Free State lamb wins at Lamb Champs 2024

Visitors to the Lamb Champs 2024 were greeted yesterday at the Pretoria National Botanical Garden with the mouth-watering aroma of fragrant lamb roasting on 100 spits. The weather cooperated beautifully and made for a lovely warm winter’s day when this year’s Lamb Champs champion was crowned.

A Free State Île de France lamb reigned supreme this year. Jason Davel from Reitz in the Free State, who farms with Île de France sheep, has been awarded the winner of Saai’s Lamb Champs 2024 competition.

He won R80 000 in cash and several other prizes, as well as a bronze trophy worth R85 000 by the sculptor Nic van Rensburg.

This popular competition was held on Saturday 20 July at the Pretoria National Botanical Garden and was once again a huge success. About 8,000 people attended the event and were able to taste the lamb and goat meat of 100 sheep and 50 goat farmers to determine whose was actually the tastiest.

Gawie van Heerden from Victoria West in the Northern Cape took second place with his Merino lamb and Colene van der Merwe from Williston in the Northern Cape was third with her Dormer lamb. They won R40 000 and R15 000 respectively.

Danie Strauss from Rouxville in the Free State was named the winner in the goat category, where there was also stiff competition for first place. He won R25 000.

This year is the third year that the competition has been held, but what makes it unique this time is Pick n Pay’s entry as the main sponsor. Through this partnership, consumers will now be able to buy the Lamb Champs farmers’ meat exclusively at their nearest Pick n Pay.

“The aim of this competition is to introduce the farmer behind the mutton chop to the consumer,” says Theo de Jager van Saai.

Pick n Pay Partnership Brings New Television Show

Pick n Pay’s involvement not only contributed to the success of the day but also to the start of an exciting new television program. This program, which is currently being filmed, will look at the stories of the family farmers who participated. The program will be broadcast in mid-2025 and will highlight the personal and professional journeys of the farmers, as well as their obstacles and successes in the Southern African agricultural landscape.

“We are excited about the partnership with Pick n Pay. This event not only provides more exposure to our farmers, but also highlights the unique stories behind each family farm. It is about more than just a brand; it’s about creating a story about lamb that highlights the diversity and quality of our regions,” says Francois Rossouw, CEO of Saai.

Festivals right across South Africa

The national Lamb Champs meeting in Pretoria was just the beginning of an exciting journey ahead. The focus will now shift to the Free State, where 50 lambs will be spit-roasted on Reitz for 2,500 guests on 28 September. The year ends on 15 December in Graaff-Reinet, where 1,000 people will be able to feast on the meat of 30 lambs. Each event is designed to highlight the unique flavours and traditions of that region, strengthen local economies, and celebrate the stories behind the farms.