Royal Show Guide 2018

umgeniwater 

@umgeniwater 

/uwa1974

12 

10 

32 

44 23

20 

contents 

6 — Welcome to the Royal Show 

8 — Win a holiday 

10 — Bungee and SCAD Freefall 

12 — Royal Rock Concert 

16 — Royal Symphony 

20 — RSG Konsert 

16 

22 — Demolition Derby 

23 — Medieval combat 

26 — Flight Night 

28 — Drone races 

29 — Enduro-X 

30 — Puma Flying Lions 

32 — Royal Hindvani 

Extravaganza 

34 — Sheep & Wool Expo 

36 — Dog Agility and Dog 

Jumping Championships 

38 — Fairground attractions 

40 — Fur and Feather 

42 — Equestrian events 

44 — Youth Concert 

26 30

Welcome to the 

Royal Show 2018 

THE 168th Royal Show 

runs from Friday, May 

25 to Sunday, June 3, 

providing ten actionpacked 

days. 

The Royal is the largest mixed 

agricultural show on the African 

continent, and the focus is on 

introducing “town to country”. 

Over the years, the entertainment 

programme has brought 

the public a high-quality mix of 

sights, sounds and activities, 

ensuring a memorable time for 

young and old. This year will be 

no exception. 

A first-time addition will be the 

mobile bungee jump and SCAD 

freefall, where those brave 

enough will be given an opportunity 

to plummet from a 50m 

‘dizzy height’ into a safety net. 

To add value to exhibitors and 

visitors by way of specials and 

discounts, the 2018 Royal Show 

will reduce gate charges on both 

Fridays to R45 for everyone. 

Friday, 1 June – ‘Super Friday’ 

– will also see a number of 

exhibitors, including the funfair, 

offering special packages. 

Events to look forward to: 

• The ECR Royal Rock Concert, 

featuring Matt Gardiner, 

6 Royal Show 2018

10 days of action-packed 

enjoyment! 

Matthew Mole, and Mi Casa. 

• The Royal Symphony Concert, 

with a performance of the 

full KZN Philharmonic Orchestra 

on the theme of “The World’s 

Most Beautiful Music”, featuring 

Federico Freschi and oboist 

Myfanwy Price, and conducted 

by Naum Rousine. 

• The RSG Concert, featuring 

Armand ‘The Singing Cowboy’, 

Elizma Theron, Brendan Peyper 

and Refentse. 

• The Royal Hindvani Extravaganza 

and Bhangra, with 

a varied programme of dance, 

comedy and music. 

• The uMgungundlovu Youth 

Festival, in conjunction with 

Gagasi FM, featuring Kwaito legend 

L’vovo. 

• The Powasol Enduro-X 

series under the auspices of 

Motorsport South Africa. 

• A full programme of equestrian 

events, including Boerperd, 

Jumping, Dressage, Children’s 

and National Showing Classes. 

• The Standard Bank Gold 

Cup Parade, where the crème 

de la crème of South Africa’s 

cattle and smallstock will be 

paraded in the Main Arena prior 

to the presentation of awards. 

• The KZN Dog Agility and Dog 

Jumping Championships. 

• The return of the Harvard 

aerobatic display, the ‘Puma Flying 

Lions’. 

• The Royal Title Tournament, 

a medieval combat tournament 

where participants with authentic 

weapons and armour will 

battle it out for honours. 

• A drone competition, with 

South Africa’s top drone pilots. 

• The Coca-Cola ‘Monster 

Flight Night’, where Freestyle 

Motocross riders will perform the 

latest tricks on a huge rig that 

includes pyro-technics. 

• The Royal Demolition Derby, 

where a team of professional 

stock car racers will take each 

other on, with the last vehicle 

running becomiing the winner. 

• The return of the Karkloof 

Canopy Zipline, and the province’s 

largest fun-fair. 

The Royal Show also hosts 

KZN’s largest display of construction 

and materials handling 

equipment, complementing 

a broad mix of over 400 commercial, 

industrial and servicesector 

exhibits. 

As is traditional, the Show will 

include a meaningful presence 

of cattle, sheep, goats, rabbits 

and birds, which appeal not only 

to those directly involved in agriculture, 

but to the public at large. 

In this regard, the sheep and 

cattle expos provide “city folk” 

with displays and demonstrations 

intended to impart information 

and satisfy curiosity. 

