BASOTHO TO BE TRAINED ON HORSE RIDING IN GERMANY

Two Basotho men left Lesotho on Wednesday 09 October,2002 to attend a three-month horse training course in Berlin, Germany.

This follows a three-day horse training test that was conducted by German Experts at the Police Training College (PTC) last month. In an interview, the Sports Organiser in the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Sports Mr. Maponyane Letsie said the two are Mr. Refiloe Ramolahloane who is a Policeman and Mr. Nkhabane Mokala from Malealea. He said these horse riders would go for an intensive horse training to be
conducted by the German Equestrian Association aimed at equipping Basotho with new techniques and tactics of training horses. 

When they return back home, the horse riders will be expected to train Basotho and will work in conjunction with Lesotho Equestrian Association (LEA) to promote horse riding and breeding in the country," he commented. Mr. Letsie stated that it is expected that this course would enable Basotho to compete at international events on horse riding.

The German Expert on horse training Mr. Kai Ottens  said that natural skills on horse riding are not enough for one to take part in international competitions like the Olympics. Mr. Ottens said intensive training by experts is required, saying Lesotho
could be the first African country ever to participate at the Olympic level. Germany  encouraged Lesotho to form LEA so that the country could be able to get assistance on horse riding and take part in international competitions.

10 October,2002