Former Bafana Bafana captain Shaun Bartlett brought his leadership skills to a challenge as he led a star-studded golf team to victory in the recent Conservation Cup at Pearl Valley.
Bartlett was captain of the Pangolins team as they took on Oscar Chalupsky’s Rhinos in the second edition of this tournament, which was played in a mini Ryder Cup format over 27 holes as a fundraiser for the conservation work of The Fisher Foundation.
Bartlett led a team of business leaders and fellow sports stars including André Joubert, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Mark Fish, Schalk Brits, Gary Teichmann and Marc Watson to a 46.5 – 41.5 victory over Chalupsky’s equally stellar Rhinos team, enabling the Pangolins to retain the title they won last year.
“Being captain of any team is always a lot of pressure, but we were confident of our chances. It’s nice to retain the title because it’s a big responsibility. But The Fisher Foundation benefits a lot more than us playing golf here. We were privileged to be part of it, but at the end of the day we are more privileged to have played a role in preserving our fauna and flora for our children,” said Bartlett.
The Conservation Cup supports The Fisher Foundation’s ongoing work of conservation and education among the youth living in communities adjacent to South Africa’s national parks and protected wildlife areas, as well as the relocation of vulnerable species.
“We managed to raise a significant amount at the auction, but what was encouraging was the increase in support from existing and new sponsors. Their support clearly suggests they see value in what the foundation is doing in its work. The deliverables are authentic and clearly demonstrated. This support will enable us to roll out further initiatives in the coming year which ultimately creates more traction to showcase what the foundation is doing and develop trust among benefactors who believe in our vision,” said Grant Leversha, a Director of The Fisher Foundation and the inspiration behind the Conservation Cup.
“Our vision is to grow The Fisher Foundation to a point where in decades to come, our fence line communities and protected wildlife areas will be in a better place when it’s our time to pass this responsibility on to the next generation. The communities and wildlife we serve are a world away from the comfortable lives we mostly are seemingly blessed to live, and it’s a moral imperative for those who have the wherewithal to get involved. The future of our planet hangs in the balance.”