QUALITY SIMMENTAL CALVES ‘A STAR TURN’ AT STIRLING

• Overhill House Neil wins Overall Junior Champion
• Islavale takes the Senior and Junior Female titles
• Springfield Moss wins Overall Senior Champion

A high-quality show of Simmental calves lit up the ring at the Stars of the Future Pedigree Calf Show, held at United Auctions Stirling Livestock Centre on Saturday 12^th December. A much-anticipated annual event, the Stars of the Future is becoming an annual showcase of the strength in depth of Simmental breeding combined with calves destined for forward sales at Stirling, and the establishing Next Gen sale of females and weaned calves at Carlisle.

Judging this year’s Simmental section and Championships was Gayle Campbell of the noted Saltire herd at North Berwick, East Lothian, who had a catalogued entry of forty-four Simmentals to work through, and with breeders from the North East to the South West of Scotland.

Taking top honours in the juniors, Richard McCulloch, Armadale, West Lothian lifted the Junior Male and Overall Junior Championship with Overhill House Neil. January 2022 born, this calf is by Islavale Heston who was purchased for 24,000gns at Stirling in February 2018 and is out of Overhill House India, a Curaheen Drifter daughter. Islavale Heston is proving to be a consistent breeder in the 160 cow Overhill House and has bred calves sold at Stirling at up to 8,000gns so far. Having featured in the Championship prizes previously, this was the herds first time showing at Stars of the Future for a few years. The plan from here is that Overhill House Neil will be aimed at the 2023 October Stirling Simmental Bull Sale.

Winning Reserve in the Junior Males, and Reserve Junior Overall, was Islavale Noah from Mr WS Stronach, Berryleys Farm, Keith, Banffshire. Born 2^nd April 2022, this entirely homebred bull is by Islavale Kerching, and is out of Islavale Glossy EX92, a Delfur Casanova daughter, and described as a ‘tremendous breeding cow’ in the herd. Islavale Noah now heads to the fast-approaching Simmental Next Generation II Sale at Borderway Mart, Carlisle on December 2^nd and in a catalogue which will also feature the herd’s Stars of the Future Overall Junior Female Champion, Islavale Nestle, and the Senior Female Champion Islavale Mango.

All round, it was another strong day for the prolific Islavale herd. Following on from the recent Stirling bull sales where the herd averaged a remarkable £13,500 for seven bulls sold, Islavale breeding featured in all four of the Stars of the Future section and overall champions, and with specific wins for the herd in both the Junior Female and Senior Female Championships, and Reserve Overall in both the Junior and Senior sections. Commenting, Stewart Stronach said: “Stars of the Future is a first class event to promote calves with forward potential, and it’s a nice time of the year to get calves out to show. We are delighted to feature in the Championship prizes and within a show that we thought was a great advertisement for the Simmental breed.” Rounding off the event for the family, Emma Stronach powered through to win the Intermediate Champion Young Handler title and followed by the Reserve Overall Young Handler award.

After working through the heifer calves, the Overall Junior Female Champion came in the form of the Stronach family’s Islavale Nestle. The 22^nd April 2022 born, Islavale Nestle is by Coose Lincoln EX90, and is out of Islavale Elisha EX93, a Curaheen Bandit daughter. On the day both the Junior and Senior Female Champions were the first calves to be shown from Islavale by their herd sire Coose Lincoln EX90, a bull bought privately out of the Republic of Ireland just prior to the Covid lockdown. Nestle’s dam Islavale Elisha EX93 also has some performance behind her having previously bred the 7,600gns Islavale Jammy Dodger, a bull who was sold online during the Covid crisis and the 2020 Stirling May Sale. Following Islavale Nestle through from the class and to take the Reserve Junior Female title was Rockytop Jewel’s Nutmeg, from Gary & Angela Christie, Birchfield, Glass, Huntly. This calf, 14^th April born, is another entirely homebred heifer being by Rockytop Inferno 17, and out of Rockytop Friday’s Jewel, a Kilbride Fearless daughter.

