Development
POLO Program
Focusing by
way of example purely on children - both Franshoek and
Uitgedacht (our neighboring farm) are currently sponsoring
underprivileged children to play polo. SAPA/BMW provide some
support and have an extensive sponsorship program to
encourage children of all ages to go to school, of which only
Tisetso Makenethe is at present a polo scholar.
The aim of
the development program is to use polo and ponies as a lever
to encourage children from underprivileged backgrounds to work
hard at school. These children are permitted to learn about
horsemanship and play polo as long as, and only as long as,
they do well at school and continue to demonstrate discipline
and enthusiasm for the ponies and the sport. The point of
this program is not to create future polo players (although
that might also happen and indeed is happening) it is instead
to foster academic upliftment together with a sense of
responsibility. At present, there are four boys and four
girls in the program. The boys are doing well at school and
have been enjoying polo in their holidays and some weekends
for over a year now. The girls joined the program about
four months ago. They are all children who dropped out of
school between one and three years ago and whom because of
this program have been registered at school again.
Tisetso
Makenethe – Tribe: Basotho – AGE 17 - Grade 8 –
Tisetso has
been an SAPA scholarship student for the past three years. He
is currently attending Maralleneng High School. He has made
great strides in his polo and currently plays off a 0 goal
handicap. His accomplishments so far include:
·
Winner, International African Cup – 2008
·
Winner ,curtain raiser, Shongweni International – 2008
·
Runner-up, curtain raiser, Inanda International – 2008
·
Winner, curtain raiser, Shongweni International – 2007
·
Winner, curtain raiser, Inanda International – 2007
·
Most Valuable Player off his handicap, Hammonia Tournament, -
2007
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