DELFUR WEIGELA N12 IS CROWNED THE 2024 BRITISH SIMMENTAL VIRTUAL SHOW SUPREME CHAMPION

• October 2022 born heifer Delfur Weigela N12 wins Overall Supreme Champion
• Newbiemains Prague places Overall Reserve
• 2024 competition sees 457 entries, up by 26 on the year, over six classes

Delfur Weigela N12, the October 2022 born heifer from Delfur Farms, Rothes, Aberlour is this year’s winner of the 2024 British Simmental Virtual Show.  The fifth staging of this event, which has become the UK’s largest online pedigree show, saw 457 animals entered over six classes and from 87 breeders around the country.

Doing it the ‘hard way’, Delfur Weigela N12 initially came through the year’s largest class of 134 entries, for heifers born between 1st January 2022 and 31st July 2023, which was judged by Adrian Ivory of the Strathisla herd, Blairgowrie before securing the Female Championship from  Anne MacPherson of the Blackford herd, Croy.

This year’s Overall Supreme Championship was judged by the British Simmental Cattle Society’s President Norman Robson of the Kilbride Farm herd, Ballyclare and saw Delfur Weigela N12 get the nod in front of the Male Champion, the February 2023 born Newbiemains Prague from Jim and Patricia Goldie, Newbie Mains Farm, Annan.

Commenting on his Champion, Normon Robson said: “This is a really well balanced female.  She has a level top line, is very clean, shows a tremendous back end without being over muscly, and has a good tail setting.  With plenty of femininity, she shows natural fleshing, and sound, correct feet and legs.  I think she’s a very worthy Champion and is the type of high quality heifer that epitomizes the ongoing strides of improvement that Simmental breeders have been making over a number of years.”

Hearing the news of this Championship win just prior to the public announcement, Delfur herd manager Garry Patterson said:  “I’m absolutely over the moon to hear that Delfur Weigela has won the 2024 Simmental Virtual Show!  We were really delighted to win what was a huge class  and with Delfur Nifty also taking second place.  It’s been a terrific competition with a very high standard throughout, and just a great advert for the Simmental breed.  Of Delfur Weigela N12, Garry went on to say, “Along with Delfur Nifty, Weigela has done really well at the backend shows last year and through this summer and has just continued to improve and come on.  In shaping and developing the Delfur herd these are the type and quality of heifers we hope to continue to breed and build around.”   Delfur Weigela N12,  who is by Ballymoney Larry 20, and out of Delfur Weigela E12, an Auchorachan ACDC 09 9 daughter,  has been served by the herd stock bull Islavale Magnum which was purchased for 28,000gns at Stirling in October 2022.

Of the ongoing popularity of the Simmental Virtual Show, Iain Kerr the British Simmental Cattle Society General Manager said:  “First and foremost it’s a huge thank you to all of the breeders who have had a go and put forward entries for this year’s competition.  Over 450 animals from 87 breeders is just terrific and the standard throughout reflects extremely well on the depth of quality within the Simmental herdbook.  The competition is proving to be extremely popular with breeders and gives them an opportunity to come together, have a bit of fun and compete on a national level. From the numbers of people watching week on week, both in the UK and internationally, it really is a great promotional showcase for British Simmental and we’ve again had some terrific feedback.  Plans are already underway for the 2025 competition!”

All of this year’s classes, entries, and videos can be viewed on the Society’s Facebook page.