• Coolcran Heidi’s Noreen takes Overall Reserve • Champion and Reserve sired by Saltire Impressive
The maiden heifer Ballinalare Farm Nikita from Mr J & Mr A Wilson, Newry, Co Down continued her fine showing summer when winning the 2023 NI Simmental National Show Overall Supreme Championship on Saturday 22nd July, held within the Randox Antrim Show. Along the way, Nikita also picked up the Female Championship, and the Junior Championship from the judge for the day, Colin Inglis of the noted Greencap herd at Dalachy Farm, Aberdour, Fife.
These latest high profile wins, for the now seventeen-month-old maiden heifer, followed on from the Simmental Supreme Championship secured at the RUAS Balmoral Show, Belfast in May, an Interbreed at Ballymena, and multiple wins at various local shows.
February 2022 born, Ballinalare Farm Nikita is sired by the prolific 14,000gns Saltire Impressive She is out of Ballinalare Farm Ilyssa whose Granddam is a full sister of the noted Ballinalare Farm Nightrider who was bought by Iain Green, Fochabers and has bred bulls sold up to 18,000gns for his Corskie herd. Commenting, the judge Colin Inglis said: “My Champion was just an absolutely stand out heifer. She has size, power with great femininity, and had amazing style and presence in the ring. A terrific Simmental heifer who just had it all, and a very worthy Champion in a great show of cattle.”
Judge Colin Inglis
Of his day in the ring generally, Colin Inglis went on to say: “I was delighted to be asked to judge at the Northern Irish Simmental National Show, and would like to thank the NI Simmental Club for the invitation and for looking after me so well, it was a very enjoyable day. There was a really good standard of cattle overall showing the Simmental breed off so well, and as such every class was a strong one to judge. My Champion and Reserve came from the heifer classes and both were just the quality of animals that you’d be thrilled to have in your herd. Despite the female one, two, the bull classes were all of a very high standard and comprised of a good style of cattle, it really was a wonderful show of Simmental bulls.”
Having completed a memorable ‘summer show double’, a delighted Alan Wilson said: “We’ve very much enjoyed the summer and the show successes we’ve had with Nikita and against some strong competition. She’s always been a heifer with great style, and ‘look at me’ presence in the ring. When she’s in the ring there’s very little work for us involved as she shows herself off so well! The shows continue to be a shop window to promote your herd and this summer will help to profile the planned production sale for the Ballinalare herd next year, and being held along with the Ranfurly herd.” At the time of the report, the plan was for Ballinalare Farm Nikita to have one final outing this summer at Clogher Valley.
Taking the Reserve Overall, Reserve Female, and Reserve Junior titles was Coolcran Heidi’s Noreen from Shane and Paul McDonald, Tempo, Co Fermanagh. With plenty of breeding behind her, the October 2022 born Noreen is also by Saltire Impressive, the same sire as the Champion, and is out of Coolcran Ellas Heidi, a Dermotstown Delboy daughter and one of the most consistent breeding cows in the herd. Her Granddam, Coolcran Juliet’s Ella is a full sister of Coolcran Dazzler who was Intermediate Champion at Stirling in February 2014.
It was a high quality Championship shoot out and the judge Colin Inglis commented on his Reserve: “My Overall Reserve is just another high quality heifer, very correct and with plenty of style. She was that little bit younger but a terrific female full of potential.”
The NI Simmental National Show was the first outing for this autumn born heifer and speaking afterwards Shane McDonald was delighted with her performance: “Noreen is only nine months old and she showed herself really well in competing with the older heifers. From the word go, there has always been something very smart and sweet about this heifer and thankfully she seems to be living up to expectations at the moment. We think she has all the makings to be a star of the future.” Forward plans see the Champion and Reserve heifers likely to go head to head again with Coolcran Heidi’s Noreen also being aimed at Clogher Valley Show.
Consistent supporters of the NI Simmental Show, this year was the second consecutive year that the Coolcran herd has lifted the Reserve Overall Supreme title. Last year they picked up the award with Ashland Topaz Mair, another heifer who is sired by Saltire Impressive.
