THE 2023 SIMMENTAL VIRTUAL SHOW SUPREME CHAMPION IS…VALE ROYAL ANNIE!!

by Nicky Moreton | Aug 21, 2023 | 2023 Virtual Show Results

Eleven-year-old cow wins the Supreme Championship
Kilbride Farm Jetstream is Overall Reserve
2023 competition saw 431 entries over six classes

After some six weeks of online judging with a remarkable 431 animals entered from breeders all over the United Kingdom, we have our 2023 Simmental Virtual Show Champion in the shape of the eleven-year-old cow Vale Royal Annie! It’s a massive tip of the cap to Annie’s breeder James Arnold, Tarporley, Cheshire who has now won this fledgling but high-profile competition, the UK’s largest online pedigree show, twice in its four-year history.

Vale Royal Annie initially prevailed from a tremendous class of 92 Cows-in-milk, judged by Bridget Olds of the Bosahan herd, Falmouth, Cornwall, before securing the Female Championship from the section judge John Barlow of the Denizes herd, Nr Leyland, Lancs. Going head-to-head with Kilbride Farm Jetstream.

We were absolutely delighted to have David Lowry of the Keeldrum herd, Newsteadings Farm, Lanark as this year’s Supreme Championship judge. Please see the video below where David outlines his thoughts on his Champion animals, and on this year’s show generally.

So, to the winner and hot off the press we contacted James Arnold this afternoon to let him know of this Championship win and he said: “I’m absolutely delighted and more than a little surprised to win this competition. The Simmental Virtual Show is great fun but the standard of entries this year has been really incredible. I’d like to congratulate all of the exhibitors who’ve put on a fantastic promotion of the quality and potential in the Simmental breed.”

“It’s again a poignant win as Annie’s mum Curaheen Annie was bought on my last trip away with my dad (Hugo Arnold of the noted Hockenhull herd). We couldn’t buy the cow I wanted from David Wall but dad spied Curaheen Annie at 8-month-old. Roll on and she went on to produce Vale Royal Annie.”
“Vale Royal Annie is an incredible cow. She’s bred to every bull she’s been put to. All bar one of her bull calves have gone to pedigree breeders and with arguably the best of the lot going to a commercial producer. We sell them young due to our set up and in one instance she bred a £10,000 bull sold to the Crowgey herd at 11-month-sold. Her latest bull calf Vale Royal North Star was sold to the Bailey family’s Mixbury Hall herd, Northants this year.”

“Annie has been amazing for us. She’s so low maintenance, gets in calf easily and first time, is so sound and just very feminine. I think this year at -eleven-years-old she’s looking as well as she ever has done, and she’s back in calf to Curaheen Wakeman. There’s been many offers to buy her over the years but Annie’s part of the furniture and definitely not for sale!”

This brings to an end the 2023 Simmental Virtual Show, the online competition that just keeps on giving. The Virtual Show started as a bit of fun during lockdown and is now growing into one of the most anticipated and highlight events of the year. As live showing becomes more challenging, we recognise the forward potential in this event and will keep providing the platform for breeders large and small, in all geographies, to take part easily and showcase their Simmental stock. The social media numbers watching the show are incredible and the audience extends well beyond the UK to cattle lovers from all round the globe.

To everyone who has taken part in this year’s competition a massive thank you is extended, it is hugely appreciated, and we very much hope you’ve enjoyed the Simmental cattle and the fun of the 2023 Simmental Virtual Show!

KILBRIDE FARM JETSTREAM (P) WINS THE 2023 SIMMENTAL VIRTUAL SHOW MALE CHAMPIONSHIP!

by Nicky Moreton | Aug 21, 2023 | 2023 Virtual Show Results

It’s the turn of the bulls now and in the second of our ‘big Championship reveals’, it’s a huge congratulations to WH Robson & Sons, Ballyclare, Co Antrim, who have won the 2023 Simmental Virtual Show Male Championship with Kilbride Farm Jetstream 18 (P)!!

2018 born, Jetstream is by the homozygous polled bull Sneumgaard Imperator (PP), and is out of Kilbride Farm Dora 70F from one of the herd’s noted cow families. Kilbride Farm Jetstream won the fifth class of this year’s show and which comprised of a high quality entry of 26 Senior Simmental Bulls and was judged by Alan Wilson of the Bannhill herd, Dorans Hill, Newry. Moving into the Championships, Kilbride Farm Jetstream went up against the October 20022 born stablemate Kilbride Farm Norton (P), and the April 2022 born Auchorachan Neptune from D&R Durno, Auchorachan, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch the winners of class one, and class three respectively.

