Diamond Fire Sale a huge success
On Friday evening, 31st March, the “Diamond Fire Sale” auction commenced at 1800hrs and proved to be an enormous success. The auction consisted of a total of six farmers, five of whom were goat breeders, and one was a sheep breeder. The participating farmers were Bushra Kalahari Red and Boergoat Stud, Hennie Schutte Dorpers, Johannes Mokoka Boer Goats, OGS Stud, Lebonesang Stud, and RedBoer Stud. In total, there were 68 lots available for sale.
Held at Stockman’s Choice farm in Tlokweng, the auction drew an unprecedented number of local bidders, as well as 43 online buyers who registered via CDP Auctioneers from various countries including Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Egypt and South Africa. The event proved to be a huge success, with a total of P1.4 million in sales, including two new Botswana records achieved by Bushra Stud and Hennie Schutte Dorpers.
The sale of Lot 35 from Bushra Stud broke the record for the highest-priced Kalahari Red buck ever sold in Botswana, fetching P70,000. The buyer, Joseph Khumo of Khumo Boer Goats, acquired the buck, which is also the third highest-priced Kalahari Red buck ever sold from Botswana. Meanwhile, Hennie Schutte Dorpers set a new Botswana record for the highest-priced Dorper ewe with the sale of Lot 4 for P31,000 to Gold Star Goat Stud. In addition, Bushra Stud made history by selling Lot 7, the first small stock animal ever exported from Botswana to Zambia, for P40,000 to Mutanda Farms through an online bid.
According to the event organizers, they learned many lessons from the first Diamond Fire Sale held in 2021. Since then, they have been working tirelessly to prepare for an even bigger and better auction this year. And they are pleased to say that they have delivered exactly that!
The success of The Diamond Fire Sale is a testament to the fact that local breeders can make a significant impact in their field. By working together, these breeders have demonstrated their commitment to supporting each other and growing their businesses as a community.
One of the farmers noted that this collaboration reflects the true meaning of community and demonstrates the positive outcomes that can result from good, honest values and business practices. It is clear that this success is just the beginning for these enterprising breeders.
Faheem Kala of Bushra Stud initiated The Diamond Fire Sale as a platform for young Batswana small stock breeders who are both customers and peers of Bushra Stud and breed out of Bushra genetics. The aim was to empower all breeders to benefit mutually from increased exposure through a dedicated platform to market their animals while fostering a healthy competition that would inspire them to grow and thrive together. As a result, this would lead to greater investment and diversification in the remarkable genetics found throughout Botswana, which would help expand the industry’s capacity to compete throughout the region.
The lead organizer of the event, Faheem Kala from Bushra Stud, stated that the breeders and partners came together as peers and have supported each other over the years. Through this collaboration, they have gained mutual benefits from shared knowledge and support.
Faheem further elaborated that when ethics, good intentions, honest ambition, and camaraderie are combined, there is nothing that the community of breeders cannot achieve together. He expressed his gratitude to the buyers, bidders, sponsors, supporters, and the auctioneers, Stockman’s Choice and CDP Auctioneers, who have provided unwavering support. The speaker acknowledged that their support has been instrumental in expanding the platform and fostering growth within the small stock farming community.
The sponsors of the Diamond Fire Sale were key players within the agriculture industry who share a deep passion for advancing Botswana’s small stock industry. These included Integrated Veterinary Services (IVS), Agrifeed, Supa Feeds, Desh Feed Corner, Solahart Botswana, and Majestic Court Hotel.