Male Champion – Craigy Notorious
Lifting the Male Championship was the February 2022 born bull Craigy Notorious from William & Jane Dodd, and their sons Jamie and Lewis, Saintfield, Co Down. Craigy Notorious is by Keeldrum Fabregas 14, and is out of the Popes Barclay daughter Craigy Violet G6. Also with a bit of a show record behind him, Craigy Notorious was Reserve Male and Reserve Junior Champion at the RUAS Balmoral Show this year. For the Dodds it’s been quite a start to their Simmental showing careers with back to back Male Championships at the RUAS Balmoral, the Reserve Male, and the Reserve Junior at this year’s RUAS Balmoral, and now the Male Championship at the NI Simmental National Show!
Reserve Male Champion – Kilbride Farm Neymar
Showing for the first time in some 23 years, to support the National Show, was the noted Kilbride Farm herd of WH Robson & Sons, Doagh, Ballyclare. The Robsons duly picked up the Reserve Male Champion with their April 2022 born Kilbride Farm Neymar. With polled genetics on either side of his pedigree, Neymar is by Kilbride Farm Jetstream (P), and is out of Kilbride Farm Eunice 287 J (P). So far eight Jetstream sons have been sold to pedigree herds and with a top price to date of 13,000gns. A full brother Kilbride Farm Marvel has been sold to Andrew Clarke of the Breaghey Herd, the current Chairman of the NI Simmental Breeders’ Club. Commenting, Norman Robson, who is the President of the British Simmental Cattle Society said: “It was a one off for the herd to show again to support the National Show, and we’re delighted to win the Reserve Male Championship. The aim from here is that Kilbride Farm Neymar will go to either the October 2023, or February 2024 Stirling Simmental Sale.”
2023 NI NATIONAL SIMMENTAL SHOW CLASSES & RESULTS
Class 61 – Senior heifer, born between 01/01/21 and 30/06/21 Kindly sponsored by Noel Kilpatrick Financial Services 1st Kenneth Stubbs – Drumagarner Michelle (29/06/2021) – sire Curaheen Dickens/ dam Drumagarner Gayle 2nd Brian O’Hare – Clonguish Nova (22/02/2021) – sire Raceview King /dam – Clonguish Eve
Drumagarner Michelle
Class 62 – Intermediate heifer, born between 01/07/21 and 31/12/21 Kindly sponsored by Biocell 1st JL & CJ Weatherup – Lisglass Mayflower (26/08/2021) – sire Raceview King/dam Lisglass Jellybean 2nd WD & JD Hazelton – Ranfurly Lady Diana 41st M14 (14/10/2021)- sire Auchorachan Hercules /dam Ranfurly Lady Diana 33rd J5
Lisglass Mayflower
Class 63 – Junior heifer, born between 01/01/22 and 30/04/22 Kindly sponsored by Robinsons Quarry Masters 1st Joe & Alan Wilson – Ballinalare Farm Nikita (08/02/2022) – sire Saltire Impressive /dam Ballinalare Farm Ilyssa 2nd Molly Bradley – Clonagh Posh Pixie (23/02/2022) – sire Tiset Darwin/dam Cloneygowan Temptress Posh 3rd Pat Kelly – Ashland Lucy Nora (17/04/2022) – sire Ashland Legacy /dam Ashland Lucy Kay 4th William Dodd – Craigy Jessica N2 (16/04/2022) -sire Keeldrum Fabregas/dam Craigy Jessica l 14 5th Kenneth Stubbs – Drumbulcan Nala (14/03/2022) – sire Drumlone Inmate /dam Drumbulcan Hayley
Bridgewater Farm Evie 5th
Class 64 – Junior heifer, born between 01/05/22 and 31/08/22 Kindly sponsored by Provita 1st Nigel Glasgow – Bridgewater Farm Evie 5th (22/08/2022)- sire Auchorachan Hercules/dam Bridgewater Farm Evie 2nd 2nd Richard Rodgers – Hiltonstown Nadia (ET) (11/07/2022) – sire Raceview King/dam Hiltonstown Topaz
