BRITISH SIMMENTAL BULL, SIMPLY PETER PAN, TAKES SILVER IN 2024 CHAMPION OF EUROPE

The results are in and British Simmental genetics are again to the fore in this year’s online 2024 Simmental Championship of Europe, taking silver in the Overall Champion of Europe, and bronze in the Simmental Miss Europe competition.

An increasingly high profile competition, the European Championship is held within the ‘Simmental Champion of the World Competition’ run by the Texas, USA based ‘Simmental Breeder.’

Placing as Overall Reserve Champion of Europe was the January 2023 born Simply Peter Pan, owned by RE & SHW Steggles of the Wacton herd, Honingham, Norfolk, and bred by Mr & Mrs R Fitton, Moss Hall farm, Bolton, Lancashire. January 2023 born, Simply Peter Pan is by Ashland Magic and is out of Derrycallaghan Kitkat (ET). At this year’s Simmental English National Show, held within the Royal Lancashire Show in July, this bull won the Male Championship, Junior Male, and Overall Junior titles in front of judge for the day, Stewart Stronach of the noted Islavale herd, Keith, Banffshire. The bull, the breeding, and his performance caught the eye of fellow exhibitor Sam Steggles, and a deal was done that saw the bull purchased for £11,000. Commenting on this latest accolade, Sam Steggles said: “We were delighted to buy Simply Peter Pan in the summer and he’s settled in to the Wacton herd ever so well. For him to be recognised at an international level and be placed as Reserve European Champion Simmental really is a bit of bonus icing on the cake!”

Meanwhile in the Simmental Miss Europe competition, it was a terrific bronze medal position for the prolific Annick Ginger’s Lucia from Reece & Andrew Simmers, Backmuir Farm, Keith, Banffshire. Annick Ginger’s Lucia bred by the late Lachlan Quarm, Holehouse Farm, By Irvine, Ayrshire, was bought at the Annick herd’s Dispersal Sale in September 2022 for 16,000gns. This February 2020 born heifer Is sired by Wolfstar Golddigger, and is out of Annick Colleen’s Ginger who led the aforementioned sale at 23,000gns. With an amazing show record behind her, Annick Ginger’s Lucia has won back to back Simmental Championships at the Royal Highland, and this year, shown with her bull calf at foot, Backmuir Pompeii by Backmuir Marksman, won the show’s Overall Individual Interbreed title, a first for a Simmental since 1995! For good measure, Ginger’s Lucia also won this year’s Simmental Scottish National Show held within Turriff Show, and also won the show’s Overall Individual Interbreed. Quite a year!

No strangers to these awards, British Simmentals took the Overall Champion of Europe award in both 2023, and 2022, with Islavale Jabba from Gavin Brown, Penicuik, Midlothian, last year, and Drumsleed Legacy 20 from Gerald and Morag Smith, Fordoun, Laurencekirk in 2022.

The Simmental judges for the ‘Champion of Europe’ award consisted of:

Daniel Espinosa (Colombia);  Sigi von Lüttwitz (Namibia); Andrew Hughes (England); and Rafael Ramirez (Mexico).

Tremendous achievements by the Wacton, and Backmuir herds and great to see British Simmental featuring again on the international stage.