Author Sophie Neville plans to ride across the game reserves of South Africa

The Waterberg Trust Challenge Ride 2018

Are you up for a challenge?

Would you help Sophie Neville raise awareness for Save the Waterberg Rhino along with educational, health and welfare projects that uplift communities in the area?

Following the success of our third annual ride, we have gathered a team of fit and experienced riders to join us on a sponsored horse safari in January 2018 through the private game reserves of the Waterberg.

This will be Sophie's 5th challenge ride since she rode 175kms across South America to raise funds for the Waterberg Welfare Society in 2008.

- Sophie Neville watching white rhino - 

Saturday 20th Jan: the team of riders depart the UK for Johannesburg 

DAY 1 - Sunday 21st Jan The team of twelve riders will be met by Sophie at Oliver Tambo Airport, Johannesburg and driven about 3 hours north to Ant’s Nest Private Game Reserve deep in the African bush. After settling into the lodge we will go for a game ride looking for zebra and wildebeest to try out the horses.It will be high summer in South Africa, so the bushveld will be green. We’ll be able to hear about plans for the ride as we have dinner by the fire that evening.

DAY 2 - Monday 22nd Jan We’ll spend the day riding up to Ant's Hill, viewing game on horseback and looking for a breeding herds of buffalo, as well as rare sable and roan antelope. As the sun goes down, we’ll meet white rhino living on the reserve while Tessa Baber gives a talk on the work of 'Save the Waterberg Rhino'. 

~ Tessa Baber of Save The Waterberg Rhino~

The Waterberg is home to the third largest population of rhino in South Africa, so their protection on the plateau is vital.

DAY 3 - Tuesday 23^rd Jan We set off early, riding east through the reserve and onto sandy roads where we can canter for miles. We are planning to ride to the newly opened ‘Living Museum’ where we can learn more about rhino from the author and wildlife artist Clive Walker, one of South Africa’s leading conservationists. That afternoon we hope ride through a reserve breeding rare golden wildebeest up to Triple B Ranch, the cattle stud owned by Anthony Baber's family for over a hundred years. We’ll stay at Windsong Cottage - the farmhouse built by Ant’s grandfather, Alfred Baber.

DAY 4 - Wednesday 24^th Jan We will ride through the Sesotho village on the farm and down through the game reserve at Horizon, which will give us the chance of seeing impala, zebra, giraffe and eland along with primate species as we might spot vervet monkeys and baboon. 

Lunch will be enjoyed at a dam with the hope of spotting hippo. We’ll have a long ride in the afternoon, as we make our way over the hills and through Lindani private game reserve for the night. There is a good paddock here for the horses, a pool and we should be able to see game from the lodge. I’m assured we'll see a large number of warthog.

DAY 5 – Thursday 25^th Jan We will ride through Lindani, up a kloof to find game on plains that look down past a north-facing escarpment. We should see warthog, zebra, giraffe, eland, red hartebeest, wildebeest and greater kudu. We ride under high red cliffs, where vultures nest, to Jembisa, a private game reserve on the Palala River where we will have lunch. We’ll ride across the reserve and be able to relax at the lodge, enjoying comfy beds and hot baths.

DAY 6 – Friday 26^th Jan The Waterberg Trust enables local children to go on a residential course at Lapalala Wilderness School near Jembisa. We hope to be able to see around this project before riding across Jembisa that morning.

We should find hippos and perhaps see crocodile before riding up to a view-point to grab a few photographs before bidding our horses farewell.

DAY 7 – Saturday 27^th Jan After breakfast outside we will take a game drive to see ancient bushmen paintings on the reserve before brunch and drive back via an excellent sewing project selling curios and an educational project in the township enroute to the airport.

~TWT riders visit Letabo Kid's Club's Back to School project~

Sunday 28^th Jan - The flight will arrive back in the UK early am. 

The horse safari will be hosted by Ant Baber who owns Ant's Nest. Sophie Neville, a trustee of TWT who became a safari guide in the Waterberg back in 1992, will lead the group and take riders around established charitable projects in the area.