Class 65 – Junior heifer, born between 01/09/22 and 31/12/22 Kindly sponsored by ABP 1st S&P McDonald – Coolcran Heidis Noreen (12/10/2022) – sire Saltire Impressive/dam Coolcran Ellas Heidi 2nd JL & CJ Weatherup – Lisglass Nectar (06/09/2022) -sire Alchester Kracker/dam Raceview Favourite 3rd Nigel Glasgow – Bridgewater Farm Hilda (05/12/2022) – sire Curaheen Bandit/dam Cloone Hilda
Breaghey Class P477
Class 66 – Heifer calf born in 2023 Kindly sponsored by T Met 1st Andrew Clarke- Breaghey Class -P477 (16/01/2023) – sire Omorga Horton / dam Breaghey Class -I286
Female Championship Kindly sponsored by T Met Female Champion – Ballinalare Farm Nikita Reserve Female Champion – Coolcran Heidis Noreen
Class 69 – Junior bull, born between 01/05/22 and 31/08/22 Kindly sponsored by Thompson Feeds 1st Cecil Mcilwaine – Corrick Nelson (30/06/2022) – sire Corrick Hamlet/dam Corrick Greta 2nd W H Robson & Sons – Kilbride Farm Normandy (P) (07/05/2022) – sire Sneumgaard Imperator (PP) /dam Kilbride Farm Eunice 308L (P) 3rd Richard Rodgers – Hiltonstown Neymar (17/08/2022) – sire Hiltonstown Lachlan/dam Hiltonstown Joy 4th Richard Rodgers – Hiltonstown Navigator (ET) (31/08/2022) – sire Celtic Rock / dam Hiltonstown Topaz
Lisglass Nugget
Class 70 – Junior bull, born between 01/09/22 and 31/12/22 Kindly sponsored by Animax 1st JL & CJ Weatherup – Lisglass Nugget (14/09/2022) – sire Kilbride Farm Dragoon /dam Lisglass Jellybean 2nd W H Robson & Sons – Kilbride Farm Nebulus (06/09/2022) – sire Kilbride Farm Jetstream (P)/dam Kilbride Farm Eunice 175 F 3rd Andrew Clarke – Breaghey Netflix (07/12/2022) – sire Woodhall Ferrari /dam Breaghey Vida 2
DANI Rosebowl bull performance Award awarded to the Bull which has High Index EBV’s and also placed highest in the judging. Kindly sponsored by George Hamilton 1st Kilbride Farm Neymar 149 points 2nd Kilbride Farm Normandy (P) 130 points 3rd Corrick Nevada 122 points 4th Craigy Notorious 114 points 5th Corrick Nelson 105 points 6th Ranfurly Notorious 101 points 7th Ashfurly Notorious 84 points 8th Lisglass Nugget 80 points
Male Championship Kindly sponsored by Danskie Bank Male Champion – Craigy Notorious Reserve Male Champion – Kilbride Farm Neymar
Class 72 – Pair of animals, property of exhibitor Kindly sponsored by L & B Estate Agents 1st Cecil McIlwaine (Corrick) 2nd WD & JD Hazelton (Ranfurly) 3rd Andrew Clarke (Breaghey) 4th W H Robson & Sons (Kilbride Farm) 5th Kenneth Stubbs (Drumbulcan) 6th Nigel Glasgow (Bridgewater) 7th William Dodd (Craigy)
Class 73 – Young handler, aged 8 to 12 years-old on show day Kindly sponsored by Countryside Services 1st Rhys Rodgers 2nd Lewis Dodds 3rd Jamie Dodds 4th Danny Clarke 5th Ashton Wallace
Class 74 – Young handler, aged 13 to 18 years-old on show day Kindly sponsored by Fane Valley 1st Thomas McAlister
Super Simmentals stole the headlines on day two of the 2023 Great Yorkshire Show at Harrogate as the breed secured a memorable hat-trick of Interbreed title wins. Leading the way was the six-year-old Popes Princess Immie, with her bull calf at foot Popes Premier, from Messrs JH & VG Wood, Popes Farm, Dutton, Preston, Lancs who won this historic show’s Overall Supreme Beef Interbreed Championship in front of the Interbreed judge, Gail Ellis, St Ives Cornwall.
Sired by Kilbride Farm Comber, Popes Princess Immie is out of the much decorated show cow Popes Princess Cleo who herself secured the herd’s first Overall Supreme Interbreed at the Great Yorkshire Show in 2017 and also as a six-year-old, and with Immie as her calf at foot!
