THE Garbers brothers Hein (12) and Michael Johannes (14) were at the Windhoek Industrial and Agricultural Show this year for the first time with their own Boer goats.
Last year they helped their father, Willie Coetzee, at the show. Both boys received two goats from Coetzee to start their own stud.MJ used his savings to buy another five goats and his stud has grown to 39 goats, while Hein has nine. Both boys attend the Elnatan Private School at Stampriet, where they are in Grade 6 and 8 respectively. ‘The principal gave us off so that we could come to the show and show off our animals,’ said MJ.Both participated in the Junior Youth Show and Hein walked away with the first prize in the under-12 category while MJ came first in the under-14 category.’At the show you have to answer theoretical questions, then you have to trim your goats and display them in the ring,’ said MJ. Farming with small stock is in their blood and both hope to be successful farmers one day. Willie Coetzee has been a small-stock farmer since 1989 and he has participated in shows since 1995. On their farm between Stampriet and Aranos they have a Dorper stud, a Veltmaster stud, a Boer goat stud and Arabian horse stud. Coetzee also has another farm called Lauterbach between Maltahöhe and Helmeringhausen.’We are stud farmers from the morning to the evening. This is our life and it is in our blood,’ said Coetzee.’It makes me very proud to see these two youngsters show their own animals,’ said Coetzee. ‘And at the rate they are going they will be showing animals at the Windhoek Show for the next 40 years.’
