Top Young Farmers from KZN to Compete in SA Championships | The Witness

KwaZulu-Natal’s best young farmers will be flying the province’s flag at the South African National Youth Show in Middelburg later this year.

The team was chosen following this year’s KZN Youth Show Royal Agricultural Exhibition at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg.

Over the course of three days, the competitors in the Junior Junior (under 10 years), Junior (under 14 years), and Senior (under 18 years) classes were tested on their knowledge of the animal’s requirements, physiology, and practical aspects of training and preparation; the preparation of the animal for the show ring (washing, grooming, clipping, etc.); and their showmanship in the ring.

At the end of the provincial competition, the title of senior stockman cattle went to Khabelide Khanyeza, while the junior stockman cattle prize was won by Tatum Braithwaite.

Guy Talbot took home the honours in best dairy animal at the show, with Douglas Dent winning for best beef animal. Douglas also won the George Poole Shield for sportsmanship, donated by the Poole family.

This year’s junior showman in the beef classes was Tatum Braithwaite, while Guy Talbot took the top prize in the dairy section.

The senior showman beef was Khabelide Khanyeza, with Rory Fox winning the senior showman dairy prize.

These talented youngsters will now form part of a team to represent KZN at the national championships. The representatives in the different categories are:

Beef Cattle

Junior Junior – Katie Smit, Huntley Braithwaite and Emily Kuhn. Reserve – Douglas Dent.

Junior – Tatum Braithwaite, Jocelyn Dent and Olivia Braithwaite. Reserve – Tabitha Kuhn.

Senior – Khabelide Khanyeza, Darren Oellerman and Keaton Hinze. Reserve – Zekhthelo Dladla.

Dairy Cattle

Junior Junior – Lily Carr.

Junior – Guy Talbot, Frances Carr and George Carr.

Senior – Rory Fox, Lonwabo Mbatha and Prince Sibiya. Reserve – Tyler Guruven.

Wool Sheep

Junior – Lwandile Mkhwanazi, Kem Dlamini and Thapelo Mafu.

Senior – Tariq Buntting, Simangaliso Dladla and Divan du Toit. Reserve – Sbonakaliso Radebe.

Sheep Mutton

Junior Junior – Josh Smit.

Junior – Izibusiso Zondi, Phokuhle Mkhize and Kopano Sekele.

Senior – Tyler Diedrick, Aphiwe Xulu and Zotha Makhatini. Reserve – Sabelo Madlala.

Goats

Junior Junior – David Koch, Robert Koch and Rachel Watson. Reserve – Emily Longhurst.

Junior – Mathola Masikane.

Senior – Zekhthelo Dladla, Sbonakaliso Radebe and Thelumusa Ngwenya.

Poultry

Junior Junior – Louis Meyer.

Junior – Dillan Raw.

Pigeons

Junior – Drew MacDonald and Luvuyo Masilo.

Senior – Riley Snow, Luke Moore and Ashlee Taylor. Reserve – Ross Barclay.

Fancy pigeons

Senior – Chukwunweike Onwudiegwu, Ross Barclay and Dean Bam.

Photography

Senior – Ross Doidge.

Auctioneering

Junior – Siphesihle Mbhele and Mayimlonde Nxesame.

Senior – Noah Manning, Ntobeko Mkhwanazi, Lengau Mongoato. Reserve – Israel Mzaji.

Last year, Lily Carr was named the national champion in the Junior Junior Dairy Cow category, while Lwandile Mkhwanazi, Tariq Buntting and Mbuso Sithole, took top honours in the Junior Wool Sheep group, and Tatum Braithwaite, Jocelyn Dent and Khabelide Khanyeza were named champions in the Junior Beef Cattle group.

The team will be hoping for similar success this year.

The National Agricultural Youth Society was founded in 1999 with the aim of cultivating an affinity for agriculture among the country’s youth and to create opportunities for children to participate in extracurricular activities in agriculture and develop a range of skills and encourage teamwork.