With rolling Interbreeds through the morning, the Simmental breed had already secured the Overall Junior Interbreed title through the April 2022 born Heathbrow Natasha, the Simmental Junior, & Junior Female Champion from the noted Heathbrow herd of D&L Sapsed, High Heath Farm, Hitchin, Herts. Dominating the juniors, the Simmentals confirmed a fantastic day when winning the Junior Interbreed. The team consisted of the Simmental Male & Junior Male Champion Heathbrow Nationwide from the Sapseds; Heathbrow Natasha, the Simmental Junior, & Junior Female Champion also from the Sapseds; Popes Princess Noor, the Simmental Reserve Junior, and Reserve Junior Female from Messrs JH&VG Wood, Popes Farm, Dutton, Preston, Lancs; and Williams Ellie’s Nelly, who stood third in a strong class behind both the Junior, & Reserve Junior Champions, and exhibited by William Clarke Livestock Ltd, Model Farm, Hevingham, Norwich.
Winning Junior Interbreed team
The summer ‘major’ shows have seen some quality line ups of Simmental cattle and the Great Yorkshire Show carried on this trend and with exhibitors from Norfolk, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Lancashire, Buckinghamshire, and Scotland.
Judge Dafydd Jones
On day one on Tuesday 10th July, the rain just about held off for the judging and under the watchful eye of Dafydd Jones of the noted Banwy Simmental herd, Welshpool, Powys. The day’s Champion, Popes Princess Immie, emerged from the first female class of the day, cow or heifer in-calf or with calf at foot, before powering through to take the Female Championship, and the Simmental Overall Supreme Championship. Immie is by the 20,000gns stock bull Kilbride Farm Comber, and has been shown through the summer with her tremendous bull calf at foot, the January born Popes Premier sired by Popes Lethal Weapon. Commenting on his choice of Champion, Dafydd Jones said: “My Champion is a thick, easy fleshing cow with plenty of width. She’s just full of milk and we can see the great job she’s doing of her calf at foot. Full of breed character she’s just a typical modern Simmental mum!” Of his day’s judging and the overall show of Simmentals, Dafydd Jones went on to say: “It’s been an honour and a privilege to judge the Simmental classes at a renowned show like the Great Yorkshire. The classes, particularly the females, were very strong throughout and full of breeding potential. Well done to all of the exhibitors and it was terrific, and well deserved, to see the breed go on to do so well in the Interbreed competitions the next day.”
Strong supporters of the Simmental sections at summer majors over the years, 2023 has proven to be another highly successful year for the Popes team of Jimmy, Vikki, Hannah, and Harry Wood. The win at the Great Yorkshire Show confirmed an outstanding ‘double, double’ with the Popes herd winning the Simmental English National Show and Great Yorkshire Show Overall Simmental Supreme titles in both 2022, and 2023. Both respective Champions, Popes Princess Immie, and Popes Princess Lumi, are out of the multi decorated Popes Princess Cleo. Immie’s Overall Supreme Interbreed title at the Great Yorkshire, and the Reserve Continental Interbreed at the Royal Norfolk has been significant icing on top of another tremendous show summer. Popes Princess Cleo secured the herd’s first Great Yorkshire Show Supreme Interbreed title when winning back in 2017.
Speaking to this further success, Vikki Wood said: “We are just blown away to win both the Simmental Championship and this prestigious Overall Supreme Interbreed. To win against the quality that was in the Simmental lines and then against the best in show just means everything and is very special. It’s a win for a Red Rose herd in the White Rose county, but the Great Yorkshire Show really is one of our favourites and we love coming here.”
Next up for Popes Princess Immie is a trip to the Scottish National Show being held within Dumfries Show on Saturday 5th August, and within an entry of 70 pedigree Simmentals. One not to be missed!
