A big well done to the Midlands Simmental Club who won the best Breed Society stand and also the Best Trade stand at the English Winter Fair held over two days at Bingley Hall on November 19th & 20th.
The stand featured a combination of Simmental cattle on display, professional breed promotion and literature, and plenty of Club members at hand offering a warm welcome, hospitality, and plenty of knowledge on all things Simmental. Commenting, Midlands Club Chair Jennie Hassall said “the stand was very busy over the two days with plenty of enquiries on the breed generally and the upcoming Next Generation Sale at Carlisle in December. The cattle on display also drew a lot of attention and were a great advertisement of the maternal qualities of the Simmental breed.”
The promotional cattle were three crossbred bull calves out of pure Simmental cows, and supplied by CH Evans and Son, Abbey Farm, Wroxall, Warwick. February born, the calves weighed up to 458kgs for a 26th February born calf, and to a daily live weight gain of 1.81kgs.
Particular thanks are extended to Club Chair Jennie Hassall (centre), Andrea Booth (left), and Kath Martindale (right), who are pictured here with the stand awards, and to all Club members for their work and input. Thank you also to Richard Storer Smith for his help with the stand, and to the Evans family for so willingly supplying the cattle.
• Popes calves take Overall Champion & Reserve • Wroxall Megga Mountaine wins Reserve Male
It was another red-letter day for the prolific Popes herd of JH and VG Wood, Popes Farm, Clitheroe Road, Preston, Lancs, when they won both the Overall Championship and Overall Reserve title at the Simmental National Pedigree Calf Show held within the English Winter Fair at Bingley Hall, Staffs, on Saturday 19th November. Judging the Simmental section was the well-known Danny Wyllie, Burton on Trent, Staffs.
Taking the top honours on the day was the stylish April 2022 born heifer Popes Weikels Nadine, who is by the Irish-bred Clonagh Latin Lover and is out of Popes Weikels Gracie VG85. Gracie was the outcome of an embryo bought from Northern Irish breeder David Hazelton to introduce breeding from that herd’s famous Weikel female line. All five of the Popes entries shown at the English Winter Fair were from the first crop of calves by the herd’s Clonagh Latin Lover and who was purchased for 6500 Euros. A bull full of breeding, Clonagh Latin Lover was purchased for his maternal influence, being out of the noted Clonagh Darling Eyes who was the online Simmental Miss World in 2018 and Overall Irish Simmental of the Year in 2017 and 2018. Sired by Manor Park Hansome, Clonagh Latin Lover combines pedigree with performance having excellent Maternal (Milk), and Carcase figures.
On the day, Popes calves sired by Clonagh Latin Lover won the respective male and female sections before moving on to secure the Overall and Reserve Overall titles. For the Woods family it was the second year in a row that they had secured the double at the English Winter Fair, and followed on from a highly successful show year at both the Great Yorkshire and English National shows.
Commenting afterwards, Vikki Wood said: “As a family we are delighted to win this Championship again and at the same time to help put on a good promotion of the British Simmental breed along with our fellow exhibitors.” Of the Champion, and Clonagh Latin Lover generally, Vikki went on to say: “Latin Lover was bought primarily for his maternal lines and to breed what we hope will be the herd’s next generation of females. Our aim and type in breeding females is to have the typical Simmental attributes of sweetness, femininity and breed character, correctness, and with no extremes. The Champion calf today looks to have those attributes at this early age.”
Taking the Overall Reserve and Overall Reserve Female title was Popes Diamonds Nella. Another April 2022 born calf, and by Clonagh Latin Lover, Nella is out of Popes Diamonds IO who is a Popes Fearless daughter.
In the bull calves the Championship honours went to the Woods April born Popes Nexus. This calf, now being provisionally aimed at the October 2023 Stirling Bull sale, is again by Latin Lover and is out of Popes Nellys Illia, a Swingletree Emporor daughter who goes back to Tintoside Nellys Wonder.
Winning the Reserve Bull Championship and the Senior Bull Calf Class was Wroxall Megga Mountaine (P) from CH Evans and Son, Abbey Farm, Wroxall, Warwick. October 2021 born, Megga Mountaine is by the herd’s noted Coose Gambler (P) and is out of the homozygous polled Wroxall Jazz Superior (PP), a Wroxall Electric daughter. Coose Gambler (P) was the Irish National Ploughing Match Junior Champion Bull in 2016 and the Reserve Champion of Europe in the World Simmental Championship online competition in 2020. Owned by the Evan’s since 2017 Gambler has produced over 100 progeny for the herd, with sons sold to 5,000gns. This was the Wroxall herd’s first time showing at the English Winter Fair, but they have had a successful summer securing Championship and Reserve titles at both the Staffordshire County Show and the Three Counties Show this year.
