A very stylish and powerful heifer was how judge David Lowry described the supreme Simmental champion at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society’s 153rd annual show, held at Balmoral Park.
Mr Lowry who runs the 65-cow Keeldrum Herd based at Lanark in Scotland, returned to home soil to judge the Simmental entry at the four-day show. Originally from County Down, the former auctioneer has been living in Scotland for 22 years.
He was a regular exhibitor at Balmoral’s King’s Hall site, and won the male championship in 1996 with stock bull Carrigeen Farm Dandy, winner of the NI Simmental Male of the Year title in 1996 and 1997.
“There was a small turnout of Simmentals at Balmoral, but the quality was excellent. The females were exceptionally good, and on the day dominated the bulls,” explained David Lowry, who judged the Balmoral sheep interbreed pair and group championships in 2015.
Catching David Lowry’s eye to secure the female and supreme overall championship plaudits was the September 2020 heifer Ashland Topaz Lopez bred by Pat Kelly, and son Frank, from Tempo, County Fermanagh. Sired by the 14,000gns Saltire Impressive, she is bred from the Ashland Brandy daughter, Ashland Topaz 2nd – one of ten cows in the herd.
Female and supreme overall Simmental champion at Balmoral Show was Ashland Topaz Lopez bred by Pat and Frank Kelly, Tempo.
This much-admired heifer won the Simmental senior championship at the inaugural Four Breeds Calf Show, held at Dungannon last November. This was the Ashland herd’s second supreme Balmoral title, having won the award in 2007 with the home-bred Ashland Lady Diamond 3rd.
David Lowry commented: “The champion is a very stylish and powerful heifer, with tremendous length. She oozes style and ring presence, is full of breed character, and displays great locomotion. A worthy winner!”
Runner-up was the reserve female champion Ranfurly Stella 12th from David and Jonny Hazelton’s 20-cow herd in Dungannon. Born in October 2020 she is by Whitemire King Kong, and bred from the Hillcrest Champion daughter Raceview Fancy Winty – purchased at Roscommon in 2016 for 4,600 Euros.
This heifer is a maternal sister to the 9,000gns Ranfurly Jackpot, sold at Stirling in February 2020.
“The reserve champion is another classy and stylish heifer, with great length and good locomotion,” added the judge.
The reserve female and reserve supreme Simmental champion at 153rd Balmoral Show was Ranfurly Stella 12th bred by David and Jonny Hazelton, Dungannon.
Brothers Shane and Paul McDonald from Tempo won the junior championship award with the January 2021 Ashland Topaz Mair. Purchased privately from Pat and Frank Kelly last autumn, this heifer was sired by Saltire Impressive, and bred from the Whitemire King Kong daughter Ashland Topaz 3rd – a maternal sister to the dam of the supreme champion.
“The junior champion is a powerful junior heifer, with great width and tremendous fleshing ability,” commented David Lowry.
Junior champion was Ashland Topaz Mair exhibited by brothers Shane and Paul McDonald, Tempo.
Claiming the male and reserve junior championship honours was the March 2021 bull Craigy Max bred by William, Jane, Jamie and Lewis Dodd from Saintfield. Sired by Longbeach Darius, his dam Ranfurly Kleeb 35th was purchased at the Ranfurly herd’s second production sale in 2016, and is one of 12 pedigree cows in the Craigy Herd.
David Lowry added: “This junior bull is a fine example of the breed, and has a level topline, great width throughout, and good locomotion.”
Male champion and reserve junior champion was Craigy Max bred by William and Jane Dodd from Saintfield.
The reserve male championship went to Ballinalare Farm Mack, an eleven-month-old bull bred by Joe and Alan Wilson, Rathfriland. He was sired by the herd’s 8,200 Euros stock bull Rabawn Ernie, champion at the Irish society’s 2014 sale in Tullamore. His dam Ballinalare Farm Helena 2nd , is an Auchorachan Wizard daughter out of Glenturk Tulip, a heifer won by Joe Wilson in a charity raffle.
Joe and Alan Wilson’s Ballinalare Farm Mack was the reserve male champion at Balmoral Show.
Joe and Alan Wilson also won the award for the best pair of Simmentals. The winning duo were Ballinalare Farm Ladybird and Ballinalare Farm Lizabel, described by the judge as well balanced and matching heifers. They are both daughters of the 10,000gns herd sire Denizes Fantastic – reserve junior champion at Stirling in February 2016.
The award for the best pair of Simmentals went to Ballinalare Farm Lizabel and Ballinalare Farm Ladybird exhibited by Neil and Alan Wilson, Rathfriland. Included is judge David Lowry, Lanark.Supreme champion at Balmoral Show was Ashland Topaz Lopez exhibited by Frank Kelly, Tempo; while the reserve champion was Ranfurly Stella 12th exhibited by Jonny Hazelton, Dungannon. Included is judge David Lowry, Lanark.
Results from the judging ring….
