***September 2019 Update*** - we're one month away!

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Thank you all for donating. There's no way to comment on each of your donations to say thanks but it is incredibly generous of you and much appreciated!

Thank you all so much.

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On the 22nd of October 2019 at 4:00am I will be setting off with the help of 3 horses on a 5 day journey to race the wild coast of South Africa.

The challenge at hand requires navigating across 350km of incredibly wild coastline, swimming across rivers side-by-side with the horses (dodging Zambezi sharks!) and covering a lot of ground on foot due to the rugged terrain.

The Race

The race starts just south of Port Edward and ends 350km down the coast in Kei Mouth, on the Eastern seaboard of South Africa.

Other than the Zambezi sharks that you come up against at the multiple river crossings, I've been told to watch out for African Tick Bite Fever and the harsh changing weather conditions.

There will be a series of checkpoints along the way but the route is so wild that you are out on your own. You set off at dawn and must navigate across mountains, dense forest and long stretches of isolated coastline. 

Due to the topography, a lot of the race is run on foot pulling the horses behind you. When you reach land divides and rivers, you must swim across them.

It is a true test of fitness, horsemanship and grit.

There will be 20 other competitors, however most don't make it due to the difficulty of the race.

Why am I Doing this?

Ever since leaving the racing industry, I have wanted to do something to raise awareness for the young jockeys and riders in general who have lost the ability to do what they love due to injury.

We all know someone who has suffered paralysis because of a fall and although the race will be painful, it will be nothing compared to what a lot of other people have had to go through. 

Please Donate!

I would be incredibly grateful if you could donate to this amazing charity. However small it may be, any donation helps to care for those who have had horrific spinal and brain injuries.

A few years ago, I spent time as an IJF beneficiary, staying at their Oaksey House facility where I received treatment for a shoulder injury completely free of charge. 

They have provided a new life for countless jockeys who have had life altering injuries. 

Every penny that you donate through JustGiving goes directly to the IJF. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and donate!

You can see more pics of the race on my Instagram here: www.instagram.com/ottoreel

You can also find out more about the race by watching this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ7hl7Me8jw

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I want to say a big thank you to my sponsors Kuda Lifestyle Insurance, Cape Thoroughbred Sales and Stagg Property Services for supporting me in the race.

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