STOP PRESS: DRUMSLEED HIVY 16 TAKES THE SIMMENTAL HONOURS AT 2021 ROYAL HIGHLAND SHOWCASE

STOP PRESS: DRUMSLEED HIVY 16 TAKES THE SIMMENTAL HONOURS AT 2021 ROYAL HIGHLAND SHOWCASE

by | Jul 9, 2021 | 2021 Scottish News, 2021 Royal Highland Shows

Drumsleed Hivy 16 from Mr G W Smith, Drumsleed, Fordoun, Laurencekirk, has won the Simmental Overall Championship at the 2021 Royal Highland Showcase held at Ingliston today, Tuesday 15th June. Lifting the Overall Reserve was Annick Fresia’s Kiki from Mr L D Quarm, Holehouse Farm, Annick Lodge Estate, By Irvine, Ayrshire.

Uniquely held without a live audience in attendance, due to the ongoing corona virus situation, the Royal Highland Showcase features seven days of events and judging being streamed on dedicated live channels to a worldwide audience.

Very much in keeping with the emphasis on youth across the cattle judges, the small Simmental section was judged by Tom Bruce of the Tillyeve Simmental herd, Udny, Ellon, Aberdeenshire.

No stranger to the showring, Drumsleed Hivy 16 from the Smiths has been successful previously at the Royal Highland Show, taking Male Champion when the Show was last held back in 2019. In the same year, Drumsleed Hivy also took Male and Overall Champion at the Scottish National Show in Kelso. The June 2016 born Drumsleed Hivy is sired by Haystar Cracker 11, who was purchased by Drumsleed at Stirling in May 2013, where he was also Male Champion, and is out of Drumsleed Valonia.

Commenting, Morag Smith described Hivy as having “a great temperament and a pleasure to show”. Drumsleed Hivy’s first son, Drumsleed Kingsman, recently sold for 11,000gns at Stirling back in February this year. Taking second place in the senior bull class was the November 2018 born Islavale Jabba from Gavin Brown, Springfield Farm, Penicuik, whilst the junior bull class was won by the September 2020 born Manor Park Lionheart from DC Houldey, Waterbeck, Lockerbie.

The October 2019 born Annick Fresia’s Kiki from Lachlan Quarm lifted the Overall Reserve Championship in what was her first outing in the show ring. This maiden homebred heifer, is sired by Wolfstar Gold Digger and is out of Annick Whitney’s Fresia. She is also half-sister to the Senior 2019 Stars of the Future Champion, Annick Trixie Belle 24th. Annick Fresia’s Kiki is one of a number of heifers being retained in the herd to increase female numbers, along with another Wolfstar Gold Digger daughter, Annick Ginger’s Lucia who also placed second in the Junior Female Class. Mr Quarm sees a good future with both Annick Fresia’s Kiki and Ginger’s Lucia, especially given their presence at a young age. In the senior female class, Coltfield Katie from J C MacIver took the top spot, with Islavale Kenya from C Jackson taking second place.

Representing the Simmental breed in the pairs competition was Islavale Jabba along with Annick Fresia’s Kiki.

KILBRIDE FARM 50TH ANNIVERSARY PREMIER HEIFER SALE

KILBRIDE FARM 50TH ANNIVERSARY PREMIER HEIFER SALE

by | Jul 5, 2021 | 2021 Northern Ireland News, 2021 News, 2021

2021 sees the golden anniversary of the highly noted Kilbride Farm Simmental herd of WH Robson & Sons, Doagh, Ballyclare, County Antrim. To mark this special occasion the herd is having a 50th anniversary premier heifer sale which we are delighted to say will be held under the auspices of the British Simmental Cattle Society. The sale will be a timed auction, conducted through MartEye, and will run from the 19th – 21st August.

The Robson family will be offering heifers from all of the main cow families within the herd, and these will range from in-calf heifers to yearling heifers. As the Robsons note: “This is an opportunity to purchase some of our best heifers at this export qualified sale, which would not normally be available”!