Reserve Overall Champion Brandane Millie
Making his mark this summer is young Simmental breeder Finlay Soutter (17), Yew Tree Farm, Ashby De La Zouch, Leicestershire and who lifted the Reserve Overall Simmental title with his February 2021 born heifer Brandane Millie. Millie is the foundation female in Finlay’s newly established Millennium Simmental pedigree herd, and was bred by well-known breeder and stockman Jimmy McMillan, Bradwell Ash, Bury St Edmunds. With a depth of pedigree Brandane Millie is by the AI bull Sterling Gino 15, and out of the noted Sterling Candy’s FCUK, a female bought at the Sterling Sale. As a young heifer Millie was successfully shown in 2022 by Jimmy McMillan and where she won a number of awards including the Junior Female Championship at the Royal Highland. Coming through a strong class for heifers born in 2021, the Reserve Overall title was a fantastic achievement for Finlay Soutter and or Brandane Millie who the judge Dafydd Jones described as being “an upstanding powerful Simmental heifer again with width, presence and character, and who I have no doubt will go on to make a first quality Simmental cow.”
A high-quality first step in the pedigree path, Brandane Millie was purchased privately by Finlay’s granddad, Doug Mash, Chesham, Bucks and was gifted to Finlay as a birthday present to initiate his Millenium herd. The Reserve title at the Great Yorkshire followed on from the Royal Norfolk and where Finlay, accompanied by Brandane Millie, won the Young Handlers trophy and which he received from William, Prince of Wales. Next step for this Millie will see her head to Llanellwedd Wells and the upcoming Royal Welsh Show.
With the herd dispersing in October this year due to retirement, the summer 2023 show season has been a showcase of the quality that will be on offer at the sale from the noted Heathbrow Simmental herd of David & Lesley Sapsed, High Heath Farm, Hitchin, Herts. The Great Yorkshire Show very much emphasised this with the Heathbrow herd’s roll of honours including: the Overall Junior Interbreed title; two animals in the winning Junior Interbreed team; the Simmental Male Championship; Simmental Junior Championship; the Simmental Pairs; second in the cow class; and second in the Group of Three!
The Junior Interbreed Champion, and Junior Simmental Champion, came in the shape of the classy Heathbrow Natasha. Again, with plenty of breeding behind her Natasha is by Heathbrow Important and is out of the imported Raceview Emerald Alicia600. Heathbrow Important himself won the Overall Interbreed at the Great Yorkshire in 2019 and in the same year won four out of four interbreed titles and was crowned European Simmental of the Year. A herd built around quality female lines, Raceview Emerald Alicia600 is from the noted Kim bloodline, and has been a top breeding family in the Heathbrow herd. Commenting, Dafydd Jones said: “This was a very stylish, balanced and correct heifer, and again who has all the potential to go on to be a super Simmental breeding female.” In one of the strongest classes of the day, Heathbrow Natasha pipped Popes Princess Noor from the Wood family into second place, and William’s Ellie’s Nelly from Andrew & Hayley Clarke, William Clarke Livestock Ltd, Model Farm, Hevingham, Norwich into third. Come the second day these three heifers joined with the Sapseds Male Champion, Heathbrow Nationwide, to make a sparkling team that went on to win the Overall junior Interbreed title and again in front of Gail Ellis, St Ives Cornwall.
With a connectivity in breeding, the April 2022 born ET calf Popes Princess Noor if by the noted Team Celtic and out of Popes Princess Hettie, a Popes Princess Cleo daughter. This heifer, who placed Reserve Overall Junior, won the breed Junior Championship at the Simmental English National Show at the Royal Norfolk. Entirely homebred, the February 2022 born Williams Ellie’s Nelly is by Williams Josef 18, and is out of Williams Beauxbaton’s Ellie. The five-year-old Williams Josef is a Clonagh Diehard Gallant son.
Male Champion Heathbrow Nationwide
The aforementioned Heathbrow Nationwide won both the Male Championship and the Junior Male Championship for the Sapseds. This young February 2022 born bull is the first calf by the herd’s stock bull Blackford Kirk and is out of Heathbrow Girlie’s Ivy. Again with a depth of breeding in the pedigree, Blackford Kirk is a son of the Royal Highland winning bull Blackford Galaxy, whilst Heathbrow Girlie’s Ivy comes from another strong breeding family in the herd and was herself Reserve breed Champion at the 2022 Great Yorkshire Show. The Heathbrow herd comprises of 100 head in total with 40 cows plus followers, and heifers. The much-anticipated Dispersal Sale will take place at United Auctions Stirling Livestock Market on Monday 23rd October and following the autumn Simmental Bull sale on the same day.
