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CELEBRATING THE WILDLIFE INDUSTRY AND ITS OUTSTANDING GAME RANCHERS
08 October 2022 – Wildlife Ranching South Africa hosted their annual Gala Dinner & Award Celebration in grand style this weekend with the gracious support of the main sponsor, Mitsubishi Motors South Africa, and others. Game ranchers from all over the country came together to celebrate the industry, and each other’s achievements at the highlight of the year’s events calendar.
The nominees for the Wildlife Rancher of the Year award included Barry Badenhorst of Knapdaar Boerdery, Neil Barnard of NB Safaris (Limpopo), Abel Erasmus of Otterskloof Private Game Reserve, Khomani San of Erin Game Ranch, Karel Landman of Pongola Private Game Reserve, Nonkqubela Mayatula of Miarestate Spa & Hotel, and Warne & Wendy Rippon – Buffalo Kloof. They were originally nominated in 2019, but due to restrictions over the last two years, the awards were postponed and finally resumed this year.
“Each candidate is scored and evaluated independently. The scores are submitted the WRSA board, and there is an oversight process to ensure fairness, transparency, and objectivity,” said Mr. Jacques Kriek.
As Mr Norman Adami, previous mentor of the adjudication process said: “Critics of the industry should visit these enterprises to get a sense of how exceptional, high-quality businesses are transforming lives in the country,” he said. “It is time game ranchers were truly appreciated for the value they add to South African business and conservation.”
The 2022 panel of judges included Jacques Kriek, Pieter Ernst jr., Rodney Davey and Wynand van Heerden. The decision was unusually difficult as only a few points differentiated the eventual winners.
The Awards
- Ecotourism 2022: Karel Landman – Pongola Game Reserve
“With tourism contributing over R138-billion rand to South Africa’s GDP annually (pre-COVID) and with a large percentage of the travel to SA being for our fauna and flora, this category is essential for all wildlife industry participants to be truly diversified.”
- Hunting establishment (Local and international) Award: Neil Barnard of NB Safaris
“With the hunting industry being under pressure from the anti-hunting lobbyists, it is essential to reward establishments that have remained passionate, loyal to, and focussed on their trade. With the hunter being the ultimate end-user of our wildlife product, it is essential for the survival of our wildlife industry and future of our conservation efforts.”
Sadly, Neil Barnard has, since his nomination, passed away, so the award was accepted on his behalf by his wife, Me. Debbie Barnard.
- Best Utilisation of Products: Karel Landman – Pongola Game Reserve
“This category is often neglected, but integral in developing the complete value chain. Candidates must have a successful and self-sustaining farm, with strong focus on sustainable use of all the resources and opportunities on the farm in terms of products; meat, skins, horns, bones, wood, curios, etc, and must promote conservation through sustainable use of their resources. They must place strong emphasis on economic returns of all facets of its venture and strive toward an optimal value chain.”
- Game Breeder of the Year: Barry Badenhorst – Knapdaar Boerdery
“This award is made to the breeder who is considered a role model in the industry with specific reference to breeding. The nominee must have a successful and self-supporting farming enterprise, be actively involved with research, have impeccable record keeping, implement excellent herd and veld management, strive to continually improve breeding success and provide the market with high quality animals.”
- The Judges award: Warne & Wendy Rippon – Buffalo Kloof Game Reserve
“It is the first year that this award is being presented and with good reason. This couple was instrumental in re-
introducing numerous species of wildlife including, black and white rhino, elephant, cheetah, leopard, lion, hippo, and buffalo to name a few, back to a predominantly cattle area.
They managed to bring communities together and assisted in mentoring them in sustainable utilisation best practices. Habitats are being improved on a daily basis and with the development of green, off-the-grid lodges, this will be a tourism hot spot for many years to come. With a perfect balance between consumptive and non-consumptive tourism achieved through managing perceptions and proper education this establishment is busy creating a name in the hunting industry both locally and abroad and is one of the top privately owned game reserves in South Africa.”
- The WRSA Wildlife Rancher of the Year 2022: Karel Landman – Pongola Game Reserve
“This award is a culmination of all the traits and criteria mentioned in the previous awards. It goes to establishments and rancher showing years of perseverance, dedication, and commitment to our wonderful industry through good times and bad of years.”
Other awards announced on the evening include:
- The Jimie Malan WRSA Regional Interest Group of the Year 2022 – WRSA Naboom
“In every province, WRSA’s members can join a regional interest group (RIGs) to attain first-hand knowledge of any new developments. It provides the ideal opportunity for members to network and to become better acquainted with fellow wildlife ranchers. The RIGs organise meetings and Workers’ Days to train and inform workers, managers, and ranchers better. RIGs strive, through their committees, to bring value to ranchers by arranging gatherings so that ideas can be shared and the challenges in their specific areas can be addressed. The most active RIG with the best ideas and enthusiasm is recognised with the Jimie Malan Regional Interest Group Award.”
- Chairman’s award: John Hurter
“The chairman’s award goes to a person who has rendered selfless service to WRSA. This person is characterized by professional conduct and service to 
WRSA as an organization at a level that deserves exceptional recognition. The contribution of this person plays a key role in the progress and development of the wildlife industry.
In his own unique way, John Hurter made a huge contribution to WRSA at the provincial and the national level. John is a modest person who is content to make his contribution out of the limelight. He played an instrumental role in the development and management of the planned certification scheme for game farming at national level in SA, he created the framework for the ten principles for game farming and, also, played a key role in its development.”
Along with the WRSA Board of Directors, including Chairman Gerhard Heyneke, Vice-Chairman Colin Engelbrecht, CEO Richard York and WRSA Director of Marketing Kgomotso Maphai, other notable guests included:
- Thato Magaso (Managing Director: Mitsubishi Motors South Africa)
- Onela Mtilwa (Marketing Manager: Mitsubishi Motors South Africa)
- Kgaugelo Maphai (Chairman: Matrix Group)
- Dr Mathews Phosa (Former Premier, Mpumalanga),
- Mr Khorommbi Matibe (Chief Director: Biodiversity Economy and Sustainable Use),
- Ms Lactitia Tshitwamulomoni (Director: Wildlife Economy),
- Jeanetta Selier (South African National Biodiversity Institute),
- Lourence Mogakane (Chairperson: National People and Parks Community Association),
- Esther Netshivhongweni (Executive Chairperson: African Community Conservationists),
- Dr Rodgers Lubilo (Chairperson: Community Leaders Network-Southern Africa & Zambia CBNRM Forum), and
- Siyoka Simasiku (Treasurer: Community Leaders Network-Southern Africa)
- Pieter Potgieter (PHASA President)
- Dries van Coller (PHASA CEO & SUCo)
- Pieters Swart (Chairman SATTA)
- Jacques Malan (Past WRSA President)
- Tebogo Mogashoa (Past WRSA President)
- Dr Gert Dry (Past WRSA President)
- Louis van der Watt (WRSA Director: Strategy Implementation)
- Nonkqubela Mayatula (WRSA Director: Tourism & Southern RIGS Ambassador)
- Andrew Aphane (Chairperson of the Mebala ya Rona Advisory Committee)
For more photos from the evening, please visit our Gallery.
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