A feature of the weekend was the Simmental breed promotional stand put on by the Midlands Simmental Club and situated at the main ringside. With some tremendous display cattle, professional breed promotion and literature, and plenty of home baked hospitality, the stand was extremely busy over two days. In a fine reward for all of the Midlands Club’s hard work the stand was judged the best Breed Society stand before securing the Best Trade stand at the show.
The promotional cattle, showing the outstanding maternal attributes of the breed, were three crossbred bull calves out of pure Simmental cows, and supplied by CH Evans and Son, Abbey Farm, Wroxall, Warwick. February born, the calves weighed up to 458kgs for a 26th February born calf, and to a daily live weight gain of 1.81kgs.
2022 Simmental Pedigree Calf Show Results at the English Winter Fair Judge: Mr D Wyllie, Burton on Trent
Senior Bull Calf, born between 01/10/2021 & 31/12/2021 1 – CH Evans & Son – Wroxall Megga Mountaine – s. Coose Gambler 2 – S White – Tirley Lawrence – s. Rathnashan Lobster
Junior Bull Calf, born between 01/01/2022 & 30/06/2022 1 – JH & VG Wood – Popes Nexus – s. Clonagh Latin Lover 2 – Croft Livestock – Fforest Napoleon – s. Auchorachan Hercules 3 – JH & VG Wood – Popes Northstar – s. Clonagh Latin Lover 4 – Renshaw & Brassington – Dovefields Napier – s. Clonagh Tiger Gallant 5 – C Price – Whalegreen Norman – s. Whalegreen Jasper 6 – C Price – Whalegreen Neville – s. Whalegreen Jasper
Senior Heifer Calf, born between 01/10/2021 & 31/12/2021 1 – S White – Tirley Ella 3rd – s. Rathnastian Lobster Pot
Junior Heifer Calf, born between 01/01/2022 & 30/06/2022 1 – JH & VG Wood – Popes Weikels Nadine – s. Clonagh Latin Lover 2 – JH & VG Wood – Popes Diamond Nella – s. Clonagh Latin Lover 3 – JH & VG Wood – Popes Nellys Neva – s. Clonagh Latin Lover 4 – Renshaw & Brassington – Dovefields Nina – s. Star Green Kenny 5 – Renshaw & Brassington – Dovefields Nadia – s. Star Green Kenny
Champion Bull Calf JH & VG Wood – Popes Nexus – s. Clonagh Latin Lover Reserve Champion Bull Calf CH Evans & Son – Wroxall Megga Mountaine – s. Coose Gambler
Champion Heifer Calf JH & VG Wood – Popes Weikels Nadine – s. Clonagh Latin Lover Reserve Champion Heifer Calf JH & VG Wood – Popes Diamond Nella – s. Clonagh Latin Lover
Supreme Champion JH & VG Wood – Popes Weikels Nadine – s. Clonagh Latin Lover Reserve Supreme Champion JH & VG Wood – Popes Diamond Nella – s. Clonagh Latin Lover
Official Simmental Society Sales in the Year Gross £2,003,927
A strong year of performance for British Simmental has seen pedigree registrations and birth notifications surge with an increase of 15% in the year to an overall total of 7,388, up by 960. The figures released by the British Simmental Cattle Society are for the pedigree registration year of 1st July 2021 to 30th June 2022.
Sitting alongside these figures is a similarly strong performance at the point of both commercial and pedigree sales and which has seen Official Society Pedigree Sales in the same period nudge through the £2Million mark to gross £2,003,927. In the course of the year the Simmental breed enjoyed some record sale averages and clearances, most notably at Stirling in February when 89 pedigree bulls sold to a new breed record average mark of £6,835. In a new sale fixture introduced to ‘grow the reach of the breed’, the Next Generation Sale of Females & Weaned Calves at Carlisle in December saw a top price of 16,000gns, with heifer averages of £4,396, and bull calf averages of £6,174.
In the year, pedigree registrations increased by 13.5%, with birth notifications enjoying a 19.8% increase and this overall surge for the Simmental breed was warmly welcomed by the Society’s President Stewart Stronach, Maisley, Keith, Banffshire, who said: “Simmental females are naturally efficient, healthy, easy to manage, and just full of milk. Adding value to any cross, they are maternal mainstays of the commercial suckler herd, can calve at two years old, and can wean calves at 50% of their bodyweight at 200 days.”