Reserve Male Champion Newbiemains Nightrider
Standing second in his class to the Male Champion was Newbiemains Nightrider from Scottish exhibitors Jim and Patricia Goldie, Newbie Mains Farm, Annan. The February 2022 born Nightrider is by Annick Klondyke, and is out of Newbiemains Jetstream, a Newbiemains Golden Eye daughter.
Overall Champion and ReserveSimmental Pairs winnersMale Champion and ReserveJunior Interbreed Heathbrow NatashaSimmental Group of Three from the Wacton Herd of Sam Steggles
Great Yorkshire Show 2023 Judge Mr D Jones, Welshpool, Powys Results from the Simmental judging on Day One
Bull, born on or after 1 January 2022. 1st Mr & Mrs D & L Sapsed Heathbrow Nationwide 2nd Mr J Goldie Newbiemains Nightrider 3rd Mr P Gunter Fircovert Neptune 4th William Clarke Livestock Ltd Williams Nicholas 22
Cow or Heifer, in calf or with calf at foot, having had a certified calf before attaining the age of 3 years. 1st Messrs JH & VG Wood Popes Princess Immie 2nd Mr & Mrs D & L Sapsed Heathbrow Jasmine 3rd Mr J Goldie Newbiemains Just a Star 4th Mr P Gunther Fircovert Lizbet
Heifer, born in 2021. 1st Mr FS Soutter Brandane Millie 2nd Mr RE & SHW Steggles Denizes Eves Beauty 7th 3rd Messrs JH & VG Wood Popes Trixies Mikala 4th Mr J Goldie Newbiemains My Girl 5th Miss LH Harding Hallway Winnies Majesty 6th Mr RE & SHW Steggles Scotland Hill Ivy Molly 7th Mr & Mrs D & L Sapsed Heathbrow Milky Way 8th Mr RE & SHW Steggles Brandane Mint
Heifer, born in 2022 1st Mr & Mrs D & L Sapsed Heathbrow Natasha 2nd Messrs JH & VG Wood Popes Princess Noor 3rd William Clarke Livestock Ltd Williams Ellies Nelly 4th Mr CA Jackson Future New Girl 5th William Clarke Livestock Ltd Williams Nalha Kat 6th Mr J Goldie Newbiemains Nap 7th Mr P Gunther Fircovert Noel 8th Mr P Gunther Fircovert Nancy
Group of Three animals. 1st Mr RE & SHW Steggles 2nd Mr & Mrs D&L Sapsed 3rd Mr J Goldie
Pair of animals 1st Mr & Mrs D & L Sapsed 2nd Mr RE & SHW Steggles 3rd William Clarke Livestock Ltd 4th Mr J Goldie
Firming up its eating quality credentials, Simmental steaks took first and third at this year’s prestigious Tesco Sirloin Steak competition held in conjunction with Kepak MacIntosh Donald, at the Royal Highland Show, Ingliston.
Eric Scott (centre, light blue polo shirt receiving his award at the Royal Highland Show).
The winning entry came from first-time exhibitor Eric Scott, Mains of Kindrought, Strichen with a 382kg, 25-month Simmental cross heifer which graded at R4L, and which was bred by W&A Oag, Scrabster Farm, Caithness. Typically Mr Scott finishes around 750 store cattle bought from Thainstone and Huntly each year. In all the competition saw a mighty 160 entrants from across Scotland, with all of the sirloins matured for 30 days after being processed at the Portlethen site.
Whittle down to a final twelve, the sirloins were selected as part of the Tesco Finest range and preliminary judged by the company’s technical manager Max Tooley, who said all entries were ”fantastic” examples of Scotch beef. Come the Royal Highland itself the finalist sirloins were all grilled on the Tesco stand. Five judges in all then presided and including the Chair of Quality Meat Scotland Kate Rowell, and previous winner Noel Gall from Mintlaw. The steaks were judged on appearance, taste, tenderness and succulence. An added element saw the producers also interviewed on sustainability, animal health and welfare, and with this also included in the scoring.
With Simmental steaks very much to the fore, third place in the competition went to J and AF Davidson, Tarbothill, Bridge of Don, who entered a nearly 18-month Simmental steer weighing 398kg, grading R4L.
