Although the annual cattle show was cancelled due to foot-and-mouth disease movement controls and biosecurity restrictions, the show still attracted farmers and visitors from across Limpopo from 30 July to 1 August.
“This is our 70th agricultural show here in Thabazimbi. The only interruption was during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Franco Loots, vice-chairperson of the Thabazimbi Agriculture and Industry Show Association, told Farmer’s Weekly.
With no cattle on display, the game auction presented by Thabazimbi Wildlife Services in partnership with Vleissentraal, and conducted by Pieter-John Venter of Vleissentraal, became one of the show’s main attractions.
A kudu bull with 59-inch horns and a 19⅝-inch tip-to-tip spread achieved the highest price of the auction, selling for R146 000.
Louis Trichardt, owner of Thabazimbi Wildlife Services, expressed satisfaction with the auction.
“It was exceptionally well supported, with around 700 animals on offer, ranging from eland to blue duiker. We expected the kudu bull to fetch the highest price because they remain in strong demand.” Kudu cows sold for up to R15 000 each, while average prices across the auction exceeded expectations.
“Female animals performed particularly well. Waterbuck and blesbok also achieved prices well above what we had anticipated,” Trichardt said.
Bushbuck were among the auction’s standout performers. Ewes sold for as much as R23 000 each, while rams reached R25 000.
“These bushbuck have been kept in camps and are accustomed to supplementary feeding, allowing them to adapt easily to new environments. That played a significant role in the excellent prices achieved,” Trichardt said.
Exotic game also sold well. Black impala rams fetched R9 000 each, while impala ewes averaged about R2 400 per animal.
The auction attracted 60 registered buyers on the floor, with a further 70 buyers participating online. Buyers travelled from as far afield as Hoedspruit, Musina, and Rustenburg.
Wildlife genetics
Farmer’s Weekly also spoke to Jacques Snyman, wildlife manager at Madeleine Robinson Wildlife Reserve in Limpopo, who attended the auction to market game from the reserve.
Snyman highlighted the appeal of the reserve’s king wildebeest.
“Our king wildebeest have highly visible, symmetrical flank spots. Visible flank spots combined with good horn development are characteristics that are highly sought after in South Africa’s wildlife breeding industry,” he said.
Community spirit
While livestock competitions were not held, visitors still enjoyed a packed programme of activities.
Master of ceremonies Dillon Lerm kept the atmosphere lively throughout the event as competitors participated in contests ranging from the best exhibition stand, pudding-in-a-pot competition, chilli eating, a baby and toddler show, a dog show, to the ever-popular kudu-dung spitting competition.
Among the more unusual exhibits were the Brahma chickens displayed by local farmer Owen Mubaiwa. According to Mubaiwa, the giant birds are not only impressive in appearance but are also exceptionally intelligent and friendly.
“They become so tame that they actually prefer human company to that of other birds. If I opened the cage now, they would follow me around like dogs,” he told Farmer’s Weekly.
The entertainment programme also proved popular, with Ricus Nel and Tamlyn Wessels performing on Friday evening, followed by Demi Lee Moore and Francois van Coke on Saturday.
Visitor numbers
Loots revealed that attendance was approximately 700 visitors lower than last year, when 6 209 people attended the show. He attributed the decline largely to the absence of the annual cattle show.
“In previous years, the cattle show was one of our biggest attractions,” he said.
He added that the current economic climate also affected attendance.
“In the past, many visitors attended the show on both Friday and Saturday. This year, many could only afford to come for one day.”
Despite the lower attendance, the organising committee is already planning improvements for next year’s event. Because the live entertainment attracts large crowds, organisers intend adding an additional music performance on Saturday afternoon to encourage more visitors to spend the day at the show.