Taking the day’s Overall Senior Championship and Overall Senior Male was Springfield Moss from Gavin Brown, Springfield Farm, Penicuik. This calf, 18^th July 2021 born, is by the herd’s stock bull Islavale Jabba and is out of Cleenagh Eliza, a Drumlone Anchor daughter. This latest title comes hard on the heels of the recent Simmental Calf Show at the Borderway Agri Expo and where the Springfield herd lifted the Reserve Supreme and Junior Championship with another Islavale Jabba son, Springfield Niagara. An Islavale Jabba daughter topped the females at the recent October Stirling Simmental Sale and with progeny from the bull sold at sale so far averaging £4,700. Speaking afterwards Gavin Brown said: “Stars of the Future was a great show with really good numbers and the quality was right up there. The age range was slightly extended for the senior classes, so we were able to enter our two senior bulls and fortunately this is where the success came from with our Champion, Springfield Moss. At this point we are aiming to take him to Stirling in February next year. His dam was purchased back in 2015 and she has gone on to be a great breeder for us, producing two heifer and four bull calves so far, and two of these bulls have been sold back through Stirling.”

It was back to the Stronach team for the day’s Senior Female Champion and Overall Senior Reserve, in the form of the November 1st 2021 born Islavale Mango. Another by Coose Lincoln EX90, the same sire of the day’s Junior Female Champion, Mango is out of Islavale Faith EX90 a Woodhall Walker daughter.

Commenting on her choice of champions, and the overall show, the judge Gayle Campbell said: “The Simmental breed has continued to evolve and improve since I first stepped into the judging ring. Today there is a favour towards darker animals but based around both the maternal traits that the Simmental is renowned for, and also the breeds ever improving terminal qualities”. Of the Simmentals at Stars of the Future, Gayle went on to say; “The standard was really high across the classes with some excellent calves forward. When judging females I am looking for stylish and balanced animals, they need to be feminine and show great breed character, but with a sweetness about them. I certainly found that with my Champions Islavale Nestle and Islavale Mango, two terrific calves. My choices for the Male Champions also just caught my eye as soon as they came into the ring. I was looking for young bulls with potential, power and shape, and Overhill House Neil and Springfield Moss certainly fit the bill and have a lot of future in them. A great show of Simmental calves and well done to all of the exhibitors.” A passionate advocate of the Simmental breed, Gayle Campbell first judged Simmental classes at the Stirling May Sale in 2011 and since then has gone on to judge at shows throughout Scotland and also at such as the English Winter Fair.

Standing Reserve Senior Male Champion was Newbiemains McGregor from Jim and Patricia Goldie, Newbie Mains Farm, Annan, Dumfriesshire. Another entirely homebred calf, the September 2021 born Newbiemains McGregor is another from the first crop pf calves by Newbiemains Jericho and is out of Newbiemains Janabelle, a Newbiemains Golden Eye 15 EX91 daughter. This further title adds to the Goldies recent strong showing at the Simmental Calf Show at Borderway Agri Expo where the herd won the Senior Championship with another Newbiemains Jericho son, Newbiemains Moosala, and also lifted the Junior and Overall title with Newbiemains Noble Wynn.  Competing in a strong class at Stars of the Future Newbiemains Noble Wynn stood second in his class to the Overall Junior Champion Overhill House Neil.

Winning the Reserve Senior Female title, having won the class for females born 8^th August to 16^th October 2021 was Delfur Weigela M1 from Delfur Farms, Rothes, Aberlour. Born 18^th October 2021, Delfur Weigela M1 is by Woodhall Instinct 17, and is out of the Auchorachan ACDC daughter Delfur Margaret D100.  Woodhall Instinct 17 was also the sire of Delfur Maverick who was sold for 16,000gns at the recent October Stirling Simmental Sale.  Further Woodhall Instinct sons, Delfur Mean Machine and Delfur Marvel, took first and second place in the class for Senior Males born on or between 18^th October and 28^th December 2021.

Stars of the Future 2022 Simmental Results

Class 1 – Senior Males born on or between 4 July & 24 September 2021

1^st – Lot 353: Gavin Brown – SPRINGFIELD MOSS – s. Islavale Jabba

2^nd – Lot 356: Jim & Patricia Goldie – NEWBIEMAINS MCGREGOR – s. Newbiemains Jericho

3^rd – Lot 354: Jim & Patricia Goldie – NEWBIEMAINS MOOSALA – s. Newbiemains Jericho

