A black (midnight) red hartebeest bull fetched a whopping R1,6 million at an Arno du Plessis game auction. The bull was sold at an auction on 9 May 2026 in Boshof, but was only delivered to its new owners, Roy Barlow and Japie van Niekerk of Kalahari Genetics in Askham, on Friday 29 May.
By Johan Norval
Marius Eksteen of Hatari Farming near Jagersfontein, the seller of the three-year-old bull, considers the animal – which forms part of Hatari’s exclusive Midnight Hartebeest Project – to be one of a kind. Eksteen and his brother, Jan, bred these animals through careful selection, passion and the use of exceptional genetics over many years.
“We are grateful for the interest that Hatari’s Midnight Hartebeest Project has generated and we are monitoring this exceptional bull’s contribution to the breeding programme at Kalahari Genetics,” says Eksteen.
The bull’s horn length measures 20 2/8″, with a horn base circumference of 10″. The distance between the horn tips is 6 2/8″. He was bred from a black red hartebeest cow and a black red hartebeest bull on the Eksteens’ game farm near Jagersfontein.
The Eksteens started the project in 2009 with the selection of the foundation herd.
“Year after year we have seen progress, with the animals becoming darker and more defined. Our long-term goal remains to breed fully black hartebeest, something we believe is achievable.”
They successfully introduced black hartebeest to the hunting industry in 2022. Demand from trophy hunters continues to increase, which, according to Marius, underlines the value of these exceptional animals.
Five black red hartebeest cows from Hatari carrying the midnight gene (split) and bred to black red hartebeest bulls were sold at the auction for R160 000 each. A further 10 red hartebeest cows from the herd from which the black red hartebeest animals were bred fetched R45 000 each. The buyer of these animals was Pieter Ernst Junior of Bona Bona in North West.
Among the game sold by Hatari were five lechwe rams, which fetched between R18 000 and R25 000 each. Their horn lengths varied from 26″ to almost 28″. A total of 10 lechwe ewes from Hatari were sold at R5 000 each.
A gemsbok bull, Oupa Jan, from Louis van der Watt of STS Meletse Game Farming near Askham, was sold for R2,5 million at the Kalahari Genetics auction on 2 May 2026.
The Arno du Plessis auction was presented by Vleissentraal in collaboration with SwiftVEE. The auctioneer was Gert Coetsee.
Also read:
All 88 cattle sold as female demand drives Theres Bonsmara auction
Boran heifer tops R350 000 at sold-out Pioneer cattle auction
R12 000 Boer goat leads strong results at GH Muller & Son’s seventh Frankfort auction
