Zak Thuynsma (8) has finished dusting off his skins and warming up his voice for the national Boran auction which takes place on Saturday in Parys in the Free State.
However, this auction will be different from any other that the young Zak has attended with his father, Niel Thuynsma. This time he will simply auction off a lot himself. What can buyers look forward to? The ever-popular biltong bouquet (and if Zak has his way, a very expensive bouquet on top of that).
The company Vleissentraal asked Zak this week to auction off the biltong during the auction with the help of his favorite auctioneer, Johan van der Nest, after he had earlier stolen hearts with his marketing video for his father’s stud.
Lehae Pieterse from Vleissentraal says this expensive video in which Zak markets his father’s Boranne has been shared far and wide. This video – which has since been viewed more than 26,000 times – was shared on, among other things, a WhatsApp group on which all the managing directors of Vleissentraal’s branches are.
Christopher Havenga, head of the Boran Society, also received the video.
“Everyone knows about Zak and everyone looks forward to meeting him,” says Pieterse.
Zak’s mother, Mart, says that Zak immediately agreed when Vleissentraal approached them to auction off a lot and he is super excited to keep his body as an auctioneer.
However, her own nerves are gnawing a little.
“Young man, my nerves are done. I hope the moment is not too big for him. There will be many people. But now that’s the difference between me and Zak. He doesn’t have a single hair on his head, so let’s see what the little man gets rid of,” laughs Mart.
“As long as he enjoys it. That’s all that matters.”
Klein Zak told RNews on Friday that he is not at all on his nerves.
“I am very excited to sell something with uncle Johan van der Nest, aunt.”
However, he had to think carefully when RNews asked him what amount he thought he would bid for the biltong user.
“I don’t know, auntie… I think he will go for around R20 000.”
If Zak can drive up the price for his biltong farmer like this, there will undoubtedly also be plenty of cattle sold during Saturday’s auction.
Mart says she is surprised at how widely the video of Zak has been shared recently. The Boerboel brand even sent Zak a gift after he insisted on wearing his short-sleeved Boerboel khaki outfit in the biting Free State winter weather for the filming of the video.
“Everyone is so good to my child,” says Mart.
“I had no idea that this thing would blow up like that. I just wanted to show people that we are a family business and what beautiful temperaments the Borans have.”