Casting his eye over the class winners and awarding the Male Championship was the judge and BSCS Chairman of Shows & Sales North, Stewart Stronach of the Islavale herd, Berryleys Farm, Keith. Commenting on his Champion Stewart Stronach said: “After a lot of deliberation I’ve chosen Kilbride Farm Jetstream. Again, it was a very high standard and your opinions might be different if you’re judging in the flesh. However from the pictures I felt that Jetstream was a bull showing plenty of length, had good muscle, was correct and square over the plates, and had a lot of breed character.

The two other class winners in the Championship were also terrific bulls, and are further great examples of what the modern Simmental is all about and looks like.”

Of the male classes, that featured 155 bulls across three classes, and the Virtual Show generally Stewart Stronach went on to say: The 2023 Simmental Virtual Show has been another tremendous success with an amazing amount of entries from around the country and featuring a lot of top quality Simmental cattle. It’s a big well done to all of the winners and to everyone who entered, the show continues to be a terrific event to promote and advertise our great Simmental breed.”

VALE ROYAL ANNIE WINS THE FEMALE CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE 2023 SIMMENTAL VIRTUAL SHOW!

by Nicky Moreton | Aug 21, 2023 | 2023 Virtual Show Results

Today’s the day and we have the first of the three ‘big Championship reveals’ of the 2023 Simmental Virtual Show. It’s a massive well done to James Arnold, Tarporley, Cheshire who has won this years’ Female Championship with his eleven-year-old cow VALE ROYAL ANNIE!

February 2012 born, Vale Royal Annie is by Hockenhull Matthew and is out of Curaheen Annie, a Carnkern Titan daughter. To date, Annie has had nine registered calves to her comprising of five heifer calves, and four bull calves.

Vale Royal Annie initially prevailed from a tremendous class of 92 Cows-in-milk, judged by Bridget Olds of the Bosahan herd, Falmouth, Cornwall. In the Female Championship she went up against two heifers from the Corskie herd of WJ & J Green, Garmouth, Fochabers in the shape of the October 2022 Corskie Naitrin, and the September 2021 born Corskie Minette, the winners of Class Two and Four respectively. Giving her the Female Championship nod was the judge, and the BSCS Chairman of Shows & Sales South, John Barlow of the Denizes herd, Nr Leyland, Lancs.

Commenting on his Female Champion, John Barlow said: “This is just a tremendous Simmental cow. She’s eleven-years-old and in the picture she just retains such a freshness, is full of breed character and femininity, has a great udder, and structurally looks so correct and sound. With nine calves to her name she’s a terrific example of the longevity that is pretty typical of Simmental females. All of these characteristics just gave her the edge over what was two quality heifers from the Corskie herd.”

Of the 2023 Simmental Virtual Show of females generally, John went on to say: “The appeal of this competition to breeders is fantastic and well done to everyone who entered and had a go. There were 276 females across the three classes which is remarkable in itself and the quality bar has been very high. The core of the Simmental herdbook looks to be in top order and you can see from these pictures the breeding potential and the bloodlines producing animals for forward sales.”

VALE ROYAL ANNIE TAKES TOP SPOT OF CLASS SIX OF THE 2023 BRITISH SIMMENTAL VIRTUAL SHOW COMPETITION!

by Nicky Moreton | Aug 21, 2023 | 2023 Virtual Show Results

It’s ‘big reveal’ number six of the 2023 Simmental Virtual Show and the announcement of the results for the class of Cow in milk, any age, and with an incredible 92 animals entered from around the UK.

It’s a huge congratulations to James Arnold, Little Budworth whose February 2012 born cow VALE ROYAL ANNIE has been awarded first place. Sired by HOCKENHULL MATTHEW, Annie is out of CURAHEEN ANNIE, a Carnkern Titan daughter. The top ten have been awarded by the judge BRIDGET OLDS, BOSAHAN Simmental herd and are as follows:
1ST VALE ROYAL ANNIE
2ND CORSKIE HIYA
3RD CORSKIE JASMINE
4TH CORSKIE HEAVEN
5TH KILLIWORGIE EXOTIC ROSE
6TH AUCHORACHAN HILLY 39
7TH LINTMILL LUCY
8TH BROOMBRAE SNOWDROP K6
9TH CORSKIE KARLY
10TH LINTMILL LEXUS