“In 2021 AHDB confirmed Simmental as being the leading continental beef breed for age at slaughter, and this couples with Simmental sired progeny being fast growing, with terrific weight for age and leaving a high yielding, profitable carcase. These are the natural attributes and efficiencies of the modern British Simmental that are driving demand, forging a profitable commercial future in an industry with a higher cost base, and meeting the ‘green’ challenges of reducing beef productions carbon footprint.”
“We welcome these improved registration and sale figures, and collectively our focus will be to continue to work hard and provide commercial beef producers with future fit, profitable dual purpose Simmental genetics.”
The next pedigree sale under the Society’s auspices will be the much-anticipated Dispersal Sale of the noted Annick Simmental Herd, Holehouse Farm, Irvine, held on behalf of the late Lachlan Quarm, at United Auctions Stirling on Saturday 10th September.
• Backmuir Win Overall Supreme & Female Championship • Annick Ginger’s Lucia Takes Overall Reserve • Drumsleed Legacy Lifts Male Championship • Denizes Monty Crowned Simmental Junior Champion • Brandane Millie Wins Junior Female • Blackford Local Hero Wins Marks & Spencer Beefbreeder Interbreed • • Simmentals Place Champion & Reserve in Marks & Spencer Beefbreeder Interbreed
The cattle and the crowds were back to normal at Ingliston, Edinburgh as the 2022 Royal Highland roared into life on Thursday 23rd June and featuring a strong Simmental section of some seventy-five entries.
Judge for the day was Northern Ireland’s Joe Wilson who runs the noted Ballinalare herd of some 60 Simmental cows at Dorans Hill, Newry, County Down. Played out in front of a large ringside crowd, and after working through some ten classes of bulls and females, the judge tapped out Islavale Lullaby from Reece & Andrew Simmers, Backmuir Farm, Keith, Banffshire as his Female Champion and as the 2022 Simmental Overall Supreme Champion.
Bred by Mr WS Stronach, Berryleys Farm, Grange, Keith, this April 2020 born heifer by Shacon Hannibal 16 and the first calf out of Islavale Inspire GP 82, was purchased by the Simmers for 8000gns at the Society’s inaugural Simmental Next Generation Sale of females and weaned calves at Carlisle in December 2021, and where she had also stood Overall Champion.
Commenting on his choice of Champion Joe Wilson said: “This heifer just had tremendous quality throughout. Super stylish, she was just full of breed character, was well fleshed and moved really well. Overall a terrific heifer and just the kind of Simmental I’d love to take home with me!” Of the show generally, Joe Wilson went on to say: “With the advent of Covid I’ve been waiting some three years to judge the Highland! It’s been a great honour and fully lived up to expectations. I’d like to congratulate all exhibitors for the quality of the stock forward and have no hesitation in saying that the future of British Simmental looks very bright.”
For the Simmers, this Supreme Championship win was the ‘next step up’ and followed hard on the heels of the last full Royal Highland in 2019 and where the Backmuir herd secured the Reserve Overall Supreme Championship with Sterling FCUK Impuls. Established in 2018, the Backmuir herd now features some 80 pedigree Simmental cows and is already an increasingly prolific herd in both the sale and show ring. Commenting after the judging a delighted Reece Simmers said: “It hasn’t quite sunk in yet but it’s a tremendous honour to win the Simmental Supreme Championship at what is the blue riband show in Scotland and with such a rich history. The standard of competition here within the breed and from fellow exhibitors is really high. To come through that and win the Championship is just fantastic and quite humbling.”
Of Islavale Lullaby, Reece Simmers continued: “Islavale Lullaby was bought as a new bloodline and as an investment in the future of Backmuir Simmentals. We are really pleased with how she has come on and very much hope that she will be a cornerstone female in the herd.” Mr Simmers noted that Islavale Lullaby had been served by the herd’s 18,000gns stock bull Wolfstar Jackaroo who was purchased at Stirling in February 2020.
It was very much a Simmental ladies’ day and taking the Reserve Female Championship and the Overall Reserve Supreme Championship was Annick Ginger’s Lucia from the herd of the late Lachlan Quarm, Holehouse Farm, By Irvine, Ayrshire. February 2020 born this heifer, by herd sire Wolfstar Golddigger and out of Annick Colleen’s Ginger VG 88, placed second in her class to the Overall Supreme before following her all the way through to the Championship places. Following a string of wins at local and regional shows this summer, a strong Annick team at the Highland saw the herd pick up the Reserve Overall; the Reserve Female; the Reserve Junior female; and along with two first prizes, two seconds, and a third in the classes, and a reserve in the group of three. The Annick group comprised of Annick Trixibelle 29th; Annick Desiree’s Midnight; and the young bull Annick Maximus 21. The 2022 show season is providing a showcase for the Annick herd which is set to be fully dispersed at United Auctions Stirling Market on Saturday 10th September and following the sad passing of Lachlan Quarm last year.