From here the online catalogue will be finalised and a series of pictures and videos of the animals continuously highlighted on both the Kilbride Farm and Society’s respective social media pages. The Robson family have extended a welcome to visitors to inspect the heifers and the rest of the herd at anytime. The Kilbride Farm herd is situated only 20 minutes from the air and sea ports, and transport can be organised!

Look out for further posts regarding this sale over the coming weeks. If you have any queries to Michale or Norman Robson then please contact them on Facebook or Instagram, or telephone:

Michael +44 (0)7968814180

Norman +44 (0)7968814182

FIRST CLASS OF THE 2021 ‘VIRTUAL’ BRITISH SIMMENTAL SHOW OPENS THIS WEEK!

FIRST CLASS OF THE 2021 ‘VIRTUAL’ BRITISH SIMMENTAL SHOW OPENS THIS WEEK!

by | Jul 5, 2021 | 2021 News, 2021

Back by highly popular demand, the 2021 ‘Virtual’ British Simmental Show gets underway this week! One of the highlights of the 2020 year for members, and for the ever-growing audience watching online around the world, last years ‘virtual’ show saw an incredible 745 pedigree British Simmental animals enter entered over ten classes by 161 breeders from all four corners of the UK. This ‘good fun’ competition proved to be a social media hit being the largest event of its type in the year, and proving to be a fantastic showcase of the breed highlighting some terrific British Simmental cattle and bloodlines.

So very much back by popular demand, here we go again and with the same simple principles as last year with just one or two tweaks. A picture-based competition, and with a video class introduced this year, the main aim continues to be the promotion of the wonderful Simmental breed, with pictures of quality cattle showcasing all the great attributes Simmentals have to offer. The first class is as follows:

Class 1: Autumn born bull calf, born between 1st July 2020 and 31st December 2020. Calf name and date of birth to be stated.

This first class will be formally opened this Friday, 25th June, and run for one week. The next class will then be opened, and so on, for the remaining weeks. Entries will be required in by Thursday Midnight for the respective classes. Thereafter the respective classes will be judged over the weekend with all photographs entered dripped out from the Monday on Facebook and with the ‘big reveal’ of results later in the same week. All entries are required to be emailed to kate@britishsimmental.co.uk or information@britishsimmental.co.uk

If you had a go in 2020 then please do so again. If you watched in from the outside last year then now’s your chance to have a crack in 2021! Your support is what will again make this event. We again very much hope that this competition can be a talking point and a bit of fun for everyone to take part in. Most important of all is the anticipation of the flood of wonderful pictures across social media promoting the British Simmental breed. British Simmental: The Breed That You Can Bank On #No1ContintentalBreedforAgeAtSlaughter Look out for updates on Facebook from here and if you have any queries to this competition then please phone 02476 696513 or email information@britishsimmental.co.uk

To see the full rules and schedule of dates and timings for this competition then please click to the Society’s website: https://britishsimmental.co.uk/virtualsimmentalshow

BALGRAY HILL SIMMENTAL FEMALES WITH CALVES AT FOOT SELL TO £2550

BALGRAY HILL SIMMENTAL FEMALES WITH CALVES AT FOOT SELL TO £2550

by | Jul 5, 2021 | 2021 News, 2021

The first part of the dispersal sale of DR Cornthwaite, Balgray Hill, Lockerbie, held today, Tuesday 22nd June, at Harrison & Hetherington’s Lockerbie Mart saw Simmental cows and heifers with calves at foot sell to a top of £2550 with further lots at £2500 (x2), £2400, £2350, £2250 and with a number over the £2000 mark. The sale, with 120 Limousin and Simmental heifers and stock cows with Limousin & Blue calves at foot forward, saw every lot sell to average just under £2050.

