The tastiest lamb comes from the Free State

Mutton was on everyone’s lips in more ways than one during a competition to find the tastiest lamb in the country.

Jason Davel from Donkerberg in the Free State’s lamb from his Ile de France sheep flock was named the best lamb at the Lamb Champs competition presented by the family farmer network Sai on 20 July at the Pretoria Botanical Garden.

Davel walked away with the first prize of R80 000.

Gawie van Heerden from the Northern Cape won second place with his Merino lamb and in third place was Colene van der Merwe from the Northern Cape with her Dormer mutton.

This is the third year that the competition has been presented in Pretoria. The participating farmers’ challenges and successes will soon also be seen in a TV program.

More than 8,000 people attended the meat festival and early on the juicy smell of the sheep on the spits was in the air and mouths were watering.

The judges were at the tasting early and the public could also taste and put away for themselves from 12:30 while the music of artists from the singing group Jan Jan Jan and popular singer Eloff entertained them.

Charming hostess and well-known TV presenter, Minki van der Westhuizen, entertained the crowd and handed out numerous prizes.

The highlight of the day for many was the sheep’s head eating competition when around 50 participants each had to eat a sheep’s head shiny and finish drinking a 500ml beer in under 15 minutes. The competition was won by JP du Preez from De Aar.

Well-known bantamweight UFC fighter, Cameron Saaiman, was introduced to the audience as presenter of the Moer ‘n Boer TV series of the farmers who will be seen against established fighters on the series from July 25 on the VIA channel. Twelve tough ranchers were selected earlier this year and were trained in the art of MMA fighting.

Pretoria is represented by Zac Steyn, an Angus cattle farmer, in the fighting competition.