Sky.
“I love the Khawa horse race, and having finally beaten Silver Sky to the finish line is a cherry on the cake. I am happy that we finally beat Silver Sky which has been a menace to us,” he said, elated at having defeated the champion of the MA-SA Easter horse race that debuted over this year’s Easter holidays in the outskirts of Maun.
A third time competitor at the Khawa dune challenge horse race, Letlatlawe is happy to have clinched the top spot as he previously earned position four when he first participated in 2022, and failed to make podium finish the following year.
The horse race saw Adam Kebe of Motokwe’s Princess J win the 800m race in the Thorough Breed category, with Kitso Sesipi of Kanye taking the honours for the 1 000m with his horse, One Direction.
Carrying Ketsile Sesipi of Kokotsha, King Dups won the 1 200m race, while the 1 400m and 1 600m races went to Arthur Ferries of Draihoek and Sekgele with their horses, Perfectly Putt and Silver Sky.
For the Tswana Breed category, Rivaldo Matthys of Khawa clinched first position for the 800m race with Autumn Drive, while Lemang Moepe of Lorolwane’s Johnson won him the 1 000m race.
The 1 400m was won by William Bock of Khawa with his horse, Rocky. The only race for the Cross Breed category, the 1 200m contest, saw Boitumelo Baikepi of Khawa’s Black Boy beat the rest of the competitors to emerge victorious.
Representative of the Kokotsha Horse Racing Association who organised the race, Kabo Medupi said having started in 2022, the race was now in its third year.
He said looking back, the race was growing in great strides as the numbers of horses kept growing.
“This year we have seen horses come from as far as Kanye and Lorolwane and this is a positive sign that this race is gaining traction. For horse owners and jockeys to come from far off shows commitment on their part to help grow this sport and we highly commend them for this,” Medupi said.
Medupi said they were pleased with the support that government was giving horse racing and was optimistic that the sport would continue to grow and catch the attention of other potentials stakeholders who could reinforce further the existing efforts aimed at making it attractive. Ends