The Mercury Hall of Fine Living 

will be hosting a food and culinary 

display. 

Events of this type would not 

take place without the support 

of numerous volunteers and 

sponsorship from the business 

sector, and here I would especially 

like to acknowledge with 

appreciation our partnership with 

Coca-Cola, First National Bank 

and East Coast Radio. 

Affording visitors with an allinclusive 

package of enjoyment, 

education, information and 

entertainment, the 2018 Royal 

Show is sure to meet expectations. 

We look forward to welcoming 

you. 

Terry Strachan 

CEO, Royal Agricultural 

Society 


7



9

Freefall 

Freefall 

Celebrities have taken the plunge. TV teams 

from all over the world have documented it. 

It even featured in an episode of The Amazing 

Race. Now it’s your turn to get a taste of 

the Soweto Towers adventure experience 

right here at the Royal Show. 

Ok, they didn’t actually bring the iconic Soweto Towers 

to the Showgrounds. (The towers are a landmark, 

so they wouldn’t let us.) However, the Soweto Towers 

Vertical Adventure Centre professional staff, with years 

of experience under their belts, will be offering you the 

next-best thing — a bungee jump and SCAD Freefall 

experience. 

SCAD (Suspended Catch Air Device) freefall allows a 

thrill seeker to experience completely unattached free 

fall. The diver is winched to a height of 50 metres, where 

the operator initiates a countdown, and then the person 

is dropped. The very long fall is experienced without any 

attachment to anything, in a backwards position, into a 

SCAD net device that stops the fall in such a way that 

the diver feels no impact. It is an experience that is said 

to be — understandably — very intense. 

Bungee is thought to have been inspired by the ancient 

land-diving rituals of the young men of the Pacific 

Ocean Island of Pentecost in Vanuatu. These men jump 

from high wooden platforms with vines attached to their 

ankles. It is a test of courage possibly even more frightening 

than today’s modern bungee, in that these young 

men intentionally make contact with the ground — albeit 

with the aid of a last-minute arrest by the vines that 

makes it (usually) non-lethal. 

Thankfully, commercial bungee jumps use more 

advanced materials and elastic ropes that stop you long 

before you reach the ground. Operators make careful 

calculations based on height and weight, and use stateof-the-art 

materials to ensure optimum safety. (Although 

that still didn’t stop a Durban man in 2008, who made 

history when he jumped off a 30-metre tower attached 

to a bungee cord made of nothing but condoms 

—18 500 of them!) 

Test your courage at the Royal Show this year. It’s so 

safe you won’t need any condoms. 


ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

ing 

Royal Show 2018

Royal 

Rock 

Get ready 

Rock conc 

in the Main 

They performed at US President Barack 

Obama’s inauguration; they have sold 

out concerts in London, 

Rome, Portugal, 

Glasgow, 

Canada, and Johannesburg; 

and their song 

Jika was the number 

one most-played song 

in Africa for 13 weeks running. 

And this year, the African 

dance trio of Mi Casa will be bringing 

their live horns, vocals, keyboards 

and deep soulful grooves to the Royal Show 

in Pietermaritzburg. They will be supported by 

the popular Matthew Mole — the first South African 

artist to enter the iTunes SA chart at #1 on the 

first day of releasing his debut album — and by Pietermaritzburg’s 

own Matt Gardiner, whose “strong vocals 

and his mad guitar skills make him a force to be reckoned 

with”, said Teenzone magazine earlier this year. 

Mi Casa has dominated charts in South Africa with a 

total of eight number-one singles, including their smash 

hit Jika and Don’t Wanna Be Your Friend, both of which 

went multi-platinum and were the most played songs on 

national and continental radio platforms. They are deeply 

rooted in making music that carries positive vibes and a 

good uplifting energy. 

Mi Casa is presently on their long anticipated “Legacy 

Tour” spanning the African continent and is a band in 

tune with the musical pulse of Africa, as evidenced by 

their mind-blowing collaborations with the likes of C4 

Pedro, Eddy Kenzo, Yemi Alade and Kenyan favorites 

Sauti Sol. 

“We wanna spread that good energy and make 

people dance,” said J’Something, lead singer of 

the band. 

