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 Theuns Botha
Theuns Botha van Boshof, Internasionaal bekende beoordelaar en kleinvee
kursusinstrukteur het in April hierdie jaar die Australiese Nasionale Sydney Royal Boerbokskou
beoordeel.
Theuns is weer op die paneel van SA Boerbok
Beoor-delaarseksamineerders gekies en het in Mei 'n aantal
Beoordelingskursusse in Australië aangebied en hul huidige Vlak 2 en 3
beoordelaars evalueer. Hy het ook 'n maand afgestaan vir trop-evaluering en
diere seleksie in die state Nieu-Suid-Wallis, Queensland en Victoria.
Theuns word beskou as die mees ervare kleinvee beoordelaar en
selekteerder in die wêreld omdat hy beoordelaar en selekteerder van sewe rasse
is. Hy het, en beoordeel gereeld in Suid Afrika, Amerika, Australie, Nieu Zeeland, Namibië,
Botswana en Zimbabwe. Hy beoordeel, klas en evalueer elke jaar omtrent 13 000
stuks kleinvee.
In Augustus verlede jaar was Theuns in Australië om die Australiese Nasionale
Dorperskou in Dubbo te beoordeel, waarna hy 'n intensiewe toer deur Australië en
New Zealand onderneem en 27 plase besoek het. Gedurende hierdie toer het hy 2447
Dorpers and Boerbokke geëvalueer en 457 Dorpers gekeur. Paula was saam op
hierdie uitmergelende toer van ses weke, maar sy sê sy het dit
nogtans geniet en gaan hom nou weer vergesel.
Theuns and Australia
The following article was written about Theuns in a recent circular in Australia.
Well known to many of us as a great teacher & Judging School Instructor, Theuns Botha will in April this year, for the first time, judge our National Show at Sydney Royal.
Theuns began in Boer Goats in 1963, some 48 years ago, when he founded his “Kanonfontein” Boer Goat Stud just outside Boshof in South Africa. His first animals came from a number of breeders in South Africa & Theuns will tell you that he didn’t get their best, not by a long shot. He purchased what he could afford, as money was not plentiful at the time.
“I couldn’t afford to buy the best Bucks” Theuns said, but I made the best use of my foolproof records to select my animals each year. It took Theuns 19 years to achieve the prestigious award of “Most Points” at the 1982 South African National Championship Show. In 1982 Theuns won the SA National Grand Champion Buck & the SA National Reserve Grand Champion Doe.
Back in those days the South African National Championship Show was held every second year. Theuns was always up there with the best, winning 3rd most points in 1984, then Judged the National Show in 1986, 8th most points in 1988 out of 38 exhibitors, 3rd most points in 1990, 2nd most points in 1992 & in 1994 he only exhibited one Buck, winning the SA National Reserve Grand Champion Buck.
It is interesting to note that Theuns had a much smaller Show Team than most exhibitors but did so well with small numbers. After the 1994 National Show Theuns retired from showing his animals.
Theuns was the first person outside the Eastern Cape, where the Boer Goat originated from, to serve on the SA Boer Goat Breeders Association Board, where he served for 20 years. He was also the President of the Northern Cape Boer Goat Club for 21 years. During this time he gained vast experience which he is only too happy to share with anyone who will listen.
In 1979 Theuns became a Boer Goat Judge & has judged two SA National Shows, a substantial number of National Shows in Namibia, he has judged at all of the National Shows in Zimbabwe. He has also judged a National Show in America & Botswana and both Boer Goats & Dorpers in New Zealand. He has also judged numerous Regional Championship Shows in South Africa.
Theuns is a Judge & Selector for seven (7) small stock breeds, Boer Goats, Dorper sheep, White Dorper sheep, Kalahari Red goats, Savanna goats, Black Head Persian sheer & van Rooy sheep. He has judged 3 Kalahari Red National Shows, 3 Savanna National Shows, 3 Black Head Persian National Shows, 1 van Rooy National Show plus numerous Dorper Shows throughout South Africa.
It is very interesting to note that a very large percentage of the current Boer Goat Judges in South Africa were trained by Theuns as well as many Judges in other countries around the world.
In August last year Theuns Judged the Australian National Dorper Show at Dubbo & this was followed by an extensive tour of Australia & New Zealand where he visited 27 farms. During this tour Theuns evaluated 2,447 Dorpers & Boer Goats and selected (tagged) 457 Dorpers for various breeders. In a normal year Theuns would select & class around 13,000 animals of various breeds, but mainly Boer Goats & Dorper sheep.
With all of the travel required to perform this work Theuns still finds time for his greatest love, his seven (7) grandchildren. Theuns has a very closely knit family & vast extended family, which is a true testament to the quality of the man.
Theuns has again been re-elected to the panel of South African Boer Goat Judge Examiners & in May we will have the privilege of his wealth of experience when he conducts a number of Judging Schools for us. He will also assess our current Level 2 & Level 3 Judges.
Theuns will have a limited amount of time during his visit to conduct Herd Assessment & Animal Selection in NSW, QLD & VIC. If you are interested in having Theuns visit your Stud & gain some of his vast knowledge, please contact Graham Reimers on (07) 4666 1027.
2011 Sydney Royal
2010 Melbourne Royal "I believe in tails up!"
Geoff Campbell and Judy Vesti Dinilliquin, NSW. "if you don't listen..."
Judi Vesti and Andre Pienaar
Other interesting info
We just weaned some kids off some good grazing. One very feminine medium sized doe weighed 58kg when she weaned a set of triplets with a total weight of 74.6kg at 107 days! Isn't it wonderful! Both the buck kids are in our top group.
How many father and son judging teams are there? According to Bennie Jordaan's face, he agrees.
We start them young! Ane inspects the buck kids.
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