Desert Challenge lives up to billing 

Sixty riders and their horses took on the gruelling 2024 Namibian Desert Challenge in the Dorop National Park outside Swakopmund.

The event, held under the International Equestrian Federation FEI and the Namibian Equestrian Federation banners, lived up to its billing as competitors from Namibia and South Africa battled to complete the course.

Riders took part in eight different classes ranging from heavy weight to the young riders class. The distances varied from 47,40 to 119,90 kilometres with one rider, Klara Louw in the young rider category, covering 127,30km.

Terrains varied from gravel, to the Swakopmund river’s soft sand, to the harsh red sand of the Namib’s dunes. The first group of riders started at 06h00 while it was still dark, with the last group starting just before sunrise.

The testing nature of the course saw 21 riders having to retire their horses in compliance with animal welfare rules, or giving up entirely.

After every loop – roughly around 30km – the horses had to pass a vet check to determine if they were fit enough to continue the ride.

The horses get a ‘best condition’ stamp after the race, a prestigious accolade. This is given about an hour after the horses returned to the stables, and are thoroughly examined.

This award went to Friederich Woest on his horse Llama Richelieu in the heavy weight category. Woest competed the 119,90km distance in a time of eight hours, 21 minutes and 19 seconds (8:21:19,00), maintaining an average speed of 14,35 km/h.

Genna Biewenga, on her horse Kalharabi Jada, received the ‘best of the best’ award. This award is only given after the horse passes a thorough check-up by the veterinary team.

Colin Makondo, winner of the 119,90km standard weight category, told The Namibian that the endurance challenge was tougher than expected.

“The terrain was very tough, but credit goes to my horse, Wiejandie Qualito, who did very well and I am happy, my horse was top,” says Makondo, who hails from Keetmanshoop and has loved horses since he was a toddler.

At 72 years old, Dude Moor Price was the oldest in the field and managed to complete the 119,90km on his horse Stebrika Jessica in the heavy weight category in a time of 10:36:33,32 at an average constant speed of 11,30km/h.

With a career as an endurance rider for more than 35 years and covering over 16 000kilometres in the saddle, Price lives for the sport.

“It has been a passion since I started way back. I attended a show jumping event, but it did not interest me, so I started endurance riding, and I was hooked,” Price says.

The synergy between rider and horse is vital to ensure the animals are not exhausted, and often riders will run for long distances next to their horses to avoid any fatigue or excessive tiredness that can jeopardise the race.

Price says this event was very challenging – as it should be given that it almost like the African championship.

“You had to ride with your brains, constantly thinking how to conserve the energy of your horse which is very important,” Price says of his strategy.

Woest, an experienced campaigner, says to take on such a distance, both the rider and the horse need to be fit, well-trained, and prepared.

“We assured them it will be the desert challenge, not the desert easy ride.”