Commenting, the British Simmental Cattle Society’s General Manager Iain Kerr said: “A huge well done to Eric Scott for winning this high-quality competition, and to the Davidsons for coming third, both with Simmental steaks. The Simmental breed is well recognised for its maternal traits, growth, and leading age at slaughter qualities, it’s great to see it now being top of the tree in this competition for tasty, tender, succulent steaks! There’s been plenty of ‘industry discussion’ about the forward beef grading system recognising eating quality and competitions such as this show just how well-suited Simmental cattle would be to that for producers, processors, retailers, and the consumer.”
Simmental steaks have consistently featured at the top end of these tasting competitions at the Royal Highland over the years, and internationally in similar competitions in North America, and beef and lamb trials in New Zealand.
The 2024 ‘Virtual’ Simmental Show, the fifth staging of this online event, is now officially open and underway.
Please send in your photos for the first class, Bull Calf born on or after 1st August 2023. Calf name and date of birth to be stated. You have until Thursday 4th July to send your entries in to information@britishsimmental.co.uk
You can enter more than one animal per herd (as many as you would like to) for each of the classes.
Please see the schedule here and which again follows last year’s six classes and Overall Championships:
2024 BRITISH SIMMENTAL ‘VIRTUAL’ SHOW
Class 1: Bull Calf born on or after 1st August 2023. Calf name and date of birth to be stated. Entries Open: 28th June Entries Close: 4th July
Class 2: Heifer Calf born on or after 1st August 2023. Calf name and date of birth to be stated. Entries Open: 5th July Entries Close: 11th July
Class 3: Bull born between 1st January 2022 to 31st July 2023. Bull name and date of birth to be stated. Entries Open: 12th July Entries Close: 18th July
Class 4: Heifer born between 1st January 2022 – 31st July 2023. Calf name and date of birth to be stated. Entries Open: 19th July Entries Close: 25th July
Class 5: Bull born before 1st January 2022. Bull name and date of birth to be stated. Entries Open: 26th July Entries Close: 1st August
Class 6: Cow any age, In milk. Udder must be seen in picture, no calf to be seen in picture. Cow name and date of birth to be stated. Entries Open: 2nd August Entries Close: 8th August
Special 1: Male Champion Announced w/c 12th August
Special 2: Female Champion Announced w/c 12th August
Special 3: Overall Champion Announced w/c 12th August
The Simmental ‘Virtual’ Show has proven to be a hugely popular competition. We’d love you to ‘join in the fun’ and collectively let’s again showcase quality British Simmental genetics across the UK and to all parts of the world!
Feature on Colin and Robert Manson, Brodieshill Farm, Alves, Forres and their 140 cow Simmental based suckler herd. The Mansons will welcome visitors this summer when they host a British Simmental Cattle Society Open Day at Brodieshill Farm on 8th July.
Fact file 1,100 acres inc 420 acres arable 140 cow Simmental based suckler herd, split calving 500 ewes 20 month, 600kg ave age and weight at first breeding 2.5 years age at first calving 800kg ave mature cow weight 92% ave heifer scan 90% ave cow scan 60% born within the six weeks 10 calf crops Bulling heifers, 19-month-olds ave £2,368.75 (May 2023)
Since introducing the Simmental as a dual-purpose sire, the Manson family from Morayshire has been able to produce home-bred, medium sized replacements which can sustain the type of ground on their unit.
Father and son team Colin and Robert Manson, farm at Brodieshill, Alves, and have built up a good reputation for selling hi-health commercial bulling heifers and store cattle sold through Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ Thainstone Centre. The family has been at the 550-acre Brodieshill unit since 1947 and they now farm a total of 1100 acres which includes 400 acres of spring barley for malting, 25 acres of beans, 200 acres of rotational grazing and the rest permanent pasture, much of which is reclaimed hill ground.
Outwith the commercial suckler herd of 140 cows, the family also keeps 500 breeding ewes, 100 of which are Suffolk cross Mules lambed early in February. The main batch lamb in mid-March, with the first lambs away by the end of June when sold direct to Woodhead Bros at Turriff or Dunbia. Roberts’ wife Nicola has also diversified and opened a natural play area earlier this year, where she holds sessions for parents and children to explore, play and assist with animal care, and become more familiar with the farming seasons through information boards.
