This Heritage Day, 24 September 2026, the Paarl region will host the grand finale of the regional Lamb Champs competition at the historic Hoër Landbouskool Boland. Organized by the family farming organization Saai, this landmark event brings South Africa’s rich culinary traditions and agricultural roots together in the heart of the Winelands.
Honoring Tradition and Family Farmers
Heritage Day in South Africa is deeply tied to the culture of gathering around a fire, making a nationwide spit-braai competition a fitting tribute to the country’s shared identity. Beyond the festivities, the event carries significant economic and cultural weight. Lamb Champs was created to honor independent, registered family farmers—the backbone of South Africa’s food security—giving them a direct platform to connect with consumers and gain fair market recognition for their craft.
A Complete Lifestyle Experience
Around 100 premier sheep farmers will gather to showcase their open-fire cooking expertise. Attendees can look forward to a full-sensory experience featuring unlimited spit-braai tasting portions, live performances by top South African musicians, a curated agricultural vendor hub, dedicated children’s entertainment, and the ever-popular traditional skaapkop-eating competition.
The Road to the Paarl Finale
The Boland event follows two sold-out regional legs earlier this year. The 2026 season opened in Pretoria, where Gerhard and Jani Lourens claimed victory with their Persian lamb, before moving to Bloemfontein, where Paul van Rooyen took top honours with his Meatmaster lamb.
Qualification for the International Stage
In addition to celebrating local heritage, the Paarl leg serves as the final gateway to the international arena. The top two producers emerging from the Boland competition will earn automatic berths on Team South Africa for the inaugural Lamb Champs Invitational on 31 October 2026 at Pretoria’s Silverlakes Farm Hotel. There, a 10-member South African squad—led by Captain Gawie van Heerden—will face off against an elite team of 10 Namibian sheep farmers in a cross-border culinary clash.
With previous legs selling out completely, visitors planning to attend the Paarl event are strongly advised to purchase tickets online in advance and arrange local accommodation early.