This refreshing act is a must-see! [MORE] 

12

to party at the ECR Royal 

ert, on 26 May from 2.30 pm 

Arena

#‌ 1 

With music he describes as “folk music with an electronic back bone”, Matthew Mole became 

the first South African artist to enter the iTunes SA chart at #1 on the first day of 

releasing his debut album, The Home We Built, in 2013. The album quickly achieved Gold 

sales status and his single Take Yours, I’ll Take Mine went on to Platinum. 

This talented artist’s music has played extensively on Top 40 charts across South African 

radio, landing the coveted # 1 position on 5FM’s Top 40 Chart. 

He’s performed at the prestigious Hammersmith Apollo venue in London and worldwide in countries like 

the US, Thailand and Russia. Locally, Matthew Mole has headlined at festivals such as Oppikoppi, Rocking 

The Daisies, 947 Joburg Day, K Day and Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concert. 

Four of his songs feature in the the highly successful South African film Leading Lady, which resulted in 

him performing at the prestigious Seattle International Film Festival. 

In 2016 Mole release his highly anticipated second album Run. It reached the #1 on iTunes South Africa 

and the album’s first single, also title Run, achieved Gold Status within three months of release. 

Mole says his songs are inspired by his family and the people he loves. 

“We all have an enormous amount of potential,” he says. 

“We need to look to something far bigger than ourselves, to give us what it is that we need to walk into 

that potential — and run with it.” 


son of the 

city 

Music with an Indie vibe, with 

a bit of folk and pop thrown 

in — this is the sound of 

Pietermaritzburg’s own Matt 

Gardiner. 

Fresh from Splashy Fen this past Easter 

weekend and Music at Macaranga in 

Kloof earlier this month, where he also 

appeared with Matthew Mole, Matt Gardiner 

opens the Royal Rock ECR concert 

at the Royal Showgrounds this year. 

He brings strong vocals and guitar, and 

along with a looping pedal and a stomp 

box, intricately layers vocal and guitar 

melodies in a way that’s sure to draw in 

the crowds. 

Catch him from 2.30 pm on Saturday, 

26 May in the Main Arena. 

Win with #RoyalRock PMB 

Enter the #RoyalRock competition and stand a chance to win 

a meet-and-greet session with band members! 

DO THIS 

Micasa is headlining this year’s concert, and is supported by the 

talented Matthew Mole and local star Matt Gardiner. 

■■Hashtag us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with #RoyalRock. 

■■Tag the bands and performers, and tell us why you’d like to 

meet them. 

That’s it. If you’re lucky enough, we’ll see you backstage. 

*Competition closes on 26 May 2018. 


15

Beautiful 

“THE World Most Beautiful Music” will be at the 

Royal Show this year and local audiences will be 

treated to a magical compilation of timeless, emotionally 

stirring classics. 

Featuring the music from the KZN Philharmonic 

Orchestra, it’s a rare opportunity to sit back and unwind 

under a blue African sky while listening to the 

powerful baritone voice of Federico Freschi along 

with Myfanwy Price playing the oboe. 

Africa’s leading orchestral ensemble and crown 

jewel of KZN Arts & Culture will give those attending 

the Royal Symphony Concert at The Royal Show a 

taste of the world’s most beautiful melodies. 

Numbers to be included in this memorable selec- 


music 

tion include Figaro’s comical aria ‘Largo al factotum’ 

from the ‘Barber of Seville’, ‘On the street where you 

live’ from ‘My Fair Lady’ and the emotionally uplifting 

‘You Raise Me Up’. 

Myfanwy Price, a graduate of the Total College of 

Music, will be heard in the sprightly ‘Allegro’ from 

Mozart’s Oboe Concerto. Price was recently appointed 

Principal Oboe to the orchestra. 

These pieces are complemented by grand orchestral 

moments including the Intermezzo from ‘Cavalleria 

Rusticana. 

The programme is conducted by Russian-born 

Naum Rousine and introduced by Andy Capostagno. 

Well known as a Super Sport commentator on 

everything from rugby to netball, Capostagno has a 

secret love for the classics and all things relating to 

musical trivia. 

The concert has been made possible with support 

from First National Bank, The Witness and Coca- 

Cola. 

Presented by The Royal Show in association with 

the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra and Music Revival, 

this concert takes place on the morning of Sunday 

27 May from 10am in the Main Arena. 

Extensive seating will be provided in the arena and 

on the Grandstands. It is recommended that hats 

and/or umbrellas are included in your “bring alongs” 

should it be a warm day. 


