A Wellington horsewoman will soon take on the gruelling challenge of riding the Cederberg and Tankwa Karoo, all to raise funds for Care for the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary in Mpumalanga.
Ellen Lombaard is planning a 400 km trek on her horse Shadow over the entire distance and, weather permitting, she expects to complete the journey in about two weeks.
A keen horsewoman, trainer and guide, she said the idea had already started in hard lockdown when she, like most people, was stranded at home. She says she just wanted to get on her horse and ride into the sunset.
Then Lombaard started to think this could actually be possible one day; taking an epic trip into the wild.
While planning her adventure she thought she could also combine such a trip with a charitable cause.
One evening, the television programme she was watching, Pasella, featured a “Care for the Wild” segment. Lombaard’s heart went out to the baby rhinos orphaned by their mothers’ being poached and probably killed, and stripped of their horns in full view of the babies. Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary cares for and rehabilitates baby rhino orphaned through rhino poaching.
Lombaard decided her trip would raise funds for the sanctuary.
In June her journey starts in Porterville, and then on to Citrusdal, then through the Cederberg mountains to Esselbank, Wupperthal and then into the Tankwa Karoo, before ending at Op-die-berg near Ceres.
You can follow their progress on social media @ #hoofprints4rhinos and donations can be made via the Givengain platform at https://bit.ly/Hoofprints4Rhinos_Donate
