The stage is set for a new showdown in South Africa’s sheep farming industry. Lamb Champs today announced the Baa-Barians, a specially assembled team of sheep farmers who will take on Team South Africa in the inaugural Lamb Champs Invitational on 31 October in Pretoria.
The announcement follows Namibia’s withdrawal from the competition due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in that country. Although the withdrawal was disappointing, it has opened the door to a new format that will see some of South Africa’s finest sheep farmers go head-to-head.
There is another major announcement: Zoetis has sponsored a R100,000 cash prize for the individual farmer who achieves the highest score during the competition. The new award will be known as the Zoetis Top Lamb.
Francois Rossouw, CEO of Saai, said the two announcements add an exciting new dimension to the Invitational. “We had to adapt quickly when Namibia withdrew, but we didn’t want to simply find a replacement for the Namibian team. We wanted to assemble a team capable of genuinely challenging Team South Africa. The Baa-Barians aren’t here to make up the numbers. They’re here to win.”
The Baa-Barians comprise ten farmers from across South Africa, representing a variety of sheep breeds, farming backgrounds and production environments.
The team consists of:
- Pienaar van Niekerk – Dohne Merino, Burgersdorp, Eastern Cape
- Ancois Potgieter – Merino, Tweeling, Free State
- Michael Smuts – Dormer, Moorreesburg, Western Cape
- Trudine Leonard – SA Mutton Merino, Kroonstad
- Willie Bruwer – Dormer × Merino cross, Loxton, Northern Cape
- Wian Swart – Suffolk, Amersfoort, Mpumalanga
- Jaco Muller – Mutton Merino × Red Persian cross, Frankfort, Free State
- Tshitise Mosiane – Dohne Merino, Warden, Free State
- JP Nel – Dorper, Vryburg, North West
- Anton Nel – Meatmaster, Somerset East, Eastern Cape (Team Captain)
The Baa-Barians will compete against Team South Africa, captained by Gawie van Heerden.
Team South Africa consists of:
- Hennie Jonker – Hampshire Down, Kroonstad
- Gerhard Lourens – Persian, Pretoria, Gauteng
- Daan Malan – Dormer, Bethal, Mpumalanga
- Paul van Rooyen – Meatmaster, Rouxville
- Janri Brits – Merino, Winburg, Free State
- P.K. Uys – Dormer, Robertson, Western Cape
- Kyla Wasserman – Dohne Merino, Albertinia
- Henfred Linde – Consortium Merino, Cradock, Eastern Cape
- Johan Greyling – Consortium Merino, Christiana
- Philip Randell – Consortium Merino
Rossouw said the composition of the two teams promises an intriguing competition. “We now have a situation where farmers who would normally compete against one another on the same stage suddenly find themselves as teammates. On the other side are the Baa-Barians, who have nothing to lose and everything to prove. This creates exactly the kind of rivalry we want to establish with the Invitational.”
In addition to the team competition, every participant will also compete for the new Zoetis Top Lamb award. Rossouw said Zoetis’s involvement underscores the value the agricultural industry sees in platforms such as Lamb Champs. “The success of a sheep farming operation begins long before a lamb reaches the spit. Animal health, genetics, nutrition and sound farming practices all play a role in the final product. That is why it is particularly fitting that a company such as Zoetis recognises and rewards the excellence of our farmers in this way.”
The Invitational represents the next step in the evolution of Lamb Champs, which has grown since its inception into a platform where family farmers can showcase their products directly to consumers.
Unlike the existing regional competitions, the Invitational will be presented as an entertainment-driven agricultural competition, specifically designed for both spectators attending the event and audiences watching online.
The event will be livestreamed across multiple media and distribution partners, with a combined potential reach of more than 1.5 million viewers. Broadcast partners include Veeplaas, Maroela Media, Pretoria FM, Farmer’s Weekly, Farmspace, Boermedia and Lamb Champs, among others.
Rossouw said the expanded reach is particularly significant for the participating farmers. Although this year’s competition has, by necessity, become an all-South African contest, international expansion remains part of Lamb Champs’ future plans. Organisers intend to introduce teams from two other countries to the Invitational in 2027.
“The Baa-Barians represent a new chapter in the Lamb Champs story, but our broader objective remains unchanged: to build an international platform where family farmers can showcase their products and where consumers can engage with agriculture in an entirely new way.”
Lamb Champs is also offering businesses a new opportunity to become directly involved in this year’s competition.
From 9 to 20 October 2026, an online auction will be hosted on SwiftVEE, allowing businesses to bid for the exclusive sponsorship rights of individual Baa-Barians farmers.
Successful bidders will receive brand exposure through their company logo displayed on the front of their sponsored farmer’s competition shirt, an advertisement during that farmer’s round on the livestream, acknowledgement by the commentary team and additional exposure whenever the farmer features in social media or other event-related media coverage.
This provides businesses with an opportunity to associate their brands directly with individual farmers and become part of the inaugural Lamb Champs Invitational.
Businesses wishing to participate in the auction can follow the link below:
The Lamb Champs Invitational will take place on 31 October 2026 at Silver Lakes Farm Hotel in Pretoria, proudly sponsored by Pick n Pay, Toyota, ZARbet, Afriskuld, Zoetis, Werkie and Titan Secure.
Tickets for the event are limited.
Purchase tickets here: https://bit.ly/LCInvitational
