Firstly, I would like to thank the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society for asking me to judge. It was a great honour to be invited to judge the Welsh National Show of Simmentals. Senior Bull class – Shiloh Farm Forever Royal, stood alone, shown in his working clothes but moving freely around the ring. The January Bull class was won by Cwarre Jester 18, a well fleshed bull that moved well. He excelled through the rib and loin and will be an asset to any herd. He went on to stand Male Champion. The April Class had 2 bulls forward. I placed Alreb Jonesy over Hirwaun Jimmy Mac. Jonesey stood a slightly smaller bull to Jimmy Mac but Jonesey was better through the rear quarter being longer from hip to pin, fuller and deeper through the second thigh, he also moved better. The second placed bull Hirwaun Jimmy Mac will make a big long bull and needs time to fill into his frame. Difficult to judge these two as two totally different bulls but on the day Alreb Jonesey was the more complete bull he went on to be Reserve Male Champion. The Bull Calf Class – Gwili Jack 18 stood alone but a worthy winner. Well fleshed with plenty of potential for the future. Senior Cow was won by Kilbride Farm Eunice 153rd. A big well fleshed cow who edged Welston King Clara into second place. The 2yr old Heifer class had two forward with very little to separate them. The nod went to Crugmelyn Icing Sugar over Crugmelyn Indigo. Just 2yr old this darker coloured heifer had exceptional ring presence. She was well balanced, covering a lot of ground when standing. Good in the shoulder. A well sprung rib and good through the loin. Icing Sugar going on to be Female Champion, one for the future. The Heifer Class born after September 17 was won by Cwarre Rosie’s Ilex a good well-balanced heifer who exhibited a lovely breed type and should mature well. The Yearling class was won by Cwarre Dora’s Jigsaw a stylish heifer who caught the eye with her presence. A strong heifer who went on to stand Reserve Female Champion. The April class was won by Crugmelyn Jelly Baby and the Calf class was won by Cwarre Rosie’s Jasmin. Sadly, the entry lacked significant numbers, but the animals forward were all excellent examples of the breed. The Male Champion Cwarre Jester 18 a stylish well-muscled bull stood over the Female Champion Crugmelyn Icing Sugar to take the Championship. I would like to thank all exhibitors for bringing their animals forward. Well done everyone.
The morning of the show and you arrive at the ground unsure of where to go/who to meet and apprehensive and hopeful that at least the majority agree with your choices in the classes. With then a Champion probably a female, knowing my preference, going forward to represent the breed in the Interbreed. Well clearly nothing was going to plan as the start of showing brought torrential rain and I began to wonder was my day and those having animals forward to be spoilt with discussions held about judging inside. These were soon put to one side with those showing having none of it, bringing animals out and my sincere thanks goes to each and every one of you for making my day special and giving me the opportunity to judge the Scottish National Show this year in Kelso. The bull classes in age order (July/December 2018) saw two very equally presented animals forward with the nod going to Newbiemains Jax over Braidwood Jed from Ms. Moffat. The next class (April/June 2018) saw a very correct/well balanced young bull from the Gwynne family take first place over those from the Smith/Goldie and Bishop families. The January born bulls were then paraded and Chestermann Jupiter immediately caught my eye as definitely one for the future and he was placed first above Jagger from the Smith family. The senior bulls were brought forward and bearing in mind the weather, here the three bulls walked on through the mud/rain and were a credit to our breed. I brought forward Drumsleed Hivy as the winner of this class, closely followed by Iceman from Jim and Patricia Goldie with then Jacob from the Houldey family. Drumsleed Hivy went on to be my Overall Male Champion followed by Iceman as the reserve. The females began with a very good class in the April to August 2018 age group with 5 forward. My winner Woodhall Jocelyn was a very smart heifer who caught my eye on entering and went on to be given the Overall Junior Female Championship. The Woodhall herd had 2 others in the class who were split by the Simmers families Backmuir Kreole Jazz with Manor Park Jess Wilde who was giving away age/size. In the next age class, January to March 2018 of the two forward Brandane J-Lo took the honours and went on to be tapped out as the Reserve Junior Female. I had been told there would be animals forward who would catch the eye and that had certainly been the case with the males and juniors paraded to that point. The rain had slowed down and in came 4 heifers born in 2017 with Sterling FCUK Impuls looking every bit as good as she had when I have seen her both on the show circuit and again at Stirling taking the red card. Followed by heifers from the Goldie and Lyle families that would have red cards on other occasions. The cow class unfortunately had only one entry David Craigs Kennox Taras Gem who I had been looking forward to see now she had calved. Clearly the calf was being done well and in turn this had left Gem in her working clothes. She still went on to be my Reserve Female Champion with her calf Gem’s Kitkat taking Best Calf 2019. This then left me with a super Male Champion who had great legs and feet, who moved despite his weight as if he was on a track against a lovely in calf heifer, who you could say was at ’12 o’clock’ as far as fitness was concerned, so on this occasion, my Champion was Drumsleed Hivy, bred, owned and shown by the Smith family, he was a credit to all their hard work. My Female/Overall Reserve went to Sterling FCUK Impuls from the Simmers family with my hope being that she comes out next year with a calf at foot and if she looks like she did here there will be many more red rosettes on the way. Thank you again to everybody for putting up with me and I look forward to competing against you all next year at the 2020 show in Carlisle.
Ranfurly Jameson J2 18, Junior, Male, Overall Champion and 1st place Junior Bull born on or after 1st January 2018 and on or before 30th April 2018
A big thank you to the Northern Ireland Simmental Club for inviting me to judge their National Show, the weather came with me! To start with we had a cow doing what they do best with a superb calf at foot. A young cow with plenty of character that moved well, and not overdone, Ranfurly Weikel 18th H2 later became Female Champion and Reserve Overall.
