The regional winners listed in this announcement have been evaluated and identified according to the set of objective criteria, summarized in the score card compiled and adjusted for this competition. The evaluation includes various aspects amongst others; stud administration, breed promotion, punctual dispatching of documentation such as birth registrations classing lists, per capita lists, ac- curacy of data and breeding values. Apart from ef- fective application of animal breeding principles by maintaining sufficient genetic ties and applying open nucleus principles, regional winners must sub- mit accurate reproduction records, number of on- farm sales etc to prove the breeder’s integrity and involvement in breed activities. Participation in official sales and presentation of information days, re included in a comprehensive list of aspects to evaluate each Dohne Merino stud in its totality. Exposure to such vigorous standards requires participants to manage their studs and entire Dohne Merino farming enterprise at maximum levels of efficiency. The intensity of the competi- tion is extremely high, and one of the 2019 winners attained the winning score by only half a point. Only a few breeders won the regional competition as well as the national Top Breeder award several times. This phenomenon indicates the consistent manner in which these outstanding breeders operate their studs and flocks in the long run.
Considering the standards applied, it is a given fact that regional winners are true leaders in industry and set the trend for others to follow. They are unselfish and assist with promotional events and staging of courses. They have a positive approach towards sharing information, breeding material and assisting fellow breeders as well as the Society. They show outstanding management skills, are good stockmen and have a good understanding of the commercial sheep industry’s requirements to improve productivity. They are innovative in terms of the application of advanced breed- ing and general farming practices and some have several farming enterprises which they operate with an extremely high degree of success.
Most of them select from large numbers of animals applying the principle of population genetics in the most effective manner. They retain a high proportion of the lambs after 100-day classing for final test- ing at twelve months of age to improve reliability and accuracy of breeding values and maintain a low age structure to shorten generation interval. High repro- duction rates in these flocks, together with application of the most efficient genetic improvement strategy, culminate in large proportions of animals per breed- ing ewe, appearing on the Breed Society’s national merit sire and dam lists. The approval percentages for rams and ewes fall within the ranges set by the Breed Society. Strict quality control is applied regarding rams offered on production sales, promotional sales and especially the national sale. They render after sale support to ram buyers which contributes towards building a reliable brand name. Sires from these studs have a profound influence on the industry at large.
Previous winners of the Top Breeder Award
1980 – George and Ronald Warren, N’Dimba Stud, Komga
1982 – LA de la Harpe, Normandy Stud, Graaff-Reinet
1984 – George and Ronald Warren, N’Dimba Stud, Komga
1986 – CJ Greyling, Charfontein Stud,
1988 – J Wessels & Sons, Weska Stud, Bredasdorp
1990 – F Marx, FEM Stud, Burgersdorp
1992 – FW Schmidt, Kromspruit Stud, Memel
1994 – J Wessels & Sons, Weska Stud, Bredasdorp
1996 – LA de la Harpe, Normandy Stud, Graaff-Reinet
1998 – F Marx, FEM Dohne Stud, Burgersdorp
2000 – W du Toit, Suidplaas Stud, Bredasdorp 2002 – F Marx, FEM Stud, Burgersdorp
2004 – M Swart, Swarco Stud, Caledon
2006 – W du Toit, Suidplaas Stud, Bredasdorp 2008 – W du Toit, Suidplaas Stud, Bredasdorp
2010 – FW Schmidt, Kromspruit Stud, Memel
2012 – F & M Schmidt, Kromspruit Stud, Memel 2014 – Michael Swart, Swartrivier Estate, Caledon 2016 – Clark Rattray, CCM-Farms, Swartberg, KZN
2018 – W du Toit, Suidplaas Stud, Bredasdorp
Die streekwenners in hierdie aankondiging, is geïdenti- fiseer volgens objektiewe maatstawwe wat in dié kom- petisie se puntekaart saamgevat is. Aspekte wat oor- weeg word sluit ondermeer in:
stoet-administrasie, raspromosie, tydige afstuur van alle dokumente soos geboorte registrasies, keur- ings per Kapita lyste, akkuraatheid van data en teelt- waardes. Afgesien van doeltreffende gebruik van teelt- waardes deur ondermeer handhawing van voldoende genetiese verbindings en ‘n oop kern stelsel, dui die instuur van reproduksie-inligting, plaasverkope ens, op betrokkenheid en integriteit van die teler. Deelname aan veilings, hou van inligtingsdae kan bygevoeg word by die deeglike lys van aspekte wat elke stoet in totaliteit evalueer. Blootstelling aan hierdie standaarde veroor- saak dat deelnemers hulle boerdery en stoetteling met maksimum effektiwiteit bedryf. Die intensiteit van die kompetisie is uiters hoog en in een geval het ‘n 2019 streekswenner met net’n halwe punt gewen. Slegs en- kele telers het die streek kompetisie en die Bobaasteler Kompetisie verskeie kere gewen. Dit dui daarop dat hulle konstant oor die lang termyn hulle stoete en kud- des uiters doeltreffend bedryf.