Lifting the Male Championship was Gerald and Morag Smith, Drumsleed, Fordoun, Laurencekirk with their April 2020 born bull Drumsleed Legacy 20. This bull is by the herd’s stock bull Wolfstar Gordy, who himself has had sons up to 11,000gns, and is out of Drumsleed Farina 14. No stranger to the showring herself, Drumsleed Farina has twice been Reserve Champion at the Simmental Scottish National Show and her last son sold for 11,000gns. For the 100 cow Drumsleed herd, the Male Championship was secured for the second year in a row with Drumsleed Hivy having won this accolade, along with the Overall Simmental title, at last year’s 2021 Royal Highland Showcase event. Fantastic supporters of the Royal Highland since 1983, the Drumsleed herd have secured numerous titles including three Overall Supremes in 1998, 2002, 2010, and the showcase event in 2021.
Another bull to secure a bounty of prizes was Denizes Monty from MA Barlow & Sons, Four Oaks, Near Leyland, Lancashire. This January 2021 born bull placed first in his class of thirteen young bulls, the largest on the day, before moving through the gears to take the Overall Junior Championship; Junior Male; and Overall Reserve Male Championship titles. Full of breeding and performance figures, Denizes Monty is by Denizes Hamish who has sold bulls up to 9,500gns and with his first eleven sons having averaged 6000gns. He is out of Denizes Trixi-Belle 6th who herself has had sons up to 10,000gns. Again strong supporters of the Royal Highland, the Denizes herd have had a strong last six years at the full show which have seen them win three Supremes, an Overall Junior & Reserve Male; a Reserve Male; and with Michael Barlow himself judging in the other year. Next stop for Denizes Monty will see him take aim at the October 2022 Stirling Simmental Bull Sale.
Taking the Reserve Junior Male Championship was the January 2021 born Corskie Mikah from Mr WJ&J Green, Corskie, Garmouth, Fochabers. This young bull placed second in his class to the Junior Male Champion, and again in the day’s largest class, before following him through to the Reserve position. Corskie Mikah is by Kilbride Farm Haka and is out of Corskie Elissa VG 88 who is a Dirnanean Bradley 10 EX 93 daughter. Later in the day the Corskie herd picked up the Group of Three award with Corskie Mikah being joined by the heifers Corskie Mimic and Corskie London.
Back in the females and winning the Junior Female Championship and Overall Junior Reserve was Brandane Millie from the herd of Jimmy McMillan, The Beeches, Back Lane, Bradwell Ash, Bury St Edmunds. A well-known figure in Simmental show and sale rings around the UK over a prolonged number of years, this was Jimmy McMillan’s first time showing at the Royal Highland on his own behalf. No stranger to the winners’ circle, Jimmy has been at the halter of a number of Supreme Champions at the Highland and including for such noted herds as Darsham and Sterling respectively. On this occasion Brandane Millie is out of Sterling Candy’s FCUK, a female bought at the Sterling Sale, and whose first calf was the aforementioned Sterling FCUK Impuls, the Simmers 2019 RHAS Reserve Supreme Champion. Sired by the AI bull Sterling Gino 15, this young heifer is February 2021 born. With a show record behind her already, Brandane Millie was Reserve Interbreed at Suffolk Show and will now move on to the Royal Norfolk. The longer-term intention is to enter Brandane Millie into this year’s Next Generation II Sale at Carlisle in December.
A first time and welcome exhibitor in Simmental classes at the Royal Highland Show was David & Lesley Sapsed, all the way from High Heath Farm, Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Their long journey met with reward when securing two red tickets in the classes. First up was the April 2019 born Heathbrow Koko Star, last year’s Supreme Champion at the Great Yorkshire, and who won the class for Females calved before 3 years or due to calve before 3 years old, in Milk, or in calf born in 2019. The Sapseds’ second first prize winner was for Heathbrow Girlie’s Ivy who secured the Female born in 2017 or 2018 in Milk or certified in Calf at the time of Show.
