SEMONKONG (Lesotho), Oct 16 — Jockeys from the southern African kingdom of Lesotho Saturday gathered with their mounts in the mountain village of Semonkong to compete on one of the continent’s highest racetracks.

Horse racing is a major social occasion in the poor mountainous nation of about two million people nestled inside South Africa.

"I can go fast, very fast,” 17-year-old Tsaeng Masotsa said before heading to the starting line.

At more than 2,200 metres (7,200 feet) above sea level, the high plateaus of Semonkong in central Lesotho play host to a nationally famous racetrack.

Races are held here throughout the dry season from May to September with the most prestigious one marking King Letsi III’s birthday in July.

A few hundred people, mostly wrapped in bright traditional shepherd’s blankets, gathered Saturday to watch dozens of riders square off under the pale sun.

"The news spread like wildfire from village to village,” said Jonathan Halse 52, who runs a lodge in the area and is among the race’s sponsors.

Many things are still organised by word of mouth here.

The horse came to Lesotho with European settlers in the 19th century and the local Basuto pony is the result of crossbreeding over time. They are mid-sized and known for their endurance.

Locals use them to herd sheep and goats or for everyday transport. Some villages are accessible only on horseback.

"It’s an absolute necessity in everyday life. There are places where you can’t go otherwise,” said Motlatsi Manaka, a 45-year-old herder.

Before the races, the animals are brushed, their manes braided or trimmed.

They have undergone months, or sometimes years of training.

Winning prizes can reach US$130 (RM611) — about the same amount as the average monthly salary.

Gambling is rife with bundles of cash being passed among spectators seated on large stones.

‘My horse will win’

Most horse owners are shepherds who make a living selling wool. The annual shearing season has just begun and shepherds receive about US$3 per kilogram of the fibre.

Jockeys get just a little more to ride and most of them are under 20.

The race is divided into several events, based on the age of the horses taking part.

"My horse will be victorious, no adversary can resist him,” some riders chant, before launching their horses at breakneck speed on the curved course.

The dirt track, about one kilometre long, is enveloped in mist from the nearby Maletsunyane Falls, among the largest in Africa.

Its finish line is marked by a pile of stones. — AFP