17

sign of the Contour Bottle, the Spenserian script and the Red Disk Icon are trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company © 2018. 


ENJOY THE FEELING 


19


ELIZMA THERON 

THIS year’s RSG concert sees 

four performers taking the stage 

on Sunday 27 May at 2.30pm. 

Armand, the Singing Cowboy, 

brings a unique show on horseback. 

He sings mostly country 

songs, while his horse performs 

dance moves and tricks. Armand 

is known for his tonguein-cheek 

humour and relaxed 

stage personality. 

Country goes with Elizma 

Theron like leather boots and 

jeans at a Texas line dance, 

and she is — as her new album 

proclaims — a “Boeregirl met ‘n 

countryhart”. 

Refentse brings an African flavour 

to the Afrikaans pop music 

scene. 

Brendan Peyper mixes pop 

and country sounds with a 

strong acoustic undertone. 

REFENTSE 

BRENDAN PEYPER 


21

Crushed 

metal 

The rules of the 

Royal Show Demolition 

Derby 

on the second 

weekend of the 

show are quite simple: Be 

as fast and as ruthless as 

possible, and disable or 

write off the opposition. 

Ten cars will be entering 

the Main Arena on Friday, 

1 June and Saturday, 2 

June, with this single 

thought in mind. Bent 

chassis, wobbly wheels 

and engines spewing 

steam and smoke are the 

inevitable result, with the 

last stuttering car to stagger 

from the arena the 

winner. 

Look out too for stunts 

billed by the organisers 

as “mindblowing”. 


Heavy 

metal 

The Main Arena at the Royal Show will ring with the clash of steel on steel this 

year, as medieval combatants fight duels and melees at the first-ever Royal Title 

Tournament. 

Medieval combat is a popular international sport, and is growing in South Africa. 

It is based on medieval tournament rules and combatants use real steel 

tournament weapons, blunted for safety. Armour is based on real historical pieces, and is 

kept and worn to international sporting standards. 

Teams and individual fighters from KZN and Gauteng will battle it out in two blazing, twohour 

tournaments on Saturday, 2 June and Sunday, 3 June. 

Singles duels — much like armoured mixed martial arts with weapons — will take place 

on the Saturday. 

Group fights between teams of three or five fighters (men and women), plus an “All vs All” 

and a “Capture the Flag” campaign will be fought on the Sunday. 

An awards ceremony will take place for each tournament, so that each day’s champion 

can be seen and celebrated by all. 

Members of the South African team competing in this event will be freshly returned from 

the World Championships at Scone Palace, Scotland, and will be available to meet spectators 

and sign autographs before and after the tournaments. 

Go back in time and see first-hand how battles were fought over 500 years ago. 

See the Royal Show timeline guide at www.royalshow.co.za/timeline for event time details. 


23

Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Life, Coca-Cola Zero, Coca-Cola Light, Design of the Contour Bottle, the Spenserian script, the Red Disk Icon, Fanta, Sprite, Iconic Spark Design, Stoney, Stylised “S” are trademarks of the Coca-Cola Company © 2018. 

stand a chance to 

win 

novelty prizes 

branded 

ENJOY THE FEELING 

headphones large football 1 x cap scarf 1 x cooler bag 

keyring 

How to enter: 

1 

Purchase any 3 x participating 440ml Coca-Cola products* 

from any participating stall at the Royal Show. 

And many more prizes! 

2 

3 

Take your proof of purchase to the Coca-Cola promoter 

or announcer at the prize wheel. 

Spin the prize wheel to see if you are a winner! 

OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA, 18 YEARS OR OLDER. 

Competition Ends 3 June 2018. 

For terms and conditions, entry periods, participating products, 

and prize descriptions, visit www.ccbsaco.com 

Promoter: Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (Pty) Ltd. 

*Participating 440ml Coca-Cola products 

(where available): 

24 For illustrative purposes Royal only. Show 2018

Bunny Chow 

Barometer 

BUY a mutton, chicken or beans bunny and Coke combo for R65.00, and get a 

chance to spin and win a Coke-branded novelty. There is a small space on the 

stand where you can sit or stand and enjoy your bunny before moving on to enjoy 

the rest of the delights the Royal Show has to offer. 

This stand was awarded a Silver medallion at this year’s awards ceremony. 


