Durban Shongweni Club, Hillcrest

In October 1999 the Club had the good luck to secure Clive and Theo Shelley for the management of the Club. Clive and Theo are also an intake from Zimbabwe. Clive served 18 years in the Police force and played polo and polocrosse. Theo rode for the Zambian and Zimbabwe junior riding teams. They came to South Africa in 1981 bought land in Ladysmith and opened a livery yard and kennels. Twelve years later the property was expropriated to make way for a dam. They then moved to the Natal midlands and started the Avaleda thoroughbred stud from scratch for one of their previous livery clients. Five years later they came to Hillcrest and the rest you know.

In July 2000 a very well attended Outdoor Expo was held on Highveld. The following year after months of back and forth meeting with lawyers and the S.A.P.A. Martin achieved what nobody had achieved before: he had freed Highveld from the S.A.P.A. agreement. The field is now ours to use!!

In August 2001 the much talked about borehole was drilled at last. But it took until July 2002, to get this borehole operating, as a result of the generous gift of all electrical requirements from Colin Berriman. Additionally Colin also provided the wiring and floodlights that now illuminate the Club at night.

The latest addition to the Club facilities is a 4 X 4 track, which was approved in August 2002 by the powers that be and thanks to a stabling member Vicky King for providing the necessary Environmental scoping report.

In January 2003 Liz Bowes who had kept the Club’s administration ship shape through thick and thin for a good fifteen years retired to look after hubby Lionel who had a hip replacement operation. All the best to both of them. Liz was replaced by Karen Adams another accomplished horse woman.

• Club
• Recreation
• Boreholes
• Equestrian Centre