Port Elizabeth: MyPE - Live Blog of Big Game Auction at Kirkwood Festival

www.MyPE.co.za: Kirkwood's record-breaking annual wildlife auction will again be offering prize animals from the South African National Parks and other top reserves around the country.

"We are expecting 20 white rhino and 22 disease-free Addo Elephant National Park buffalo as the most prized game at the Kirkwood auction," says auction organiser, Jan Pienaar. "This is probably the largest choice of buffalo than any other auction in the country."

Record prices have been paid for white rhino, kudu and eland at previous auctions.

This auction has grown to be the biggest in the Eastern Cape and the second biggest in the country according to Pienaar.

This year, a full spectrum of game animals are to be auctioned including red hartebeest, wildebeest, impala, blesbuck, Burchell's zebra, bushbuck, eland, kudu, giraffe, gemsbok, waterbuck, reedbuck, sable and many more.

The main sellers of the animals, Steyl Wild, Bushveld Game Capture and South African National Parks, assure the animals on sale are of great condition and breeding.

"All animals are disease-free and well sorted to provide game farm owners with ideal breeding stock to introduce new blood into their herds," says Pienaar.

The auction, held in association with Addo Elephant National Park with support from the South African National Parks board, attracts game farm owners from around the country and overseas. These buyers plough millions of rands back into the Eastern Cape economy through this auction, with R11,2 million raised in 2008.

Buyers have the opportunity to view the animals before the auction in bomas or in catalogues. According to Pienaar, both Shamwari's and Riverbend's bomas will be full of standing game for buyers to inspect.

Buyers have the unique opportunity to bring the whole family along with ample activities available for everybody including shopping, wine-tasting, paintball, live entertainment and much much more. Adding to the fun and entertainment of the auction will be "the famous and charismatic" auctioneer Roy Hayes.

The auction will be held on 12pm on Saturday 27 June at the Absa Kirkwood Festival grounds. Buyers are urged to pre-register on the website: www.wildsfees.co.za

With a bit of luck and MASSIVE points scoring by Alan, MyPE will also be at the Wildlife Auction and running a Live Blog of the proceedings - images of the animals, prices, auctioneer videos and audio. The 27th is the Longhair's Birthday so I am hoping that some rich game farmer will offer the two of us the Birthday (as in suit!) suite for that night as I will be needing major points.