25

Flight 

Fiery pyrotechnic flames, Monster E 

There’s no better way to get your Fr 

Show Flight Night - SA’s wildest and 

cross 

A stacked rider line-up of Masters o 

lian FMX star Brayden Davies, and S 

man will create a show 

Two nights only: Friday 1 June and 

The Roya

night 

nergy Girls, the ultimate soundtrack. 

iday night started than at The Royal 

most progressive Freestyle Motoshow. 

f Dirt legend Alastair Sayer, Austraouth 

African FMX pilot Dallan Goldyou 

don’t want to miss. 

Saturday 2 June from 6pm, only at 

l Show.

Drone wars 

Suddenly, it seems, drones have become a part of our lives. Also known as quadcopters, 

these multi-rotor, remote controlled flying machines have revolutionised photography 

and video particularly, opening up opportunities once limited to real, manned aircraft. 

Companies talk about delivering your pizza or online order by drone soon, to avoid traffic 

congestion in big metropolitan areas. Some major motoring companies are even talking 

seriously about quadcopter autonomous taxis in the (not-too-distant) future. 

So it is no surprise that these flying wonders have found their way into sport too. In fact, some 

believe that drone racing is actually one of the fastest growing sports in the world. 

At speeds that can reach over 160 kph, pilots steer these aircraft through courses of air gates, 

tunnels, split-s and flags in a blink of an eye, and you can see some of South Africa’s top Drone 

Racing pilots in action at the Royal Show this year. 

Check the Royal Show timeline guide at www.royalshow.co.za/timeline for details of event times 

and dates. 


Thrills 

and spills 


NON-stop extreme biking 

thrills and spills, and an 

action-packed experience 

is what organisers are 

promising for the EnduroX 

line-up at the Show 

this year. 

This double header, 

taking place all day on 

the second Saturday and 

Sunday of the Show, will 

see the best bikers fighting 

to master the obstacle-laden 

course in the 

hopes of taking home the 

R10 000 Gold Prize. The 

event forms part of the 

Southern Africa EnduroX 

Series promoted by 

Powasol Eventing. 

The Cattle Arena will be 

completely transformed, 

with a challenging track 

created to really put riders 

to the test. Last year 

this event gave spectators 

a real show to watch, 

said Managing Director of 

Powasol SA, Commentator 

and Event Director, 

Klint Mills. 

“This year’s Royal 

Show EnduroX in PMB 

— under the auspices 

of Motorsport South 

Africa — promises to be 

an even more electric 

experience,” he promised. 

“The riders will race laps 

in a prescribed timed 

format — similar to that 

of Europe — all of which 

is new to the Southern 

Africa EnduroX Series 

format.” 

Bikers will compete 

in six classes — Pro, 

Expert, Hobby, 85 Pro 

Mini, 65 Junior Mini and 

the Micro Mini’s for ages 

four to six. The youngest 

rider taking to the track 

in the Micro Mini’s class 

is recently-turned-fiveyear-old, 

Cody Greger, of 

Drummond, KZN. 

29

Look up! 


The Royal Show is thrilled to 

see the return of the Harvards 

this year, when the Puma 

Flying Lions take to the skies 

over the Showgrounds on the 

final weekend of the Show. 

These magnificent aircraft, with the 

characteristic sound of their piston radial 

engines, have a special place in the 

hearts of South Africans, as they were 

used to train all of our airforce pilots at 

either Central Flying School Dunnotar in 

Gauteng or Langebaanweg in the Cape. 

The Flying Lions aerobatics team is 

now sponsored by Puma, an energy 

company that specialises in the manufacture, 

storage and delivery of specific 

high-quality fuels, one of them being the 

very Avgas used by the Harvards. 

Puma’s sponsorship has made it possible 

for the Flying Lions to appear at 

different venues and enthral the public 

with breathtaking loops, barrel rolls, and 

other close-formation manoeuvres performed 

by the four aircraft whilst trailing 

non-toxic smoke from their exhausts. 

One of the highlights of the Flying 

Lions is a night display, which will take 

place at 5.45pm on Saturday, 2 June. 

The aircraft are fitted with lights and one 

can see the graceful trajectory flown as 

the smoke trail is lit up by rear-facing 

lamps. 

The Puma Flying Lions will be doing 

three displays at the Royal Show this 

year, one late morning and one in the 

evening on the Saturday, 2 June, and 

one on the morning of Sunday, 3 June. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to see the 

Puma Flying Lions in action! 


