Adventure, Flavour and Outdoor Living: Explore the KhakiBush Bull Pen

Off-road campers, overlanding gear, custom Land Rovers, local food and drink, leather goods, outdoor equipment, conservation, live music, tastings and plenty of fire: the KhakiBush Bull Pen brings a distinctly South African mix of outdoor and country life to the 2026 Royal Agricultural Show.

Hosted by KhakiBush Magazine, the Bull Pen runs throughout the Show from Wednesday 7 to Sunday 11 October and is designed as a destination in its own right — somewhere to browse, discover new brands, stop for a tasting, watch a demonstration and spend some time soaking up the atmosphere.

The BraaiBoss Challenge will bring plenty of action to the Bull Pen over the weekend, but there is much more to discover here across all five days.

Built for the outdoors

Visitors with an eye on their next camping trip or overland adventure will have plenty to explore.

ORCAA Off-Road Campers & Accessories brings rugged off-road camping trailers and equipment built for getting away from it all, while SKITCH Overland Gear specialises in practical gear for travelling and camping, from vehicle racks and cargo systems to rugged storage and cooler solutions.

Then there is Bhejane Land Rover Customs. Its bespoke Land Rover Defender builds combine serious off-road ability with distinctive customisation, making this one of the Bull Pen displays likely to stop visitors in their tracks.

Maverick Outdoor Gear adds specialist locally manufactured outdoor and sporting gear to the mix, while Southern Sky Operations, occupying two stands in the Bull Pen, brings another specialist sporting and outdoor presence to the area.

There is plenty here for anyone who likes a vehicle packed, the road ahead and a weekend outdoors.

Fire, food and the good things around them

Braai culture runs naturally through the Bull Pen, but it extends well beyond the competition fires.

Durban-based Pretzel Designs creates locally made steel furniture and décor, including flat-pack fire pits and grills — products that sit comfortably at the intersection of design, outdoor living and the South African braai.

Rich-Wins Firelighters, “the world's best eco-friendly, customizable, brandable firelighters,” is another natural fit, with a legendary product made for starting the braai, the campfire, and your next outdoor meal.

Visitors can also meet KZN Meats, who bring locally produced meat and game-meat products into a space where good food and cooking over fire are very much part of the atmosphere.

For something from further afield, Plaisir Wine Estate brings a taste of the Cape Winelands to Tweedie, adding wine and winemaking to the Bull Pen's mix of outdoor and country living.

Closer to home, Wet GLOAT Water brings its canned still and sparkling mountain water from KwaZulu-Natal, while Springvale Honey adds locally produced honey and hive products, together with the agricultural and beekeeping story behind them.

Conservation, craft and things worth browsing

The Bull Pen also reflects another important part of the KhakiBush identity: a connection with Africa's outdoors and the people and organisations working within it.

PAWZ Africa brings a wildlife-conservation dimension to the area, with its work focused on supporting practical conservation initiatives in KwaZulu-Natal.

There is also plenty for visitors who simply enjoy finding something different at a Show.

Lincoln Leather presents the master-crafted leatherwork of local Hiltonian Dave Lincoln. Wild Child brings safari-themed clothing for babies and children, while VZ Leather offers you the opportunity to learn how to make your own customised leather belts, wallets and pouches.

Together with the adventure, vehicle, food and outdoor exhibitors, these businesses make the Bull Pen a place worth exploring.

Something happening every day

The exhibitors are at the heart of the Bull Pen, and KhakiBush has built a five-day programme around them.

From Wednesday through Sunday, wine tastings and braai tastings are scheduled from 11:00, with live music adding to the atmosphere intermittently during the day.

Wednesday brings an extra reason to visit during the Royal Show's special Opening Night. A large bonfire is planned for the Bull Pen as part of the evening proceedings, alongside an evening lighting display.

Thursday adds a particularly South African challenge to proceedings with a Bokdrol Competition, while on Friday the action moves to the Main Stage at 16:00 for a chilli-eating competition.

And then the weekend fires are lit.

BraaiBoss: Champion of the Coals

On Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October, the KhakiBush Bull Pen hosts the Royal Show preliminary rounds of the BraaiBoss Challenge — 2026 Champion of the Coals.

Four contestants in each preliminary will work their way through a demanding succession of open-fire challenges.

The fires are lit at 09:30, followed by a coffee challenge at 10:15 and bread judging at 10:45. From there the competition moves through breakfast, a braai snack, shisanyama or roast, chicken and steak before competitors have to turn what remains into a creative braai broodjie or wrap.

Final scoring and awards are scheduled for 14:30 on both days.

This is not simply a competition to watch from a distance. Tastings and interaction with the competitors form part of the experience, giving spectators the chance to move around the area, follow the cooking as it unfolds and enjoy some of the banter around the fires.

On Saturday, the heat continues with a Chilli Chicken Wing Competition at 16:00.

Make time for the Bull Pen

What makes the KhakiBush Bull Pen interesting is the combination.

You can compare off-road campers and overlanding equipment, admire a customised Defender, discover locally made outdoor products, browse leather goods and children's clothing, talk conservation, taste something good, listen to live music and see what is happening around the fires — all in the same part of the Show.

It is a space made for wandering, browsing and stopping to have a closer look.

So when you visit the 2026 Royal Agricultural Show, make time to visit the KhakiBush Bull Pen.

Come and explore the outdoor and country-living brands. Stay for the tastings, music and demonstrations. And over the weekend, follow the smoke to the competition fires.

Royal Agricultural Show 2026
7–11 October 2026
Royal Showgrounds at Tweedie, Howick