Zorro, Vredesig and Kinmount Claim Hampshire Down Honours at the 2026 Royal Show
Zorro Hampshire Down’s Senior and Grand Champion Hampshire Down Ram went on to be awarded RAS Standard Bank Gold Cup Reserve Supreme Champion on Show at the 2026 Royal Agricultural Show. Pictured from left are Dewald Linde, Mala Forbes, Hennie Jonker, Johnny Forbes, Michael Bondesio, and (front) handler David Gosani.
Zorro Hampshire Down, Vredesig and Kinmount Stud enjoyed success at the 2026 Hampshire Down Regional Show, with Zorro's Grand Champion Ram going on to claim Reserve Supreme Champion Ram at the Royal Agricultural Society's prestigious Standard Bank Gold Cup Awards.
The Hampshire Down Regional Show took place on Wednesday, 7 October, at the new Royal Showgrounds at Tweedie, Howick, with Henri de Jager officiating as judge.
The competition saw Hennie Jonker's Zorro stud dominate the ram championships, Johnny Forbes' Vredesig secure the leading ewe honours, and the Carlisle family's Kinmount Farm add to its longstanding record of success at the Royal.
Zorro Hampshire Down secured the RAS Grand Champion and RAS Reserve Grand Champion Hampshire Down Rams at the 2026 Royal Show.
Zorro Sweeps the Ram Championships
Hennie Jonker's Zorro Hampshire Down Stud, based near Kroonstad in the Free State, enjoyed an outstanding showing, securing both Grand Champion Ram and Reserve Grand Champion Ram.
Zorro claimed all six ram championship titles, including Junior Champion and Reserve Junior Champion Ram, Senior Champion and Reserve Senior Champion Ram, and the two Grand Championship honours.
The stud also recorded first-place finishes in the individual ram classes for animals aged 12–15 months, 15–24 months and 24–36 months, together with the pair of rams over 12 months.
The highlight came at the Standard Bank Gold Cup Awards on Saturday, 10 October, when Zorro's Grand Champion Ram was named Reserve Supreme Champion Ram on Show, finishing behind the Supreme Champion Dormer ram exhibited by Marius Eksteen of Hatari Farming.
The achievement adds to Jonker's impressive record at the Royal, which includes Supreme Interbreed Champion honours in 2023 and Reserve Supreme recognition in 2024. Zorro has also demonstrated the commercial value of its breeding programme, notably through its success at Lamb Champs Parys in 2025.
Hennie Jonker and handler David Gosani, with Zorro Hampshire Down’s Reserve Junior Champion Hampshire Down Ram at the 2026 Royal Agricultural Show.
Hennie Jonker and handler David Gosani, with Zorro Hampshire Down’s Junior Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Hampshire Down Ram at the 2026 Royal Agricultural Show.
Vredesig Claims Both Grand Champion Ewe Titles
Johnny Forbes' Vredesig Hampshires delivered a strong performance in the female divisions, securing both Grand Champion Ewe and Reserve Grand Champion Ewe.
Vredesig also claimed Junior Champion Ewe and Senior Champion Ewe, with first-place finishes in the 12–15-month and 15–24-month ewe classes.
The stud's younger animals performed well too, winning both the ram lamb and ewe lamb classes for animals aged six to nine months.
These results formed part of an exceptional Royal Show for Vredesig, which also enjoyed championship success in the Suffolk and Dormer competitions, alongside six major honours in the Royal Carcass Competition, including the coveted Royal Champion Lamb Carcass title.
The breadth of these achievements reflects a breeding operation with a strong focus on producing quality livestock for both the show ring and commercial meat production.
Pictured with Vredesig’s Senior Champion and Grand Champion Hampshire Down Ewe at the 2026 Royal Agricultural Show are (from left) Jonny Forbes, Mala Forbes, Dewald Linde and handler Christo.
Pictured with Vredesig’s Junior Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Hampshire Down Ewe at the 2026 Royal Agricultural Show are (back from left) Jonny Forbes, Mala Forbes, and Dewald Linde, and (front from left) handlers Christo and Johnny.
Kinmount Continues a Proud Royal Show Tradition
Kinmount Hampshire Down Stud, based at Lidgetton in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, continued its longstanding association with the Royal Show, securing Reserve Junior Champion Ewe and Reserve Senior Champion Ewe in the 2026 Regional Championships.
The stud also claimed first place in the individual ewe class for animals aged 24–36 months, as well as the pair of ewes over 12 months and the pair of progeny of one sire classes.
These achievements add to a history of success at the Royal spanning more than a decade.
In 2015, the late Avison Carlisle exhibited the Reserve Grand Champion Hampshire Down Ewe at the breed's National Championships, hosted by the Royal Show that year.
Kinmount achieved one of its most significant successes in 2022, when the Carlisle family's Grand Champion Hampshire Down Ewe went on to claim Reserve Supreme Champion Ewe on Show. The stud returned to the prizewinners in 2023, securing Reserve Senior Champion Hampshire Down Ewe.
The 2026 results continue this tradition, reflecting the Carlisle family's enduring contribution to Hampshire Down breeding in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
Pictured with the Kinmount Stud’s Reserve Junior Champion Hampshire Down Ewe are handlers Sipho Ntuli and Siya Ndlovu.
Pictured with the Kinmount Stud’s Reserve Senior Champion Hampshire Down Ewe are handlers Sipho Ntuli and Siya Ndlovu.
Recognising the Hampshire Down Breed
The Hampshire Down is valued for its early maturity, rapid growth and excellent meat-producing characteristics. Its natural muscling and ability to produce market-ready lambs make it an important breed in commercial meat production and crossbreeding programmes.
The 2026 Regional Show recognised the dedication of breeders working to preserve and improve these qualities, while Zorro's success in the Interbreed Championships provided an additional highlight for the breed.
The Royal Agricultural Society congratulates Hennie Jonker and Zorro Hampshires, Johnny Forbes and Vredesig Hampshires, and the Carlisle family and Kinmount Farm on their achievements. The Society also extends its appreciation to judge Henri de Jager and all those who contributed to the Hampshire Down Regional Show at the Royal's new home in Tweedie.