Specials
The Bobbie Dickson Perpetual Championship Trophy for the champion: P Kelly. Reserve: WD and JD Hazelton.
British Simmental Cattle Society Engraved Crystal Glasses for the champion: P Kelly.
Imex Perpetual Cow Bell for the female champion: P Kelly. Reserve: WD and JD Hazelton.
Bangor and Six Road Ends Farmers’ Union Perpetual Trophy for the female champion: P Kelly.
Bobbie Gamble Perpetual Challenge Trophy for the best heifer: P Kelly.
NI Simmental Club Trophy for the exhibitor-bred male champion: William and Jane Dodd. Reserve: J and A Wilson.
William Black Memorial Perpetual Cup for the male champion: William and Jane Dodd.
News Letter Shield for the junior champion: S and P McDonald. Reserve: William and Jane Dodd.
Silver Award for the best exhibit bred in Northern Ireland: P Kelly.
Classes
Cow or heifer, born in 2019 – 1, William Gubbins, Prablin Lucy by Dermotstown Delboy.
Heifer, born between 01/01/20 and 30/06/20 – 1, J and A Wilson, Ballinalare Farm Lizabel by Denizes Fantastic; 2, J and A Wilson, Ballinalare Farm Ladybird by Denizes Delboy.
Heifer, born between 01/07/20 and 31/12/20 – 1, Pat and Frank Kelly, Ashland Topaz Lopez by Saltire Impressive; 2, WD and JD Hazelton, Ranfurly Stella 12th by Whitemire King Kong; 3, JL and CJ Weatherup, Lisglass Lollipop by Dermotstown Delboy.
Heifer, born on or after 01/01/21 – 1, S and P McDonald, Ashland Topaz Mair by Saltire Impressive; 2, JL and CJ Weatherup, Lisglass Marigold by Omorga Jaguar; 3, J and A Wilson, Ballinalare Farm Modesty by Camus Brandy.
Bull, born on or after 01/01/21 – 1, William and Jane Dodd, Craigy Max by Longbeach Darius; 2, J and A Wilson, Ballinalare Farm Mack by Rabawn Ernie.
Pair, property of exhibitor – 1, J and A Wilson, Ballinalare Farm Lizabel and Ballinalare Farm Ladybird; 2, JL and CJ Weatherup, Lisglass Marigold and Lisglass Lollipop; 3, J and A Wilson, Ballinalare Farm Modesty and Ballinalare Farm Medusa.
There was a steady trade for pedigree and commercial cattle at the Northern Ireland Simmental Club’s evening show and sale, held at Swatragh Livestock Market.
Prices peaked at 3,700gns, with auctioneer Stephen Redmond confirming that 10 bulls changed hands to level at £2,768 per head (83%), while four pedigree females topped at 2,600gns and averaged £2,086 each.
Dunrock Mighty
Claiming the sale’s top price of 3,700gns was new breeder Chris Quinn from Cookstown who exhibited the thirteen-month-old Dunrock Mighty. This first prize winner was sired by Curaheen Bandit, and bred from one of the herd’s foundation females, Ranfurly Weikel 27th J16 – purchased for 5,500gns as an in-calf heifer at the Ranfurly herd’s third production sale in 2020. This much-admired red bull was a first prize winner at the inaugural Four-Breeds Calf Show, held at Dungannon last November. Boasting Breedplan figures in the top 5% for eye muscle area +5.6, milk +14 and terminal production index +100, he sold to R McGilligan from Drumsurn, Limavady.
Male Champion Corrick Laser
Second highest bid of the evening 3,300gns was paid to Cecil McIlwaine, and sons Scott and Neil, from Newtownstewart, for the November 2020 Corrick Laser. This bull caught the eye of judge Ryan Gilmour, Dungannon, to secure the male championship. Sired by Seafort Gill, he is the first calf bred from the home-bred Woodhall Ferrari daughter Corrick Iris. Ranked in the breed’s top 10% for terminal production index +100, he was snapped up by Crockataggart Farms based at Draperstown. Established over 40 years ago, the 18-cow Corrick Herd has sold four Seafort Gill sons this spring at Stirling, Dungannon and Swatragh to average £4,804 per head.
“There was a good show of quality stock at Swatragh. The male champion is a tremendous bull with power, width, length and a good top,” explained Ryan Gilmore, whose Gillview Herd comprises of eight breeding females.
Also making his Simmental show and sale debut was first-time exhibitor Joseph Muldoon from Aughnacloy. He brought out the second placed Belragh Major ET who sold for 2,860gns to George Hamilton, Randalstown.
This fourteen-month-old bull was sired by Kilbride Farm Dragoon, and bred from Raceview Kalyto Ginger – purchased for 3,300 Euros at the Raceview Herd’s draft sale at Roscommon in 2019. Belragh Major is in the breed’s top 10% for eye muscle area +5.0 and milk +10.
Joseph Muldoon’s Belragh prefix comprises of three breeding females, managed alongside a small pedigree Texel flock, 30 commercial suckler cows, and 150 cross-bred ewes.