Colin and Robert previously used the Charolais as a terminal sire over Simmental crosses, producing bull beef and finished heifers, and bought in all replacements from other herds. “The first Simmental cross heifers were purchased 18 years ago from Bill and Garry Patterson, Upper Forgie, and we’ve never looked back since,” said Robert.
“Simmentals are docile and good to work with, and we needed a big, framed female that was fit to handle bigger Charolais calves. The only downside was that we couldn’t produce our own replacements with the Charolais, and we were having some difficult calvings so that’s why we’ve now moved to Simmental bulls, with a Salers used over the heifers for easier calving.”
The first Simmental bull used was Burghbridge Ricardo, purchased on recommendation from Gibby Scott, and the family now tend to buy top-quality bulls from local herds such as Islavale, Rockytop and Blackford. One of the dearest stock bulls to date is the 11,000gns Blackford Island Warrior, which is leaving more flesh and shape, with the recent Islavale sires doing equally well and bringing size into the breeding herd.
At present, the herd includes 140 suckler cows which are split calving from the end of February onwards and then from the end of July. All heifers have been pelvic measured since 2015 to cull out any not suitable for breeding.
“We like to run a tight calving period, so bulls are out with the cows for 12 weeks and just 6 weeks with the heifers,” commented Robert. “Since moving away from the Charolais, we haven’t seen much of a difference in the weights of the calves, and we generally find that the Simmental calves are a good weight for age. The males used to be kept entire, but we soon realised that the stots could stand up to the other breeds in the store ring so that’s the system we are following now.”
“The Simmental is capable of thriving on this type of ground, but it helps that our cows are medium-sized and generally weigh around 800kg.”
The spring cows are kept outside until the end of January, before coming inside and being wormed/fluked and blood tested for the Premium Cattle Health Scheme, which the herd has been a member of since 2016. They are also vaccinated with Rotavec prior to calving at the end of February and are then housed with their calves until May time, before calves are introduced to creep feed from mid-July. These cows and calves spend all summer on the reclaimed hill ground which Robert said is old grass and tough going.
“The Simmental is capable of thriving on this type of ground, but it helps that our cows are medium-sized and generally weigh around 800kg,” said Robert. “If we were breeding bigger Simmental cows around the 900kg-1000kg mark, I don’t think they would cope as well.”
Calves are weaned in mid-October and receive the first vaccination and wormer in September when the cows are scanned, and then are brought inside one month later when they receive their second vaccination. They thrive on a mix of home-grown barley, silage, beans, and cattle 35 pellet from Harbro, before being sold in February at Thainstone, where last year’s batch averaged 502kg at £1451.92, and at 325 days.
More recently, autumn-born bullock calves have been weaned and kept inside for six weeks before being sold privately. The autumn calving cows calve outside next to the steading and they’re housed from the end of November. Only the cows and heifer calves head outside in May, with heifer calf outfits weaned from their mothers and kept inside on feed until being sold six weeks later.
With the Simmental being the only terminal sire amongst the cows, the females at Brodieshill are almost pure. Around 15 is kept for each herd, with the remainder sold to returned buyers through Thainstone in May, and at 18 to 19-months-old. This year’s consignment (of heifers), in May 2023, averaged £2368.75 (+£743.75 on the year) and with a new top price to date of £2600.
This year’s consignment, May 23, averaged £2368.75 (+£743.75 on the year) and with a new top price to date of £2600. “We still have a fattening pen on the farm for any heifers that we don’t think would make the grade for breeding,” commented Robert. “We only sell what we would be happy to breed from ourselves.”
Robert is finding the Salers to be a successful cross over the heifers, producing hybrid vigour and females with good udders and feet.
“I think it’s important that breeders keep focus from a commercial point of view and focus on maternal traits,” concluded Robert. “When buying stock bulls, it’s important that they can produce replacements As such we look for long, deep bulls with a bit of shape that will pass through onto our females.”
Look out on the Society’s Facebook page for dates and details of the 2023 British Simmental Cattle Society Open Day at Brodieshill Farm on Saturday, 8th July, and on www.britishsimmental.co.uk
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