Our Team

MARGOT JEFFERSON

Marketing Executive

Margot grew up in the dusty fishing town of Walvis Bay in Namibia. This is where she fell in love with horses, spending most afternoons riding in the nearby dune belt and swimming bareback in the lagoon.  School holidays were spent searching for desert elephants in Damaraland or long road trips across the county following the rains. With a long bucket list, she has ticked off: horse riding under the midnight sun in Iceland, sailing in Turkey and the Greek Islands, skydiving over the Namib Desert, scuba diving in Thailand, flying over the Okavango Delta, galloping across the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and gorilla trekking in Uganda.

Even travelling extensively, the call of Africa has always brought her back home. She has a tourism and sales background and worked at a luxury safari operator creating bespoke tours across the continent. She’s brought her passion for adventure and safari background to her role as marketing executive.

KIRSTY EVANS

Horse Safari Specialist & Sales Team Leader

Originally from the UK, Kirsty’s love for Africa started when she visited Horizon Horseback in South Africa for Christmas and New Year 2007. She Instantly fell in love with the country, culture and people. From that moment on, Africa was under her skin, and she was addicted. She returned the following year, and in 2009, she took a 7-month career break to Volunteer and spend some more time living and working in South Africa. Her “short career break” turned into a life-changing event as she never returned to the UK. She now has the privilege of living in South Africa with her partner, stepdaughter, two dogs and cat. 

Her love for horses started at the age of 6 and she’s been riding ever since. Since living in South Africa I have had the incredible opportunity of working with some amazing horses. She still rides most weekends, finding her happy place cantering alongside zebras and giraffes in the Waterberg. When not riding, you’ll find her hiking, spending time with her family and exploring with her dogs.

DAISY RUPRECHT

Horse Safari Specialist

Daisy currently lives in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she was born. Growing up in Africa involved many incredible character-building experiences, including climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, riding around family farms in Zimbabwe and spending almost every August holiday camping on the Zambezi River in Mana Pools National Park. This gave Daisy a solid foundation for a love of adventure that has only continued growing. After leaving school, she developed an insatiable lust for travel and wished to gain as much experience as possible elsewhere in the world, which led to her living in places like China, Italy, and France and travelling to many more countries, which secured her wanderlust for life. 

After deciding that working in travel was the best way to include this passion in her life as much as possible and get others as excited about the adventure, she applied to work for a travel agency that specialised in traditional safaris in Africa. Moving on to riding in the bush was a dream come true, and after her first horse safari, she was hooked. So far, she has been able to experience riding in the deserts of Morocco, splashy canters in the Okavango Delta, the Salt Pans of the Makgadikgadi and in the shadows of Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. One of her strengths is using her knowledge and passion to create more complex and exciting itineraries that allow you to get as much out of your trip and budget as possible. These always show off the natural beauty of Africa. She’s very detail-oriented and loves designing stunning holiday memories for guests.

KAYLEIGH TAYLOR

Horse Safari Specialist

Kayleigh is a spirited adventurer with a zest for life, music, and the enchanting world of animals. During her formative years, Kayleigh could often be found at the stables, bonding with her favourite horse. Those cherished weeks spent at the stables were the building blocks of her profound connection with these creatures. 

Fueled by her dual passions for music and animals, Kayleigh embarked on a diverse career path. From orchestrating live acts and event planning at a bustling Music and Entertainment agency to immersing herself in the world of veterinary care. However, it was a serendipitous opportunity to join the African Horse Safari team that truly set her heart racing. Fast forward to her first horse safari in Botswana, and a revelation dawned on her – she wanted to share the magic of this experience with people from every corner of the globe.

In her leisure moments, you’ll catch Kayleigh dancing to the rhythm of life, relishing downtime with her pets, and jetting off to warm, tropical destinations. For Kayleigh, life is an exhilarating journey, and she’s always ready to embrace the next chapter with open arms.

HOPE CORR

Horse Safari Specialist

Her journey into the world of horses and Africa began at a young age, all thanks to her first pony Flashy. Flashy came into Hope’s life when she was 8 years old, and she is very blessed to still have her as a part of her life today. This very special pony was a fundamental part of her childhood and career path. 

Choosing African Horse Safaris was an easy decision for her. Her love for horses and unwavering fascination with Africa’s extraordinary wildlife made it the perfect path. Being incredibly detail-orientated and having just completed her Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Marketing Management, Hope started off as a reservation coordinator but within a year, has moved into the sales team, creating unforgettable experiences for our clients.