31

ex 

tra 

va 

ganza 


ON the second weekend of the 

Show, Radio Hindvani presents 

the Royal Hindvani Extravaganza 

and Bhangra. Starting at 6pm on 

the Main Arena stage, the show 

features the ever-popular Flash 

Entertainers, Pietermaritzburg’s 

Aradhna’s School of Dance, and 

Bhangra by Hindvani, which will 

also be going out live on air. 

Full of colour and action, this is a 

show not to be missed. 


33

Sheep and Wool 

Do your feet need a 

break at this year’s 

Royal Show in Pietermaritzburg? 

Head to 

the newly revamped 

Sheep and Wool Expo, take a seat 

on a hay bale and be entertained 

by sheep shearing demonstrations 

and daily workshops on 

spinning, dyeing, knitting and 

felting 

There is also a range of products 

perfectly timed for winter, 

and visitors can buy wool slippers, 

women’s clothing, knitting yarns, 

scarves, hand-knitted jerseys, 

pullovers, hats, mohair blankets, 

shawls, socks and much more. 

The Sheep and Wool Expo 

welcomes two new exhibitors this 

year, both of which will appeal to 

foodies. Karusaf, a division of Williston 

Abattoir, come all the way 

from the Northern Cape, and will 

be exhibiting free-range, certified 

Karoo lamb. Their products will 

include cut and packed full and 

half lamb, as well as their innovative 

Braai Box, containing braai 

essentials. 

Karoo Goats Milk Products will 

also be exhibiting for the first time. 

This company has won numerous 

cheese awards, and was awarded 

the coveted trophy for SA Champion 

Goat’s Milk Halloumi for 

2018. 

There are a number of return exhibitors 

this year. Yarn Stash Pmb, 

owned by local independent dyer, 

Wendy Bloy, specialises in dyeing 

small quantities of “one of a kind”, 

unrepeatable colourways. The 

yarn bases are Merino, Mohair 

and Blue-faced Leicester, and include 

double knitting, sock weight 

or “fingering” yarns, all of which 

are processed in South Africa. 

Goats have a strong presence 

this year, and the KZN Indigenous 

Veld Goat Club will once again 

represent the goat fraternity with 

outstanding goats and kids. The 

Club has partnered with Vleissentraal 

and the Royal Show to host 

a commercial all breeds auction 

on the morning of Sunday, 27 May. 

The KZN Goat Agribusiness Project 

also returns to the Expo. This 

group of agricultural innovators 

has seen the potential in goats to 

boost food security and stimulate 

small entrepreneurs. 

The Agricultural Research 

Council will once again present an 

informative, interactive display of 

livestock and some of their projects. 

This popular, interactive exhibit 

is a firm favourite for children and 

adults alike, and the Sheep and 

Wool Expo has been an ongoing 

success at the Show. As one of 

the exhibits that demonstrate the 

Show’s tradition of introducing 

town to country, its popularity is 

largely due to the fact that it covers 

all aspects of sheep and wool, 

from conception to consumption. 

It is a unique kind of expo, in that 

the raw and retail products, as 

well as the animals they are derived 

from, are seen side by side. 


Expo 


35

o T 

DTHE 2018 KwaZulu-Natal Dog Agility and Dog 

Jumping Championships at this year’s Royal Show 

will see highly trained canines negotiating courses 

consisting of contact equipment such as the A- 

frame, seesaw, tunnels, hurdles, tyre jump and wall 

jump. 

A varied mix of breeds will be on show, including 

Chinese Crested dogs, Miniature American Shepherds, 

German Shepherds, Australian Shepherds, 

Jack Russells, Schnauzers, Shetland Sheepdogs, 

Havanese, Bearded Collies, a white Shepherd, and 

the ever-popular, smart-as-a-whip Border Collie. 

The top KZN agility dogs and handlers will be 

competing in preparation for the SA Agility Champions 

week 

will be 

are th 

who c 

ship i 

The 

Novic 

the af 

Agility 

ing of 

Stop 

Satur 

mans 


P 

G 

hips that will be held at Shongweni during the 

following the Show. Noteworthy participants 

Ninette Smith and Swish from Uvongo, who 

e current small SA Agility Champions and 

ompeted at the FCI Agility World Championn 

Liberec, Czech Republic last year. 