Rolling on to the second day Friday 24th June and the Simmental breed secured the first beef Interbreed of the show when winning not only the Marks & Spencer Beefbreeder title but landing both the Champion and Reserve positions. This Interbreed title takes into account a combination of the animal’s conformation and performance figures. Winning the Interbreed, in front of judge Michael Durno, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch, was the December 2020 born Blackford Local Hero (P) from the noted Mr WG MacPherson (A FIRM), Blackford Farm, Croy, Inverness. This young polled bull is by the show sire Heathbrow Important (P), and is out of Blackford Echo VG 86, a Curlieu Knight daughter. This is another bull that will now be aimed at the Stirling Simmental October 2022 Bull Sale. For the MacPhersons, this latest win made it a nap hand of five Interbreed wins over the years with Simmentals in the Marks & Spencer Beefbreeder competition. Lifting the Reserve was the previously mentioned Corskie Mikah from WJ & J Green.
To common acclaim it was great to be back at the Royal Highland Show and a big thank you and congratulations are extended to all the prize winners and exhibitors, and to the Simmental judge for the day for a job very well done, Mr Joe Wilson.
2022 ROYAL HIGHLAND SHOW SIMMENTAL RESULTS 262 Female born on or after 1st April 2021 1st Gary & Angela Christie Rockytop Mamma Mia 2nd Mr J McMillan Brandane Mint 3rd Mr W J & J Green Corskie Millie
263 Female born between 1st January & 31st March 2021 1st Mr J McMillan Brandane Millie 2nd Mr W J & J Green Corskie M-Enna 3rd Mr L D Quarm Annick Desiree’s Midnight
264 Female born on or between 1st January & 30th June 2020 1st Mr L D Quarm Annick Icicle’s Leah 2nd Mr W J & J Green Corskie London 3rd Reece & Andrew Simmers Islavale Viva 8
265 Female born on or between 1st January & 30th June 2020 1st Reece & Andrew Simmers Islavale Lullaby 2nd Mr L D Quarm Annick Ginger’s Lucia 3rd Mr J McMillan Brandane Lu-Lu
266 Female calved before 3 years or due to calve before 3 years old, in milk or in calf born in 2019 1st D A & L A Sapsed Heathbrow Koko Star 2nd Mr L D Quarm Annick Islay’s Kiwi 3rd Reece & Andrew Simmers Rathnashan Legsfirst
267 Female born in 2017 or 2018 in milk or certified in calf at time of show 1st D A & L A Sapsed Heathbrow Girlie’s Ivy 2nd Mr L D Quarm Annick Desiree’s Joy
268 Female born on or before 31st December 2016 in milk or certified in calf at time of show 1st Mr W G MacPherson Blackford Hyalite 2nd Mr L D Quarm Annick Colleen’s Ginger
269 Bull born on or after 1st April 2021 1st Gavin Brown Springfield Medallion 21 2nd Gavin Brown Springfield Major 21 3rd James McKay Wightman Coxhill Master 21
270 Bull born on or between 1st January & 31st March 2021 1st M A Barlow & Sons Denizes Monty 21 2nd Mr W J & J Green Corskie Mikah 21 3rd Gavin Brown Islavale Jackpot 21
271 Bull born on or between 1st January & 31st December 2020 1st Mr G W Smith Drumsleed Legacy 20 2nd Crudie Farming Company Clonagh Matador 3rd Mr W G MacPherson Blackford Local Hero 20
SP1 Best Junior Female Mr J McMillan Brandane Millie
SP2 Reserve Junior Female Mr L D Quarm Annick Icicle’s Leah
SP3 Best Female Reece & Andrew Simmers Islavale Lullaby
SP4 Reserve Female Mr L D Quarm Annick Ginger’s Lucia
SP5 Best cow with calf at food, to be judged as a pair D A & L A Sapsed Heathbrow Girlie’s Ivy
SP6 Best Junior Bull M A Barlow & Sons Denizes Monty 21
SP7 Reserve Junior Bull Mr W J & J Green Corskie Mikah 21
SP8 Best Bull Mr G W Smith Drumsleed Legacy 20
SP9 Reserve Bull M A Barlow & Sons Denizes Monty 21
SP10 Breeder of Best Bull Mr G W Smith
SP11 Best Junior Animal M A Barlow & Sons Denizes Monty 21
17-month-old Simmental prime bulls (pictured) from Vernon Bailey, Mixbury Hall Farm, Brackley, Northants made to £2125 to top the prime bull trade at Rugby Farmers Market, Stoneleigh on Monday 27th June. A bull weighing in at 790kgs led the trade at £2125, with a 748kg bull at £2027, and a 734kg bull at £1967. An 890kg Simmental steer from DJ Hull and partners made £2163. Meeting the needs of commercial producers, Simmental sired progeny are fast growing with terrific weight for age, producing in spec quality carcases with a high retail beef yield. In work through AHDB, Simmentals have been confirmed as the UK’s leading continental beef breed for age at slaughter.
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