The ride is a unique opportunity to ride alongside wild animals in this beautiful area, now proclaimed a UNESCO biosphere. The itinerary may change - but only for the better! The group of 12 riders need to be fit as there will be approx 25 – 40kms of riding per day.

We plan to visit a number of projects being supported by The Waterberg Trust and meet local people who will benefit from the funds raised by the riders.

To participate team members need to raise a minimum sponsorship of £1000 for The Waterberg Trust. As a registered UK charity, Gift Aid can then be added. 50% of sponsorship raised will go to Save the Waterberg Rhino Trust and 50% will go to community projects in the Waterberg. 

While we encourage riders to find sponsorship some of us are raising the donation of £1,000 in other ways such as hosting a sale or asking for donations instead of birthday gifts.

- Sophie Neville-

For more information, please contact Sophie 

sophie@sophieneville.co.uk

You can see photos from previous rides, along with information about the projects and info on how to make donations on The Waterberg Trust website: http://thewaterbergtrust.com

Riding for Rhinos

On 15th January 2017, author Sophie Neville led twelve intrepid ladies across the Waterberg Plateau in South Africa on horseback. The aim of the challenge rides is to gain an understanding of this pristine wilderness and learn about challenges faced by the rural community. 

Lying three hours drive north of Johannesburg, the Waterberg is home to the third highest population of rhino in the world. As up to four rhino are being poached in South Africa every day, it is imperative to guard this upland area where they can be protected.

Would you help us to raise funds for Save The Waterberg Rhino, who are combating anti-poaching, the Lapalala Wilderness School who help ensure local children grow up with an understanding of nature conservation, and other community projects in the region?

The riders are paying their own way, so every penny will go straight to The Waterberg Trust, a UK registered charity who can send donations, plus any Gift Aid, to these small but effective projects in South Africa. Funds will go a long way to really make a difference in the Waterberg where they will be administered by trusted conservationists with years of experience. You can meet those who are striving to Save The Waterberg Rhino and protect the wilderness while uplifting communities in the Waterberg, here:

Those taking part in The Waterberg Trust Challenge Ride 2017 were able to observe a number of white rhino living on Ant's Nest game reserve, while being updated on anti-poaching initiatives by Tess and her husband Ant Baber who hosted the six-day ride.

Riders then crossed the Waterberg hills on horseback, traversing Kwalata private game reserve to Lapalala Wilderness run by Anton Walker, who also appears in this film. He cares for wildlife re-introduced to the area thirty years ago by his father, the author and conservationist Clive Walker.

While on this reserve, riders visited the Lapalala Wilderness School where children, often from deprived communities, come for a residential course on wildlife conservation. Many of them testify how this experience changes their outlook on life, giving them an appreciation for their environment and the future of South Africa's wild animals. The children take their enthusiasm into the community whose support is essential if poaching is to be combated.

After thirty-two hours in the saddle, riders ended up at the Palala River on Jembisa private game reserve. On their way home they went to visit Letabo Kids Club in the local township of Leseding who minister to the poorest of the poor and ensure all children attend primary school.

Sophie Neville at the Palala River

50% of funds raised by the sponsored ride will go to Save The Waterberg Rhino and 50% to support community projects in the area.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:

• Support the project on Social Media and receive news:
• For The Waterberg Trust's Facebook page, please click here
• For Save The Waterberg Rhino's Facebook page, please click here
• For the Lapalala Wilderness School's page, please click here
• Find out about Save The Waterberg Rhino
• Make a donation to The Waterberg Trust, please click here for address
• Donate via The Waterberg Trust Justgiving page
• Sponsor Sophie on her Justgiving page

As a UK registered charity, The Waterberg Trust can claim Gift Aid on eligible donations, and organise transfer of funds to South Africa efficiently. Add a note to specify 'Save the Waterberg Rhino' or 'Lapalala Wilderness School' with your donation.