In die lig van bostaande, is dit voor die handliggend dat streekswenners leiers in die bedryf is. Hulle is on- selfsugtig en bereid om met promosie geleenthede en kursusse te help. Hulle het ‘n positiewe benadering en deel inligting, teeltmateriaal en ondersteun medetelers en die Genootskap. Hierdie wenners het uitstaande bestuursvaardighede en ‘n goeie begrip van wat nodig is om die produktiwiteit van die kommersiele bedryf te verhoog. Hulle is innoverend in terme van die toe- passing van gevorderde teelt- en algemene boerdery praktyke en baie van hulle bedryf uitgebreide boerdery vertakkings hoogs doetreffend en met groot sukses. Die meeste wenners selekteer uit groot getalle diere om die beginsels van bevolkings genetika doeltreffend toe te pas. Hulle hou ‘n groot persentasie lammers na 100 dae keuring terug om meer betroudare en akku- rate evaluasie op twaalf maande ouderdom te bewerk- stellig. Hulle handhaaf ook ‘n lae ouderdomstruktuur in hulle kuddes om generasie interval te verkort. Die handhawing van die hoogste moontlike reproduksie tempos saam met die toepassing van die doeltreffend- ste moontlike genetiese verbetering strategie, lei tot proporsioneel groot getalle diere per teeltooi uit hierdie kuddes op die genootskap se nasionale meriete lyste. Tydens finale keuring val hulle slaag persentasies vir beide ramme en ooie binne die grense gestel deur die Genootskap. Streng gehalte beheer word toegepas ten opsigte van ramme wat nie net op die Nasionale veiling aangebied word nie maar ook op produksie veilings en ander promosie veilings. Hierdie wenners verleen na verkoopdiens en ondersteuning aan kopers wat bydra tot die uitbou van ‘n betroubare handelsmerk. Vaars uit hierdie stoete het ‘n betekenisvolle invloed op die Dohne Merino bedryf as geheel.
Previous winners of the Top Breeder Award
1980 – George and Ronald Warren, N’Dimba Stud, Komga
1982 – LA de la Harpe, Normandy Stud, Graaff-Reinet
1984 – George and Ronald Warren, N’Dimba Stud, Komga
1986 – CJ Greyling, Charfontein Stud,
1988 – J Wessels & Sons, Weska Stud, Bredasdorp
1990 – F Marx, FEM Stud, Burgersdorp
1992 – FW Schmidt, Kromspruit Stud, Memel
1994 – J Wessels & Sons, Weska Stud, Bredasdorp
1996 – LA de la Harpe, Normandy Stud, Graaff-Reinet
1998 – F Marx, FEM Dohne Stud, Burgersdorp
2000 – W du Toit, Suidplaas Stud, Bredasdorp 2002 – F Marx, FEM Stud, Burgersdorp
2004 – M Swart, Swarco Stud, Caledon
2006 – W du Toit, Suidplaas Stud, Bredasdorp 2008 – W du Toit, Suidplaas Stud, Bredasdorp
2010 – FW Schmidt, Kromspruit Stud, Memel
2012 – F & M Schmidt, Kromspruit Stud, Memel 2014 – Michael Swart, Swartrivier Estate, Caledon 2016 – Clark Rattray, CCM-Farms, Swartberg, KZN
2018 – W du Toit, Suidplaas Stud, Bredasdorp