Staff Reporter
Windhoek-This year marks the sixth annual Goat Production Auction which has been growing in leaps and bounds, featuring some of Namibia’s top small stock breeders.
Therefore, on June 9 at 10h00, the Namboer auction pens in Windhoek are expected to burst at the seams when breeders of the stature of Nichlas Mbingeneeko, Vaughn Komomungondo, Stephan Botha and Nakathingo Shivute will gather to conduct the event under the auspices of their respective breeders’ societies.
Omongua Breeders Society will hand over from the proceeds cash prizes to the three top-performing Grade 10 learners at the end of 2017 in the entire Aminuis Constituency.
Mbingeneeko, one of the driving forces behind this auction that has been changing peoples’ lives over the past five years. He is a full-time commercial farmer who participates annually in agricultural shows at local,
regional and national levels.
The quality of Boer Goats and Damara sheep that he showcases attests to the fact that his Skuilhoek Stud is undoubtedly a force to reckon with in any stud breeding arena.
Following the fifth auction at the Namboer pens in Windhoek last year, breeders at this special auction opened their hearts and purses when they donated the proceedings of a pregnant Van Rooy ewe to the school that performed best in Grade 10 in the Omaheke Region.
Deputy director of education Victor Makgone expressed his gratitude towards the breeders by donating close to N$2,000 for this good cause, stressing the importance of motivating students to perform at their absolute best in Grade 10.
The auction will again be a small stock feast with 25 Boer Goats, 15 Kalahari Reds, 21 Van Rooy, and 15 Damara sheep of the highest quality going under the hammer. Now in its sixth year, the annual production auction also attracts buyers from neighbouring countries.
For the first four years, the auction raised money for Regina Kondombolo, owner of the Hephata Care Centre in Wanaheda in Katutura to contribute towards her admirable work amongst mentally challenged Namibians, despite her own physical disability.
Mbingeneeko and Komomungondo say the breeders believe in ploughing back something into the community. For the first four years they have been supporting the Hephata Care Centre by donating the proceeds of one animal sold at the annual auction to the centre.
“Education is of vital importance for Omaheke, where we experience a very high level of unemployment, partly due to uneducated youth. Every bit helps and we are sure our contribution will be of inspiration to students to perform ultimately this year,” stressed Komomungondo about shifting the donation to education since last year.
Mbingeneeko emphasised the importance of auctions such as this one, saying the interest of farming must be kept alive for generations to come. He is one of the most experienced small stock breeders in the country, having been a member of the Damara Sheep Breeders Association of Namibia since 1996.
He is a stud breeder of repute for Boer Goats and Damara sheep and is also a trainer and public speaker on livestock management and stud breeding, focusing particularly on small stock management. He is also been a member of the Boer Goat Breeders Association of Namibia since 2008 and qualified as a Damara sheep inspector in July 2011.
To top his achievements, he also qualified as a Boer Goat and Kalahari Red inspector with effect from 2014 and is a founding member and convenor of Omongua Superior Breeders Association, as well as chairperson of the Aminuis Top Breeders Cooperative Ltd since from 2005 to 2011.