WRSA hosts seminar, honours achievers

PRESS RELEASE
WRSA HOSTS SEMINAR, HONOURS ACHIEVERS
Wildlife Ranching South Africa (WRSA) once again hosted a successful and interesting
annual seminar and gala dinner on Friday, 25 March, attended by more than 200 guests.
The day started with a seminar at the Tshwane events centre in Pretoria. The guest speaker
was Mr John Spiers from New Zealand, who discussed the history of venison production in
New Zealand and trophy stud breeding, with specific reference to red deer. Other speakers
included Dr Peter Oberem (The potential of game meat production in South Africa), Mr
Johan Rabie (Disease free buffalo in South Africa), Mr Michael ‘t Sas-Rolfes (CITES and
trade in rhino horn), Mr Pelham Jones (WRSA Private Rhino Owners’ Association), Dr
Carina Kleynhans (Preparing venison), Dr Louis Greeff (Lessons applicable to game
farming) and Dr Johan Kriek (Breeding rare species). Mr Andrew Conroy briefly discussed
the 7th International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, which will be held in Kimberley in
October this year, and Mr Norman Adami, WRSA director of marketing, closed the seminar.
All presentations are available on the < WRSA website.>
During the day it was also announced that Julian Freimond and Brynn Stephenson from
Unitrans Toyota have agreed to sponsor a diesel Toyota Hilux 4x4 with extra cab, to be used
by WRSA for a year.
The highlight of the day was the gala dinner, held at Willows Country Lodge in Lynnwood
and attended by some 300 guests. Mr Cyril Ramaphosa was the guest speaker and talked
about transformation in the wildlife ranching industry.
The past year’s top achievers were also honoured. Prize-winners were:
 Robert John Potter from Kwazulu Private Game Reserve – Game Rancher of
2010
 Piet du Toit from Hoogebomen – Finalist: Game Rancher of the Year and
Special Commendation for his approach to and success with game breeding
 Ann van Dyk from De Wildt and Shingwedzi Wildlife Ranch – Finalist: Game
Rancher of the Year
 Hennie Barnard from Skietfontein – Finalist: Game Rancher of the Year
 Nico Risseeuw from Tambotie Waters – Finalist: Game Rancher of the Year
 Dr Buks Henning – for regular and valuable contributions to the Wildlife
Ranching magazine
 Naboomspruit Study Group – Study Group of the Year
 President’s Award – Reinhardt Holtzhausen, previous marketing manager at
WRSA, and Dr. Kas Hamman from Cape Nature
An amazing gesture came from the floor when Stud Game Breeders announced the Stud
Game Breeders WRSA bursary fund worth R70 000 for two wildlife ranching students from
the Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria. This announcement was followed by an
invitation for more such funds and soon they received offers from Soutpansberg Study
Group (Johan Kruger), Shambala Game Reserve (Hanro Strydom), Piet du Toit, Thaba
Tholo (Rubin Els) and Gravelotte Game Producers (Piet Warren and Hannes Maree), as well
as Peter Bellinghan and Reinhardt Holtzhausen to participate in similar projects for the
upliftment and support of deserving students.
An auction was also held during the dinner and sponsored items were sold to the highest
bidder. These items were donated by Bayer, Shambala Private Game Reserve, Waterberg
Game Dealers, Farmers’ Weekly, Wild & Jag, Landbouweekblad, Obaro, West Feeds, CWI
Wire, Avello, Chemvet Steel and Fences, Tick-off/Recon, Afrivet/Redline, Dr Pamela
Oberem and Bushveld Game Capture.
WRSA thanks all sponsors who made both the seminar and gala dinner possible:
 ABI, the soft drink division of SAB,
 Afgri Feeds,
 Bushveld Game Capture,
 Carpaccio,
 Du Toit Game Services (Pty) Ltd,
 Hunky Dory Investments,
 Shaun Prinsloo,
 Mafunyane,
 Medi Vet,
 Mr Nelson da Sousa,
 Mr R Harold,
 Mpatamacha Game,
 SA Breweries,
 Schoonkloof Game Reserve/Sororomele online auctions,
 Schoonkloof Game Lodge,
 Shambala Game Reserve,
 Stud. Game Breeders,
 Trophy Breeders,
 Thaba Manzi Wildlife Services,
 Thaba Tholo Trust,
 Vea Risk/ETANA,
 Vleissentraal Bosveld,
 Wicus Pretorius/Wictra Holdings,
 Wild & Jag,
 Graham Beck Wines,
 Arthur Rudman,
 Absa,
 Afrivet,
 Alzu Feeds and
 Global Supplies.
MORE INFORMATION AND PHOTOGRAPHS:
Melinda Harvie, WRSA, Pretoria, 012 335 6994
WRSA HOU SEMINAAR, BELOON PRESTEERDERS
Wildlife Ranching Suid-Afrika (WRSA) het op Vrydag, 25 Maart, weer eens ʼn suksesvolle en
interessante jaarlikse seminaar en galadinee gehou, met meer as 200 gaste.