4^th – Lot 352: Gavin Brown – SPRINGFIELD MASTERCLASS – s. Islavale Jabba

Class 2 – Senior Males born on or between 18 October & 28 December 2021

1^st – Lot 358: Delfur Farms – DELFUR MEAN MACHINE – s. Woodhall Instinct

2^nd – Lot 359: Delfur Farms – DELFUR MARVEL – s. Woodhall Instinct

3^rd – Lot 362: Reece & Andrew Simmers – BACKMUIR MICKEY – s. Islavale Imperial

Class 3 – Senior Females born on or between 8 August to 16 October 2021

1^st – Lot 366: Delfur Farms – DELFUR WEILGELA M1 – s. Innerwick Ivor

2^nd – Lot 365: Delfur Farms – DELFUR MOONSHINE – s. Banwy Bonzo
3^rd – Lot 364: J C MacIver – COLTFIELD MARTHA – s. Rockytop Invader

Class 4 – Senior Females born on or between 22 October to 31 December 2021

1^st – Lot 368: Mr W S Stronach – ISLAVALE MANGO – s. Coose Lincoln

2^nd – Lot 370: Reece & Andrew Simmers – BACKMUIR LORRAINE’S MULAN – s. Backmuir King

3^rd – Lot 369: Mr J E Dyet – MERKLAND KELLY – s. Skerrington Gambler

Senior Male Champion
Lot 353: Gavin Brown – SPRINGFIELD MOSS – s. Islavale Jabba

Reserve Senior Male Champion
Lot 356: Jim & Patricia Goldie – NEWBIEMAINS MCGREGOR – s. Newbiemains Jericho

Senior Female Champion
Lot 368: Mr W S Stronach – ISLAVALE MANGO – s. Coose Lincoln

Reserve Senior Female Champion
Lot 366: Delfur Farms – DELFUR WEILGELA M1 – s. Innerwick Ivor

Senior Champion
Lot 353: Gavin Brown – SPRINGFIELD MOSS – s. Islavale Jabba

Reserve Senior Champion
Lot 368: Mr W S Stronach – ISLAVALE MANGO – s. Coose Lincoln

Class 5 – Junior Males born on or between 3 January & 28 March 2022

1^st – Lot 373: Richard McCulloch – OVERHILL HOUSE NEIL – s. Islavale Heston

2^nd – Lot 374: Jim & Patricia Goldie – NEWBIEMAINS NOBLE WYNN – s. Auchorachan Kennedy

3^rd – Lot 375: Grant Stephen – GLENDUAL NEVIS – s. Team Celtic

Class 6 – Junior Males born on or between 1 April & 21 May 2022

1^st – Lot 380: Mr W S Stronach – ISLAVALE NOAH 2 – s. Islavale Kerching

2^nd – Lot 385: Gary & Angela Christie – ROCKYTOP NELSON – s. Glenturk Kingpin

3^rd – Lot 381: Strathisla Farms – STRATHISLA NAIRN – s. Dirnanean Grafter
4^th – Lot 382: Strathisla Farms – STRATHISLA NIMROD – s. Vale Royal Hamish

Class 7 – Junior Females born on or between 3 January & 28 March 2022

1^st – Lot 386: Reece & Andrew Simmers – BACKMUIR EVA’S NEVA – s. Islavale Imperial

2^nd – Lot 389: Strathisla Farms – STRATHISLA NANNY’S HAKA – s. Vale Royal Hamish

Class 8 – Junior Females born on or between 4 April & 12 May 2022

1^st – Lot 394: Mr W S Stronach – ISLAVALE NESTLE – s. Coose Lincoln

2^nd – Lot 392: Gary & Angela Christie – ROCKYTOP JEWEL’S NUTMEG – s. Rockytop Inferno

3^rd – Lot 391: Strathisla Farms – STRATHISLA NALA’S GERALDINE – s. Vale Royal Hamish
4^th – Lot 393: Gavin Brown – SPRINGFIELD NITA – s. Islavale Jabba

Junior Male Champion
Lot 373: Richard McCulloch – OVERHILL HOUSE NEIL – s. Islavale Heston

Reserve Junior Male Champion
Lot 380: Mr W S Stronach – ISLAVALE NOAH 2 – s. Islavale Kerching

Junior Female Champion
Lot 394: Mr W S Stronach – ISLAVALE NESTLE – s. Coose Lincoln

Reserve Junior Female Champion
Lot 392: Gary & Angela Christie – ROCKYTOP JEWEL’S NUTMEG – s. Rockytop Inferno

Junior Champion
Lot 373: Richard McCulloch – OVERHILL HOUSE NEIL – s. Islavale Heston

Reserve Junior Champion
Lot 380: Mr W S Stronach – ISLAVALE NOAH 2 – s. Islavale Kerching