Over the past year, she’s been fortunate to explore some of our most breathtaking destinations, including Ants Nest & Ants Hill, Horizon Lodge, our Big 5 Horse Safari in South Africa, and the unforgettable Kujwana Camp in the Okavango Delta. When not behind her laptop working, you’ll often find her spending time with Flashy, riding with friends, soaking up the sun at the gorgeous Cape Town beaches, and enjoying pool days.

SARAH IHLENFELDT

Horse Safari Specialist

Sarah was born into a family big on conservation and wildlife rehabilitation, so it became her second nature. Horses followed soon after, and at age 5, the bug bit! She’s had some amazing equestrian partners over the years and can usually be found at the stables with her chestnut mare, hiking in the mountains or relaxing on the beach.

She likes to think fate brought her to African Horse Safaris. Although she has a degree in Finance, after doing a gap year in the US, a post for African Horse Safaris showed up on her social media, and the rest is history. Her favourite part of her job is connecting with people from around the world. She loves chatting with clients and helping their dreams become a reality- sharing the beauty of Africa with them is truly fulfilling. Her life quote is from Tony Bennett: “If you follow your passion, you’ll never work a day in your life.”.

She has been fortunate to have travelled to Botswana, Mozambique, Kenya, Eswatini, Lesotho, England, Thailand, Budapest, Finland, France and the United States of America, with many more on her bucket list! 

CHRISTINA MESSHAM

Horse Safari Specialist

Born in Brisbane, Australia, Christina has a lifelong passion for all things horses and riding. However, it wasn’t until her early thirties that fate led her to Africa. What started as a 7-day horse riding safari on the African Explorer quickly turned into a 21-day, once-in-a-lifetime journey exploring some of Southern Africa’s most iconic destinations. On day 16, her life changed forever with a chance allocation to her now husband’s safari vehicle.  

Seven months later, Christina packed up her life in Brisbane and moved to Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve to volunteer at a luxury lodge and to call South Africa home. Since then, she has worked in the luxury travel industry in the Kruger National Park, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. And has travelled extensively throughout South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Tanzania and Mozambique.

As a self-confessed happy hacker, Christina is happiest on horseback in the bush. And when not riding she spends her time hiking with her husband and dog, always looking for a new bird to tick off her list. She enjoys a cold beer on a hot day and a good red on a cold winter’s night. 

MICHELE CLEMENCE

Equestrian Working Holiday Specialist

Michele has had a deep passion for horses for as long as she can remember. She had her first ride at age 4, and, after years of nagging her parents, started lessons at 9. Not only does she love riding out on the trail, but she competed at a Provincial level for Showjumping and Eventing and loves the thrill of competing.  She’s also had some experience retraining off-track thoroughbreds, including her own 5-year-old gelding Icon. 

She’s moved from the Digital Marketing Industry into travel, combining her love for horses and her passion for adventure. She’s mostly focused on the working holidays and loves being part of many people’s first experiences in Africa. With her experience in the Digital world, she’s also an integral part of the marketing team. 

She loves travelling to places out of her comfort zone that offer a new cultural experience. So far, Botswana, Spain and Malta are some of her favourite countries. Growing up in Johannesburg, she later moved to Cape Town and fell in love with the vibrant city. In her spare time, you’ll often find her at the beach, riding in the Tokai forests, or heading out for a road trip with her family (dogs included!)

REBECCA BENE

Reservations coordinator

Rebecca has travelled widely within South Africa and its neighbouring countries and spent all the holidays she can remember, immersed in the wilderness of the continent she is privileged to call home. Safaris in the Kruger, camping and hiking in the Drakensberg and road trips along the Garden Route all solidified a deep love of South Africa. These adventures have fueled a desire to discover more of Africa and to enable others to do the same. Through managing bookings and reservations, she shares this passion with guests to ensure that each one has an unforgettable experience that leaves them wanting more!

She spent much of her childhood living and riding on a small Wildlife Estate, just a stone’s throw away from the Kruger National Park. And while riding with zebra and giraffe is nothing new for her, it always gives her a thrill to see them from horseback! After school, she moved back to the Mother City and studied BSC at the University of Cape Town, specialising in Biology and Environmental Science before joining our team.