Die dag het begin met ʼn seminaar by die Tshwane Events Centre in Pretoria. Die
gasspreker was mnr John Spiers van Nieu-Seeland. Hy het die geskiedenis van
wildsvleisproduksie in Nieu-Seeland en ook trofee stoetteling bespreek, met spesifieke
verwysing na edelherte. Ander sprekers van die dag was dr Peter Oberem (Die potensiaal
van wildsvleisproduksie in Suid-Afrika), mnr Johan Rabie (Siektevrye buffels in Suid-Afrika),
mnr Michael ‘t Sas-Rolfes (CITES en die handel in renosterhoring), mnr Pelham Jones
(WRSA Private Renostereienaarsvereniging), dr Carina Kleynhans
(Wildsvleisvoorbereiding), dr Louis Greeff (Lesse van toepassing op wildsboerdery) en dr
Johan Kriek (Die teel van seldsame spesies). Mnr Andrew Conroy het kortliks oor die 7e
Internasionale Wildsboerdery Simposium gepraat, wat in Oktober vanjaar in Kimberley
gehou sal word. Mnr Norman Adami, WRSA se direkteur van bemarking, het die simposium
afgesluit. Alle aanbiedings is beskikbaar op die WRSA-webwerf.
In die loop van die dag is ook aangekondig dat Julian Freimond en Brynn Stephenson van
Unitrans Toyota ingestem het om ʼn diesel Toyota Hilux 4x4 met ekstra kajuit te borg vir
WRSA se gebruik vir ʼn jaar.
Die hoogtepunt van die dag was die gala-dinee by Willows Country Lodge in Lynwood, met
ongeveer 300 gaste. Mnr Cyril Ramaphosa was die gasspreker en het gepraat oor
transformasie in die wildsbedryf.
Die afgelope jaar se toppresteerders is ook vereer. Hulle sluit in:
 Robert John Potter van Kwazulu Private Game Reserve – Wildboer van die
Jaar 2010
 Piet du Toit van Hoogebomen – Finalis: Wildboer van die Jaar en Spesiale
Lof vir sy benadering van en sukses met wildteling
 Ann van Dyk van De Wildt en Shingwedzi Wildlife Ranch – Finalis: Wildboer
van die Jaar
 Hennie Barnard van Skietfontein – Finalis: Wildboer van die Jaar
 Nico Risseeuw van Tambotie Waters – Finalis: Wildboer van die Jaar
 Dr Buks Henning – vir gereelde en waardevolle bydraes in die Wildlife
Ranching tydskrif
 Naboomspruit Studiegroep – Studie Groep van die Jaar
 Presidentstoekenning – Reinhardt Holtzhausen, voorheen
bemarkingsbestuurder van WRSA, en dr Kas Hamman van Cape Nature
ʼn Wonderlike gebaar het van die vloer af gekom toe Stud Game Breeders die Stud Game
Breeders WRSA beursfonds ter waarde van R70 000 vir twee wildboertudente van die
Tshwane Universiteit vir Tegnologie in Pretoria aangekondig het. Hierdie aankondiging is
gevolg deur ʼn uitnodiging vir nog soortgelyke fondse en gou is aanbiedinge ontvang van
Soutpansberg Studiegroep (Johan Kruger), Shambala Game Reserve (Hanro Strydom), Piet
du Toit, Thaba Tholo (Rubin Els) en Gravelotte Game Producers (Piet Warren en Hannes
Maree), asook Peter Bellinghan en Reinhardt Holtzhausen om aan soortgelyke projekte vir
die opheffing en ondersteuning van verdienstelike studente deel te neem.
ʼn Veiling is ook tydens die dinee gehou en geborgde items is aan die hooste bieër verkoop.
Hierdie items is geskenk deur Bayer, Shambala Private Game Reserve, Waterberg Game
Dealers, Farmers’ Weekly, Wild & Jag, Landbouweekblad, Obaro, West Feeds, CWI Wire,
Avello, Chemvet Steel and Fences, Tick-off/Recon, Afrivet/Redline, dr Pamela Oberem en
Bushveld Game Capture.
WRSA bedank al die borge wat beide die seminaar en die gala-dinee moontlik gemaak het:
 ABI, die koeldrankdivisie van SAB,
 Afgri Voere,
 Bushveld Game Capture,
 Carpaccio,
 Du Toit Game Services (Pty) Ltd,
 Hunky Dory Investments,
 Shaun Prinsloo,
 Mafunyane,
 Medi Vet,
 Mr Nelson da Sousa,
 Mr R Harold,
 Mpatamacha Game,
 SA Breweries,
 Schoonkloof Game Reserve/Sororomele internetveilings,
 Schoonkloof Game Lodge,
 Shambala Game Reserve,
 Stud. Game Breeders,
 Trophy Breeders,
 Thaba Manzi Wildlife Services,
 Thaba Tholo Trust,
 Vea Risk/ETANA,
 Vleissentraal Bosveld,
 Wicus Pretorius/Wictra Holdings,
 Wild & Jag,
 Graham Beck Wines,
 Arthur Rudman,
 Absa,
 Afrivet,
 Alzu Voere en
 Global Supplies.

MEER INLIGTING EN FOTO’S: Melinda Harvie, WRSA, Pretoria, 012 335 6994