05/14/2022
Owner Operator
Mafigeni Safari Company
About Me: I am Jill Kleynhans, 55 years old, born and raised in South Africa on a citrus farm and in 1993 started my own safari company on a game ranch close to Kruger National Park. During my childhood, I was introduced to RR's when my parents acquired a male and in my early 20's, I moved in with and was a caretaker for my 84-year-old grandfather, who was living on one of my father's citrus farms. He had a RR bitch that was approximately 3 years old.
I have been horse crazy from a very young age and have always owned horses and while I was living with my grandfather, I built stables and ran a small riding school with approximately 40 horses. Not only did the RR (Girlie) bond with me, but she followed me wherever I went, and the highlight of my day was going for an outride and Girlie accompanying me. I was so impressed by her stamina and keeping up with me and the horse and of course the fact that she would stick with me and not wander off and be distracted by animals. When my grandfather passed, I kept Girlie and had her as a dear companion for a further 12 years. I was devastated when she passed, as Girlie had become my faithful companion and a big part of my family. She had helped me raise orphaned animals, guarded my son Alec as a baby and played baby-sitter and playmate as he got older. She tolerated children lying and climbing on her, always protective of me in an intimidating way by placing herself between me and the stranger, rather than showing instant aggression. She was also a keen watchdog and would bark when a stranger drove up to the house but settled right down when I came out and she realized that the person was not a threat. I can go on and on about her impeccable characteristics! So, when Girlie passed, I honestly thought I would never find another dog like her. I thought she was one in a million, but the void she had left in my life drove me to seek another dog and after speaking to different dog owners, decided to try another RR, as it sounded like this was the breed for me and that Girlie's basic character was actually part of the Breed's temperament.
I was fortunate to acquire my second RR about a year later. Cabela was the runt of the litter of 12, shy and a little smaller than her siblings, but she turned out to be perfect. Upon getting her home, she soon became her own person, confident and playful. She was so easy to train! I found that praise and repeating commands/routine went a long way and a stern voice when she was being disobedient was all she needed. I was truly impressed by her willingness to please me. Cabela accompanied me everywhere and we spent hours riding on my game ranch. She was fantastic with new guests arriving at the lodge and again, was so helpful raising orphaned animals. I never bred her, but she had a natural instinct of cleaning off the milk and licking the babies to go potty. I honestly believe that many of the baby animals would have died had it not been for Cabela's help. Her days were spent lying in close proximity to wherever I was in the lodge. She never imposed on lodge guests and when I left the room, she would get up and follow me to wherever I was going next, only to go lie down again and watch me with her beautiful eyes and frown on her forehead.
As I have mentioned, I had started my own safari company and every year, I travelled to the USA and Canada to do marketing for the lodge and safaris. I started spending more time in the USA and Cabela really started missing me. She started licking herself in a few spots to the point that they were raw sores and upon taking her to the vet, it was determined that she had developed separation anxiety. Although Cabela was already 11 years old, and the realization that I only had a few more years with her, I decided to import her to the USA, as I was here more than in South Africa. Cabela was so happy to see me after her flight over, and the joy of having her with me for her last few years far outweighed the cost of importing her to the States. My Cabela passed in October 2020 at the age of 16. A very sad day indeed!
This brings me to the present. I live in Bandera, Texas (the "Cowboy Capital" of Texas). I met and married my husband Cory Timberlake two years ago and together with his sixteen year old daughter, Taylor and her beloved dog Woodrow, live on a beautiful ranch with our horses, cattle and dogs. At last I was in a position to once again get myself a Rhodesian Ridgeback and start my own kennel.
I immediately got hold of my mother in Scotland to start looking for a foundation Rhodesian Ridgeback with as much of the old South African bloodlines in her pedigree. After much searching she found Patricia Yeo of the Excalibur RR who kindly referred her to a breeder near me who had got all his original foundation dogs from her and eighteen months ago I obtained my beloved Excalibur Jasiri. The joy of my life.
Then in January this year my mom brought me my second foundation female from the well-known kennel of Silke Glaeser, Abangani from Germany and I named her Nedjari. She too has a wonderful pedigree. I should have named her Velcro as she follows me everywhere and never leaves my side.