The top Simmental price of £2550 (pictured) was paid for a May 2018 born female sold with an April born Lim bull calf at foot, with the outfit being knocked down to J&I Pattinson, Bonshawside, Kirtle Bridge, Lockerbie. J M Goldie, Newbie Mains, Annan paid £2500 for a rising five year old Simmental cow with her May born Limousin heifer calf at foot. Also at £2500 was an April 2018 born Simmental sired female sold with her April born Limousin heifer calf at foot to J&I Longlands, Tone Hall Farm, Bartley, Hexham.

Great to see a good demand for some first class Simmental outfits, and look out for further announcements on the second part of the sale of the Balgray Hill commercial herd in due course.

THIS WEEK’S MARKET BRIEFS SEES SIMMENTAL CATTLE DOING THE BUSINESS

THIS WEEK’S MARKET BRIEFS SEES SIMMENTAL CATTLE DOING THE BUSINESS

by | Jul 5, 2021 | 2021 News, 2021

AT CAITHNESS, ABERDEEN, HUNTLY, DINGWALL, LOCKERBIE, PENRITH, DUMFRIES, DUNGANNON, HEXHAM, LANCASTER, MARKET DRAYTON, EXETER, AND HALLWORTHY. We kick off this week with the sale of prime cattle on 21st June at Exeter, which saw well finished prime cattle from David Slade of Chagford lead the gross trade with his 630kg Simmental heifer rising to 221ppk and £1389.  Further quality Simmental bred heifers from Andrew and George Palk of Paignton ran to 211, 209 and 207ppk with one at 574kg realising £1173.

BALGRAY HILL SIMMENTAL FEMALES WITH CALVES AT FOOT SELL TO £2550

The first part of the dispersal sale of DR Cornthwaite, Balgray Hill, Lockerbie, held today, Tuesday 22nd June, at Harrison & Hetherington’s Lockerbie Mart saw Simmental cows and heifers with calves at foot sell to a top of £2550 with further lots at £2500 (x2), £2400, £2350, £2250 and with a number over the £2000 mark. The sale, with 120 Limousin and Simmental heifers and stock cows with Limousin & Blue calves at foot forward, saw every lot sell to average just under £2050. The top Simmental price of £2550 was paid for a May 2018 born female sold with an April born Lim bull calf at foot, with the outfit being knocked down to J&I Pattinson, Bonshawside, Kirtle Bridge, Lockerbie. J M Goldie, Newbie Mains, Annan paid £2500 for a rising five year old Simmental cow with her May born Limousin heifer calf at foot. Also at £2500 was an April 2018 born Simmental sired female sold with her April born Limousin heifer calf at foot to J&I Longlands, Tone Hall Farm, Bartley, Hexham.

At Penrith Farmers Mart sale of store and OTM cattle on 21st June, a run of aged, fed Simmental X cows from Messrs Pearson, Manor Farm, averaged £1236.79 (168p/kg), topping at £1304, purchased by Mr Owain Llyr.  The store cattle trade topped at £1455 for a twenty-three-month-old Simmental bullock from Mr R Hasell McCosh, Dalemain, selling to Mr D Barker. Heifers from the same home achieved £1415, selling to Mr D Whaite.

Hexham and Northern Marts held its weekly catalogued sale of 204 Store Cattle & Suckled Calves on 18th June.  The leading price for cattle 23 – 30 months was for Simmental x steers – £1140 Hedley West.

On Thursday 17th June, Aberdeen & Northern Marts sold 130 cows and bulls to average £1,142.96 and 156p per kg. Beef finished cows (53) averaged £1,295.66 and sold to £1,650 for a 958kg Simmental cross from Mill of Fowlis, Muir of Fowlis.

At Hallworthy on 17th June, 200 stores again saw plenty of confidence in the rising trade. A cracking run of cattle were headed by Mr & Mrs Rogers of Sydenham Damerel with a deep bodied Simmental x Steer with plenty of power to £1300. In the younger cattle, week after week the quality is high and with the trade to follow. Jim Buckland of St Buryan topped out at £1085 for 3 Steers at 12 months, their pure Simmental Steers with power and shape were a super sight.

