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ROBIN LAMPLOUGH EXPLORES HOW THE DURBAN SHONGWENI CLUB HAS CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, AND HOW IT TODAY BLENDS ITS TRADITIONAL VALUES WITH POPULAR INNOVATIONS

This club makes a bold claim. Entering the Saddle Inn restaurant, you see a plaque stating: “South Africa’s best equestrian, social and outdoor lifestyle club.” The club certainly has an interesting past. Trustee Sandy Cox provided much detail along with documents and photographs. Long-time member and judge, Pam Crompton, provided more photos and explained the intricacies of many of the disciplines involved in training and riding horses.

A century ago, many well-todo white families in Natal kept their own horses. Some had

Durban stables and travelled there at weekends. But that ended with petrol rationing during Hitler’s war. The custom developed for 10 or 15 riders from Kloof, Gillitts and Hill Crest to assemble on Sundays at some central venue – the Pepperpots tearoom was a favourite – for an outride followed by a social gathering.

Before long, the group was looking for a more permanent home. They found one in the plantations of J.B. McIntosh’s Natal Wattle Syndicate. The new Shongweni Pony Club was able to negotiate a long lease. Late in the 1950s, wattle stumps were cleared and some rudimentary wattle-and-daub stables, built of poles and clay, were put up along with a small clubhouse.

Then, early in the 1960s, the Durban Horse and Polo Club lost its grounds at Newmarket, near King’s Park. The expropriation of this municipal property brought the Durban club a handsome sum in compensation. The outcome was a convenient marriage between the two associations, with the pay-out as dowry. From that point forward, the new body was called the Durban Shongweni Club.

Many members hoped they could create a country club to rival that of Kloof, already over 20 years old and built around a golf course. But that was not to be. The new club, however, was able to level the ground and build two polo fields, soon in use nearly every weekend. In addition, regular dressage and eventing competitions were held. Before long, the club could offer 60 permanent stables, as well as extra accommodation at weekends for visiting polo ponies and grooms. Then, in 1975, Tongaat-Hulett acquired the wattle plantations and cleared them for planting sugar.

ABOVE & TOP: A rider is judged on appearance and skills.

LEFT: The clubhouse in 1950.

BELOW: Aerial view 20 years ago.

The next threat came from the proposed route of the new N3 highway. Long negotiations followed and eventually the road plans were modified. The club lost land but received a goodly sum in compensation.

By 1985, however, many local polo players found it more convenient to use a new club off Inanda Road, and the Shongweni polo section ceased to exist.

But in the same year, the club was transformed by the granting of a liquor license – which enabled it to open full time. For the next decade and more, a number of ex-pat Rhodesians played a variety of roles in organising and running club activities.

By the 1990s, the approach of political change in South Africa and rivalry between local factions produced conflict which affected the running of the club. Foreign grooms were attacked, and equipment and building materials stolen. When the clubhouse was broken into, a rapid-response security system was installed.

Subsequently, under the energetic leadership of Anton Mostert, the decision was reached to make the clubhouse self-sustaining. In a recent interview, club manager Gavin Proctor made it clear that he sees his function as keeping the club profitable by staying abreast of current demand. His formula appears to blend traditional values with popular innovations. A glance at the club’s website reveals that regular activities in the grounds include a park run, a meeting of model airplane enthusiasts, trail runs, rugby games and a mountain bike track.

Clearly the Durban Shongweni Club is here to stay. *