KZN Dog Jumping Championships and KZN 

e Agility Championships will be held during 

ternoon on Friday 1 June, and the KZN Senior 

Championships will take place on the morn- 

Saturday 2 June. 

off at the Main Arena on the last Friday and 

day of the Show, and be amazed by how huand 

dogs can work together. 


37

It’s a scre 

Need to blow off some steam and have a laugh? Head down to the Royal Funfair 

for the the craziest, noisiest, most colourful fun you’ll have this year, 

brought to you by Happyland Amusements, leaders in the funfair industry for 

the past 35 years. 

The most popular rides will be at the Royal Show every day of the Show 

once again this year. Get a bird’s eye view of the Showgrounds from the Ferris Wheel, 

and let the little ones make lifetime memories on the Carousel, Cups and Saucers, and 

Dodgems. Braver thrill seekers can take on the 30m-high Sky Rider swing, the Shells, 

the Break Dancer, the Runaway Train, the Rotor, the Crazy Wave, and more. And there are 

plenty of game stalls for you to win those sought after teddybears and prizes too. 

Ticket prices are just R10 per ticket, with each ride needing between one and five 

tickets. On Super Friday — 1 June 2018, between 5pm and 10pm — discounted booklets 

worth R300 sell for only R200, 

Check out the Royal Show map at www.royalshow.co.za to locate the Royal Funfair in 

Block C, or just follow the screams… 


eeeeeam 


39

Cock-a-doodle 

dooo! 

A 

cacophony of crowing will be 

your first impression of the Poultry 

Hall. With an anticipated 600 

exhibits of farmyard fowls, decorative 

bantams and waterfowl all 

strutting their stuff, as well as a comprehensive 

section of birds for sale – all presented 

by the third-largest club of its kind in the 

country – this hall is not nearly as peaceful 

as the cooing of pigeons in the nearby Bird 

Hall. 

Don’t believe us? Check out the video. 

https://www.youtube.com/ 

watch?v=AnilHj6A5fM 

Please note that there will be no poultry 

available for viewing or for sale until 2.00pm 

on Monday 28 May, after which they will be 

on display until 2.30pm on Saturday 2 June. 

Fancy some pigeons? 

40 

A “PIGEON FANCIER” is someone who, 

well, fancies pigeons. Often these people 

are breeders, or they own pigeons to enter 

in shows or races, or they keep pigeons as 

prized and cared-for pets. 

Within the social circles of pigeon fanciers, 

there is a clear distinction between a pigeon 

pet owner and a fancier. Pigeon fanciers 

generally have more than just one or two 

pigeons and they are heavily dedicated to 

creating the absolutely best possible environment 

and lifestyle around their pigeons. 

From Friday 25 May until midday on Tuesday 

29 May, the Bird Hall will be open for 

visitors to view pigeons of all shapes and 

sizes, which have been benched and judged 

by the South African Fancy Pigeon Association. 

While you 

WHILE you’re up at that end of the 

the rabbits at the Rabbit Hall. 

This year there is a rabbit petting 

alongside the Poultry Hall, and guin 

able to be seen in this area. Show a 

tion of the exhibition too. 

The country’s top exhibition bree 

Club hosts the first of two local cha 

Gauteng. 

Note that the Rabbit Hall will be o 

between 1pm and 2pm. Rabbits are 

Show, and the hall will be closed fr 

closed for the last few days of the S

- 

Who’s a pretty bird? 

AT the Bird Hall and the Poultry Hall, they all 

think they are. 

The Pietermaritzburg Canary and Cage 

Bird Club has been breeding birds for the 

past 106 years, and to see the impressive 

variety on show is worth a walk to this hall. 

There are many bird types from all over 

the country on display, bred by people who 

strive to produce better birds to exhibit at 

South Africa’s leading shows. 

To breed, own or exhibit a first-prize winner 

— and especially a champion bird — is 

a goal that many of these breeders have 

struggled for a lifetime to achieve. 

The Pietermaritzburg Budgerigar Club will 

also be at the hall, showing the variety of 

colours and types of this popular cage bird. 

It’s worth noting that the breeding of birds 

helps limit the trade in wild-caught and imported 

birds. It also promotes conservation. 

See these beautiful animals up close at the 

Bird Hall, near the Poultry Hall. 

’re there... 