At Dungannon Farmers Mart on 16th June, a strong trade for all classes of stock saw heifers sold to a height of £1300 (twice) and including a Simmental from J Casey at 645kg (202.00).

At Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd small sale of prime cattle on 15th June, heifers averaged 233.0p  and sold to £1,534.00 gross for a 650kg Simmental cross also from Balnageith, Forres selling to Messrs John M Munro Ltd, Dingwall.  At a further sale of prime cattle in the same market on 22nd June, bullocks averaged 239.1p (+24.7p) and sold to £1,557.60 gross for a 660kg Simmental cross from Easter Urray Farm, Muir of Ord and again selling to Messrs John M Munro Ltd, Dingwall.

C & D Auction Marts Ltd held their fortnightly sale of store and breeding cattle in Dumfries on Monday 14th June 2021. In the breeding bulls a Simmental from Springfield topped at £2500.

On the 14th June at Market Drayton’s sale of over age clean cattle, steers sold to 190p (£1,136.20) for a Simmental from P. Studley & Sons, Burton.

Still on 14th June and Hallworthy’s TB restricted sale  of 140 store cattle saw probably the best standard of cattle through this year. An outstanding run of 80 Cattle from A R Hooper & Son of Boscastle saw a top of £1375 for a Simmental x Steer with depth and fleshing as with all his Cattle, next a pair of Simmental x Steers to £1355, and a very smart Simmental x Steer to £1300.

United Auctions on Saturday 12th June 2021 at Huntly, held a displenishing sale of 207 predominantly Simmental breeding cattle on behalf of Cushnie Farms, Craigievar.  The sale saw a top of £2800 for a SimX with a bull calf at foot and to £2700 for a SimX wih a heifer calf at foot.  Other Sim prices included Hfrs with Blk Calves £2600 x2 & £2500 x 3; Hfr with Hfr Calves £2600 & £2500 x2; Cows & Blk Calves £2500,£2450 & £2400. Cows & Hfr Calves £2500 & £2300. Sim Bull £2100. (Cushie Farms cattle pictured).

At the sale of Calves & Stirks, Store, and OTM cattle held at NWA’s Lancaster Mart on Friday 11th June,  cracking day in the calf ring saw an entry of 108 forward. A Simmental steer from J R Newsham & Son, Conder Green topped the trade selling to £530.

At the sale of prime cattle in Thainstone on 10th June, prime heifers averaged 228.2p and sold to £1,584.10 gross for a 730kg Simmental Cross from Hillocks, Whiterashes. 30 to 48 Month bullocks averaged 193.3p and sold to 202p per kg and £1,474.60 gross for a 730kg Simmental Cross from Faichfolds. On the same day at a sale of cast cows and bulls, boning cows averaged £635.80 (+£47.05) and sold to £755 for a 650kg Simmental Cross from Wester Durris, Banchory.

Also at Thainstone on 11th June, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 591 store cattle, young bulls and young and weaned calves. Heifers (303) averaged 233.6p and sold to £1,440 gross for a 682kg Simmental cross from Auchtertyre Farms (31 months).

In a sale of store and OTM cattle on 10th June at Huntly, the OTMs sold to average 163.2p per kg, and selling to a top of 181.9p per kg for a 720kg SimX from Cairncoullie, Glenkindie.  The top gross was the £1600 paid for a 935kg Sim from Corskie, Garmouth.

At Quoybrae, Caithness, on 7th June, Aberdeen and Northern Marts held a sale of store cattle, and breeding cattle. Heifers averaged 234.5p per kg to 283.3p for 233kg Simmental crosses from Myrelandhorn (Miller). Breeding cattle sold to £2,300 for a Simmental cross heifer with Limousin cross hfr calf from Cairnside, 36 Oldhall, Watten.