In September FGASA guides of the Eastern Cape gathered for their Annual General Meeting and Awards Ceremony. The event covers the latest developments for guides in the region as well as recognising and celebrating guides in the Eastern Cape for their career dedication and development.
We’d like to extend a huge congratulations to all the guides who walked away with the coveted awards, the runners-up in each of the award categories and everyone who has shown commitment to furthering their guiding skills and continue to uphold FGASA’s standards of professionalism and guiding excellence. The awards ceremony covers the year 2023-2024 and acknowledges the guides who have performed and gone above and beyond in their career development.
The first award given is the Settler’s Award, given to the guide that has achieved the highest score during a single Advanced Rifle Handling (ARH) assessment. This year we’re proud to announce that Jan Dykema of Shamwari Private Game Reserve. Jan achieved the highest score of the year during the challenging SKS (DG) shooting assessment. Congratulations, Jan!
Honourable mentions go out to: Jonty Hewson, Dylan Van Aardt, Leon Strauss, Byron Sullivan, Carmen Outram, Matthew Derry, Nicholas Mannion, Ryan Hillier, Wihan Geerkens and Richard Palthe. All of these guides achieved high scores for the ARH assessments.
Jan Dykema receives the Settlers Award from Richard Pearse.
The second award is the Albany Award and goes to the guide who performed the best on the Eastern Cape Regional birding specialisation assessment and exam or a guide who has gone above and beyond to promote birding within the Eastern Cape and South Africa.
This year the Albany Award was given to Matthew Derry from Kwandwe Private Game Reserve for his outstanding achievements in the regional birding specialisation exam and assessment having scored 99% for his SKS birding exam, 99% for is sound assessment and 86% for the slide assessment. Congratulations for this great achievement Matthew.
Honourable mention to Charlene Miller who also performed outstandingly on her regional birding assessments, scoring 89% for the slide assessment and 91% for the sound assessment.
Matthew Derry receives the Albany Award from Richard Pearse.
It was then on to the Addo Award. This is awarded to the guide who has shown the greatest development as a guide in the region. It also recognises the exceptional efforts of guides who actively give back to their guiding community and assist others in the career development, by upholding and promoting the highest standards and values of FGASA. This year, Matthew Derry from Kwandwe Private Game Reserve took it home!
Over the year, Matthew achieved Track & Sign Level 3, Professional Trailing, recently joined the regions Trail Mentoring Team, achieved his SKS Albany Thicket Birding and was a runner up in numerous categories at this year’s SGOTY 2025.
Matthew Derry receives the Addo Award from Richard Pearse.
In addition to the ‘Addo Award’ we also recognised the remarkable efforts of guides who have demonstrated unwavering commitment to their careers, the development of other guides through mentorship, their efforts in wildlife conservation as environmental officers and rhinoceros guardians and who have been nominated by their industry peers for the Addo medal award, these were awarded to:
Riaan Rall – Head Guide and RAM at Gorah Elephant Camp. Your continual service and commitment to developing your guiding team, remains inspiring and it will be good to see your team continue to grow and develop.
Bradley Louwrens – Senior Guide and RAM at Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. You’re acknowledged for your SKS Albany Thicket Birding achievement, and your progression in pursuing your SKS Dangerous Game, having recently achieved your Tracker Level 3 and undertaken James Steyns Wilderness Training. Your development and example are testimony to being a good mentor. The region will be watching closely as you reach your Professional Trails Guide.
Cameron Schmidt – Senior Guide and now recently appointed RAM at Pumba Private Game Reserve who gives of his time unconditionally, and our region as a SGOTY contestant. Your support is always hugely appreciated, and we congratulate you on your recent achievements of Professional Field Guide and Albany Thicket Regional Birding. The region will be watching you closely approach achieving your Professional Trails Guide.
Patrick Kepe – Senior Guide and roll model to mentees, you truly harness the concept of growth and development. You in still in what you have learned and eager to part this knowledge and passion onto others. Congratulations on all that you have achieved since you first were awarded this medal as a development guide.
Next up was the Frontier Award, given to the institution that has achieved the greatest level of improvement in the development of their guiding teams for the region and who have made significant contributions to guiding within the region. This year the award is shared between Kwandwe Private Game Reserve and Shamwari Private Game reserve with Kariega Game Reserve taking the runner-up spot.
Matthew Derry accepts Frontier Award on behalf of Kwandwe Private Game Reserve with Jan Dykema representing the runner-up reserve, Kariega.
The final accolade give this year was the Karoha Award which is given to the individual guide who has achieved the highest score on a Track & Sign and Trailing evaluation, the guide who has shown the greatest improvement in their Track & Sign and Trailing evaluations, and/or the guide who has achieved their Senior Track & Sign and Trailing level. This year the award goes to Matthew Derry as the overall winner achieving Track & Sign 3 evaluation and Professional Trailing.
Matthew Derry accepts the Karoha Award from Richard Pearse.
Congratulations to all the award-winning guides and lodges. All of you play a vital role in upholding the highest standards of guiding excellence, professionalism, safety and ethics. Both winners and nominees contribute to uplifting guiding as a recognised professional career that requires commitment, determination, experience and continual development. You all shine and inspire those around you to persevere in their own career development. We are incredibly proud of you all!