Highlights included the Platinum Bull Awards, the Platinum Cow Awards, and Stud Breeder of the Year awards for beef cattle, dairy cattle, horses, pigs, small stock and wildlife.

Central South African breeders held the region’s name high by scooping several prestigious titles.

These include North West Braunvieh Stud farmer, Kleinjan Gasekoma from the Reivilo area, who was announced as the Unistel SA Stud Book Developing Stud Breeder of the Year, and Free State Red Meat producer’s Organisation Chairperson, Neels de Villiers, who scooped the Platinum Cow Award for his Bonsmara herd.

Another highlight was the Elite Bull Growth Test Class, which went to the Pinzgauer bull of Mr Heinz of the Bertie van Zyl, ZZ2 stud. Breed Manager Paul Bester says this latest win means his Pinzgauers and Pinzyls have won four out of the five competitions so far:

“I think this bull is going to add immense value to our Pinzgauer industry in the country. But also the feedlots and the guys who are breeding weaner calves can start taking notice. The farmers breeding weaners can start taking notice of these achievements.”

The Pinzgauer was selected as the best of 11 bull breeds during judging at Bloem Show on Wednesday. Bulls qualified based on objective data collected over the last year.

Sabrina Dean/OFM News