AGRICULTURAL NEWS - The Fairworld Merino Stud in the Eastern Cape has been at the forefront of genetic fine wool production in South Africa for over a century. It holds the current South African record price of R250 000 for a Merino ram. Mike Burgess assesses the legacy, achievements and future of this 1 000-ewe stud.
“The Fairworld philosophy is a 103-year-old process of eliminating the non-producers year after year,’’ says Willem van Aardt, describing genetic development in his family’s legendary Merino stud.
“Every generation has been steering the ship in the same direction, giving us the edge.’’
The Van Aardt family can today look back at over a century of consistent achievements
in the Merino stud world, including numerous South African Fine and Super Fine Champion fleeces, a World Champion Super Fine Wool Fleece, and South African record prices for Merino rams.
Willem began working on the family farm Roodewal in 1969. After his father Acton died in 1976, he and his brother Carlie each inherited half of the family’s Merino flock.
Both went on to build two exceptional fine wool studs – the Fairworld and Baviaanskrans studs – thanks largely to their father’s lifelong dedication to fine wool. “He always said you can do anything with fine wool,’’ recalls Willem,“ but that you can’t do anything with strong wool.’’
