Meatmaster carcass wins Saai Lamb Champs competition

By Annelie Coleman | 30 September 2024 | 3:10 pm

A Meatmaster carcass came out tops at the Lamb Champs braai championship held by the Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai) over the weekend of 28 September in Reitz in the Free State.

From left: Theo de Jager, chairman of the Saai board of directors; Minki van der Westhuizen, master of ceremonies; Morné Coetzer, winner; and Dallas Langman, CEO of Pick n Pay, at the Saai Lamb Champs competition in Reitz. Photo: Supplied

The winning lamb for the competition was entered by commercial Meatmaster producer Morné Coetzer, who farms between Koppies and Kroonstad.

Coetzer told Farmer’s Weekly he never expected to walk away with the laurels, but he only entered to see how his commercial sheep, earmarked for slaughtering, compared with the carcasses of the other entrants.

“I was surprised when it was announced that my entry was ed as the tastiest in the competition. This sheep was not backgrounded and did not receive any supplemental feed before the competition, other than normal rations, and came directly from the veld,” said Coetzer.

As the first prize winner, he went home with R25 000, a Pick n Pay hamper, a Weber braaier and a bronze trophy. Asked how he planned to spend the prize money, Coetzer said he would probably spend it on new breeding animals to expand the genetic base of his flock.

He said: “The winner was determined by means of a blind tasting session based on, among others, texture and taste. The meat was spiced with only salt and pepper, making it a very fair judging process.

Coetzer started with only five Meatmaster sheep a few years ago for home use. The flock has since increased to 70 animals.

Saai said in a statement that 10 farmers’ unions also competed in a lamb spit braai competition, judged not only on the taste of the meat but also on the preparation, including braai techniques and spice blends. The winner, Sonop Farmers’ Union, was awarded R15 000 per year’s supply of Buffelsfontein brandy and a bronze trophy.