Showgrounds, don’t forget to pop in to see 

area directly opposite the Rabbit Hall, 

ea-pigs and miniature horses will also be 

nd pet rabbits will be on sale for the durads 

are at the hall and the Natal Rabbit 

mpionship shows, including entries from 

pen from 9am to 5pm daily, closing briefly 

not viewable over the last weekend of the 

om 12pm on Friday June 1, and will remain 

how. 

Budgie buddies 

THIS year the Royal Show hosts a provincial 

budgie show, and budgie breeders from 

across South Africa are expected to participate. 

Members of the public will also be able to 

buy birds at reasonable prices, complete 

with carrying boxes for their new friends. 

Since the formation of the club, the exhibiting 

of budgies has been in association with 

the Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) at the 

showgrounds. 

Please note: Budgies are only at the showgrounds 

for the second weekend of the 

Royal Show. 

41

A full programme of equestrian 

events at this year’s Royal Show sees 

events in the Main Arena, with the 

KZN Boerperd Championship, dressage 

and showjumping, as well as a 

various Showing classes. 

Equestrian 

events 

Leaps and bounds 

MOUNTED Games is an exciting equestrian sport that has been growing in 

leaps and bounds over the past 10 years in South Africa. The South African 

Mounted Games Association has hosted three small internationals locally, 

and a World Team Championships right here at the Royal Agricultural Showgrounds 

in 2017. 

This extreme sport requires riders to be agile, brave and focused, while 

also demanding a trusting relationship with their special horse or pony. 

At the Royal Show this year, South Africa’s reigning individual and pairs 

champion, Tomas Forsythe, will be showing off his skills alongside a few of 

the other top riders and some excited beginners. 

On the afternoon of Friday 25 May, Novice/Development riders will be 

taking to the Main Arena, and on the morning of Saturday 26 May, a demonstration 

of various Mounted Games disciplines will be shown. On Friday 1 

June, a competition involving more experienced riders will be held. 


Proudly South African breed 

THE evolution of the Boerperd is one that closely tracks South Africa’s 

early history. Beginning with a group of cross Berber-Arabian ponies from 

Java imported shortly after Jan van Riebeeck’s arrival in the Cape in 1652, 

these ponies were then interbred with prize Arabian horses that survived 

a shipwreck while on their way to the Shah of Persia. With the inclusion of 

Andalusian and Arabella genes in the bloodline a century later, the Cape- 

Horse was born, and this was followed by infusions of Flemish Stallion 

genes from the Netherlands, Hackeys, Norfolk Trotters and Cleveland 

Bays, resulting in what eventually became known as the Boerperd. 

The breed was subsequently shaped by the rigours of the Great Trek; by 

its survival of dreaded African Horse Sickness die-offs in 1719 and again 

in 1763; as well as by the Second Anglo-Boer War, where the animals 

were targeted by the British who feared the advantage these unique 

horses gave their enemy. 

These historical twists and turns have resulted in a uniquely South 

African horse, one that is widely renowned for its hardiness, bravery and 

even temperament. As the only fully developed South African breed, the 

Boerperd is gaining popularity as a versatile breed. The same horse that 

participates in Showing and Dressage, can with ease compete in Show 

Jumping, Eventing and Western Riding. 

This is the third consecutive year that the KZN Club of the SA Boerperd 

Breeders’ Society will be holding their annual KZN SA Boerperd Regional 

Championships at the Royal Showgrounds. See this uniquely South African 

breed being put through its paces in the Main Arena from Monday 28 

May to Thursday 31 May in Show Jumping, Dressage and various Showing 

events. 


43

MUSIC WITH MEANING 

THE last day of the Show will see 

the the inaugural uMgungundlovu 

Youth Festival kick off in the main 

arena. Brought to you by Starlight 

Promotions and Gagasi 99.5 fm, 

the concert will feature Kwaito legend 

L’vovo, Gagasi fm’s Sphectacula 

and Naves, scintillating Dj 

Happy Girl, electrifying Beezory, 

and some local youth artists. 

This show aims, said the organisers, 

to communicate to the youth 

through entertainment the dangers 

of social ills that ravage our 

young people today. Via participating 

artists, short speeches, and 

pamphlets, a strong reminder of 

the purpose and objectives of the 

youth of 1976 for a better life will 

be strongly pronounced, they said. 

The show runs from 1pm until 

6pm. 



45

Royal Show Guide 2018

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?