Mpumalanga jockey will be riding high at Dundee July

At 16, December Hlatshwayo carries the horseracing hopes, dreams and aspirations of Mpumalanga at this year’s Dundee July, taking place on Saturday.

Local pundits have tipped him to do well at the annual traditional horseracing race in KwaZulu Natal after impressing during trials earlier in the year. The youngster says he is thrilled and at the same time humbled by the faith shown on him and he will not disappoint the people of the province.

“I have been training hard and Khuluma [the name of his horse] is showing great potential ahead of the race. I am going for a top three finish,” says the lad, who comes from a horseracing dynasty.

His father, Mucu, who trains Khuluma, was the first jockey from the province to race at the inaugural Dundee July almost a decade ago. This year will see three Hlatshwayos at the starting barriers of the race. December’s siblings, Muhle and Lindeni also made the team.

It explains why he started racing horses at 10. “I was brought up in the sport and it was only logical for me to take up horseracing,” says the teenager, who dreams of winning the Durban July in the future.

Hlatshwayo Snr, who is regarded as a pathfinder of the sport in Ngema outside of eMkhondo, is happy with his achievements and wants to grow the sport. Currently, Mkhondo, Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme, Msukaligwa and Albert Luthuli are regarded as hotbeds of horseracing in Mpumalanga. “We want to spread it all over the province,” he says.

At the moment, the department of culture, sport and recreation is helping the Imizamo Yabagibeli with transport, attire, registration fees and accommodation to the event and will explore ways to expand the sport in the province.

This year the province will be represented by six jockeys at the event, namely December, Muhle Hlatshwayo (17), Lindeni Hlatshwayo (21), Siphamandla Nkosi (23), Nkululeko Lukhele (17) and Mbekeni Mbuli (20), who will be racing in two races – grade one and grade two.