Moving onto the Senior Heifer class, maybe not the strongest of classes but two super heifers both turned out very professionally with Newbiemains Intrepid exhibited by Jonathan Henderson taking the first prize.
The Intermediate Heifer class presented four outstanding heifers, with first place going to Ranfurly Weikel 23rd. I couldn’t help but feel while I was judging that she was very similar in type to the cow with the calf at foot in the first class. She actually turned out to be her full sister and later became Reserve Female Champion.
The Junior Heifer class had six completely different type of heifers. I had to go with Cleenagh Jessica on the day as she really was at 12 O’Clock for a junior heifer. I did also like the second placed heifer Slievenagh Jewel who must have been giving quite a bit of age away and without a doubt her day will come. The next Junior Heifer class was well represented with Coolcran Lady Jasmine being the clear winner.
Overall I thought the females were of the highest quality and would not look out of place in any show in the UK.
The first Junior Bull class was won by Ranfurly Jameson. He had presence, style, locomotion and was exceptionally well turned. He later became Breed Champion and went on to Champion of Champions at the show. It was a strong class with exceptionally well turned out young bulls.
The next Junior Bull class was a lot easier to judge with only three bulls forward, and three completely different types altogether. I went with Derrycallaghan Jackpot, he was a bull with natural style and width.
The last Junior Bull was the big growth bull Coolcran Jameson, Again a strong class, Coolcran Jameson was a big bull for his age who moved well with plenty of width and style.
The best bull calf went to Breaghey Kingdom. This was a super calf and later went on to achieve Reserve Male Champion. The only way I could justify this was lining up the first prize Junior bulls. To judge a calf against young bulls I always feel you need to value the animal as if you were buying them.
The Northern Ireland Club can be immensely proud of the standard and quality of cattle forward and I thoroughly enjoyed my day. Good luck to all members and exhibitors with your future shows.
Ranfurly Weikel 18th H2, Female Champion, Reserve Overall Champion and 1st place Cow, any age
It was an honour to be asked to judge the 2019 English National Show at The Royal Norfolk Show. Thank you to the Society and Show for a very well organised day and thank you to the exhibitors for all their time and effort in turning out such a super show of Simmies. In the Junior Heifer class Sacombe Hawaii’s Jessica caught my eye as soon as she came in. Very sweet, well fleshed and a very good mover, just my kind of heifer. This heifer went on to be Junior and Reserve Female Champion. Second place went to Heathbrow’s much younger Girlies Jewel, a very correct, well fleshed heifer for her age, third was Ashland Lucy Jezebel, another quality heifer. The second class again had a clear winner in Heathbrow Jasmine, a powerful heifer, but still very feminine. There wasn’t a lot between second and third, Brandane Jane just having slightly more flesh than Perrywood Jasmine. The third heifer class was easily won by Cade Irresistible, a similar style of heifer to the winner of the previous class, fleshy but still feminine. Storersmith Isla in second was a nice long heifer, just unlucky to have the Cade heifer overpower her. Popes Princess Immie gave me another clear winner in the fourth class, a fleshy heifer who paraded very well. The next two heifers were a similar type, but Beeches Isabella had more width through the front end compared to Penton Indigo. Two very powerful heifers led class 5. Popes Nellys Ilia taking first, being the more feminine and better balanced of the two. Heathbrow Girlies Ivy stood second. The Jukes’ Swallowhill Isabelle stood third, a lovely long female, just not carrying as much flesh as the first two. We just had two entries in the Junior cow class, both working hard with nice calves at foot. Theberton Honey was the deeper bodied of the two with a bit more shoulder than her herd mate Hollie. The Intermediate cow class was led by Kennox Divas Gena, being the widest and biggest of the three. Sway Gorgeous Girl stood second, another big cow, but just not having the width through the front end of the first cow. Fircovert Glamour Bluebell came in third, just missing the scale of the other two. In the Senior cow class, I found my Champion. I immediately fell for Sacombe Dandelion Oma when she floated into the ring saying, “Look at me!”. She wasn’t the biggest cow in the class, but to me she was everything a Simmie cow should be. Very feminine, well balanced, good length and width, especially through the backend, good locomotion, loads of milk, and a super young bull calf at foot. Second place went to Theberton Emma 2nd, another well balanced, breedy cow. The first class of males was won by Sacombe Joker, maybe a bit raw on the day, but the most correct and well put together young bull in the class. Second was the heavier, but less balanced Popes Jethro, and third went to the nice shaped Scotland Hill Jackaroo. The second bull class found me my Junior Male Champion in Scotland Hill Juggernaut, a growthy, well fleshed young bull. Second and third were two similar bulls, Storersmith Jumanji and Penton Jolly, unfortunately Jolly was lame, so took third. My Male and Reserve Overall Champion came from the next class, again a clear winner, Heathbrow Important towered above the other two entries in the class. His length, cleanness and power are what we have been looking for in a stockbull, and I’m pleased to say that he has since come home to Blackford. Second place went to the bouncy, but well-made Fircovert Isaac with Shannock Ice-T being third. The four senior bulls were split into two types, my preference was for the smoother fleshed more traditional Drumsleed Explosion in first and Sway Hector in second. I was very proud to see the Simmental team of five going on to win the prestigious Heygates Interbreed Team of Five competition, and Heathbrow Important taking the Male and then Supreme Interbreed Champion later in the show. Thank you again to everyone involved for their hospitality and hard work at the show.
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