Thanks to the exceptional quality of Hampshire Down meat, Kroonstad sheep farmer Hennie Jonker – owner of the Zorro Hampshire Down Stud – secured first place in the Lamb Champs competition at the Parys All-Breed Show this past weekend.
By Charl van Rooyen, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
According to the Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai), which organises the Lamb Champs events, the Parys competition drew farmers from four provinces, with the Free State contributing the largest group of 26 entries. Other participants came from North West, the Northern Cape and Gauteng.
Merino (14 entries) and Dormer (6 entries) topped the list with most-represented breeds. Other breeds in the competition were Meatmaster, Dohne Merino, Dorper crosses, Île-de-France, Merino Landskaap, Karakul and Persian.
Jonker’s champion single carcass fetched R30 000 at the BKB auction, where 12 carcasses went under the hammer. And at the spit braai competition held at the Afridome on Saturday, 6 September, Jonker also won R40 000 for best lamb on the spit.
Also read: Lamb Champs 2025: Real lamb, real farmers, real Mzansi excellence
Highest Price in Years
Although the world record of R63 000 for a lamb carcass at the Royal Show in Pietermaritzburg remains unbeaten, the R30 000 paid for Jonker’s 25,4kg carcass was the highest price in years. The carcass yield was 50% of live weight. The lamb, a Hampshire Down, was both the breed winner and the interbreed champion in the Tau Feeds slaughter lamb competition held on 2 September.
All lambs entered in the competition were slaughtered at Huntersvlei Meat’s abattoir in Viljoenskroon, and judged by the South African Meat Industry Company (SAMIC).
Albert Loubser, chief organiser of the All-Breed Show, says Jonker’s victory in Parys has qualified him for the national Lamb Champs championship, which will be held at the Nampo Alfa Livestock, Hunting and Outdoor Expo at Nampo Park in Bothaville from 16 to 18 October 2025.
A Farming Family
Jonker says his whole family is involved on their farm, Kromdraai, near Kroonstad, which they bought six years ago. He focuses on his Zorro Hampshire Down stud of about 300 animals, which he registered in 2017. His wife, Liza-Mari, a teacher at Voorwaarts Primary School in town, keeps about 1 200 laying hens and breeds Orpingtons, which she hopes to show in competitions. Their son, Liam (10), farms with Damara sheep, and their daughter, Miané (8), has her own herd of Boer goats.
Jonker attributes his success to the Hampshire Down’s outstanding meat, renowned worldwide for its tenderness, flavour and juiciness. The breed is also prized for its excellent marbling, a trait that the Zorro stud has been bred to enhance even further.
