Equestrian star Makhosazana ‘Khosi’ Dlomo is galloping over glass ceilings and raising South Africa’s flag along the way! This month, Khosi has represented our country in a unique chapter of riding competitions—Tent Pegging—and is the sole young black female rider carving out her legacy in this sport:
Global (28 January 2025) — Makhosazana ‘Khosi’ Dlomo is an equestrian star on the rise and a talented young woman who isn’t afraid to gallop over the glass ceiling; January offered Khosi the opportunity to represent South Africa in the Middle East’s Jordan as the sole young black female rider carving out her legacy in Tent Pegging.
An ancient chapter within equestrian sports, Tent Pegging sees riders gallop to strike objects at full speed, armed with swords, lances and extreme precision.
Khosi’s journey into the world of equestrian sports came part and parcel with a passion for Tent Pegging, something she discovered in a way almost as unique as the sport itself.
“My Tent Pegging journey began in the most unexpected way—a friend’s birthday party in 2013,” Khosi shares.
“At first, I thought the highlight of the day would be cake, but little did I know that climbing onto the back of a horse would spark a lifelong passion.
“That day, something clicked. After a few wobbly attempts at staying upright, I was hooked. I begged my mom relentlessly to take me back to that place, and when she finally gave in, my journey truly began. From that moment, I never looked back.”
Now at 18-years-old, Khosi boasts numerous achievements that have made both her home province of KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa as a whole proud.
Competing from childhood, Khosi went on to earn a spot on the South African Under 15 Girls Team and later, captioning the KZN under 21 in 2024, a testament to her leadership abilities, as her coach Darlene Baksa explains.
For the rider’s parents, their daughter’s journey has been “a profound experience.”
“What began as a simple birthday party invitation for a nine-year-old has evolved into an extraordinary pathway…Each race is a test of nerves, but her perseverance fills us with immense pride.”
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