Following close behind at 2,800gns was the October 2020 Edenbann Lorenzo TPI+70 SRI+79 bred by Garvagh vet Nevin Smyth. This first prize winner is a son of the herd’s jointly owned stock bull Rabawn Flame, and is out of a home-bred Curaheen Apostle dam. Buyer was Ronnie Killen from Newbuildings.
Two lots sold for 2,500gns each. First to sell was the third prize winning Bridgewater Farm Linton bred by Nigel Glasgow, Cookstown. Born in November 2020, he is by Islavale Frontier, and out of a home-bred dam by the twice Balmoral Show breed champion Dermotstown Delboy. This bull is in the breed’s top 5% for milk +11 and eye muscle area +5.5, and top 15% for self-replacing index +105. Highest bidder was David Thompson from Killaloo, Londonderry.
Reserve Male Champion Hiltonstown Marquez
Selling for 2,500gns to Martin Smyth, Castlerock, was the reserve male champion Hiltonstown Marquez bred by Richard Rodgers, and son Rhys, from Portglenone. Another by Islavale Frontier, this thirteen-month-old bull is bred from Hiltonstown Grace VG88 – one of 35 cows in the herd. He is in the top 10% for calving ease +4.0, and his maternal half-brother was exported to Germany earlier this year.
Judge Ryan Gilmour added: “The reserve male champion is another good well-balanced bull.”
Females reached a ceiling of 2,600gns, paid to sale sponsor Eamon McCloskey, Kilrea, for the female and supreme overall champion Drumagarner Lacy. Born in 2020, she was sired by Lissadel King VIP, and is out of a home-bred dam by the 12,000gns Kilbride Farm Bantry.
Described by the judge as lovely, sweet heifer with great style and show presence, she sold to pedigree breeder David Cameron, Portstewart, for his Ballee Herd.
Eamon McCloskey’s second placed Drumagarner Lorraine sold for 2,000gns to Ronnie Killen. Born in June 2020 she is by herd sire Rabawn Flame, and out of a home-bred dam. This heifer is in-calf to Curaheen Dickens.
The commercial section of the sale attracted an entry of in-calf and maiden heifers. In-calf heifers peaked at £1,320 and £1,260, paid to Carson Smylie, Nutt’s Corner, for cross-bred Simmental heifers, due in June to a Simmental bull. Maiden heifers sold to a top of £1,280, paid to Kenneth and Andrew Clarke, Tynan; while Keith Nelson, Rosslea, realised £1,160 for a cross-bred maiden heifer.
Simmental bulls sold to a top of 3,500gns at the British Simmental Cattle Society’s regional show and sale, held at Dungannon Farmers’ Mart on Friday 25th March.
Lisglass Leo
Sale leader was the first prize winning Lisglass Leo TSI+77 SRI+90, bred by the father and son team of Leslie and Christopher Weatherup, Ballyclare. Sired by Islavale Frontier, his dam is the home-bred Liglass Iona – one of 35 cows in the herd. This eighteen-month-old bull is no stranger to success, having won the Reserve Senior Championship at the inaugural Four Breeds Calf Show at Dungannon in November last year. Ranked in the breed’s top five per cent for eye muscle area at +5.5, he sold to JA Humphrey from Coleraine.
Corrick Laird, Male Champion
Second highest price of the day 3,000gns was paid to Cecil McIlwaine, and sons Scott and Neil, Newtownstewart, for the Male Champion Corrick Laird TSI+77 SRI+81. Sired by Seafort Gill, this nineteen-month-old bull is the first calf bred from the Omorga Tarbuck daughter Corrick Jenny. He sold to B McDermott from Fintona, County Tyrone.
Founded over 40 years ago, the Corrick herd comprises of 20 pedigree cows. The McIlwaine’s have sold Seafort Gill sons to a top of 8,000gns, with three averaging £5,250 per head at Stirling and Dungannon.
Irish judge Sean McGarry from the 8-cow Clonguish Herd in Longford said the Male Champion stood out. “There were quality entries at the top of each class, but the male champion really caught my eye. He is a stylish bull with excellent conformation, and is very correct throughout.”
Coolcran Lambrini
Two lots came under the hammer of auctioneer Trevor Wylie at 2,900gns each. First to sell was the third placed Coolcrannel Mighty TSI+68 SRI+85, consigned by William Phair, Lisbellaw. This fourteen-month-old bull was sired by the 2014 and 2015 Balmoral Show champion Dermotstown Delboy, and is bred from the home-bred Curaheen Apostle daughter Coolcrannel Holly. He was snapped up by Danny McLaughlin from Dungiven.
William and Keith Stubbs, Irvinestown, realised 2,900gns for the first prize winning Rehall Moneymaker TSI+84 SRI+97. This polled bull was born in January 2021, and is by Curaheen Gunshot; while his dam is the home-bred Rehall Flower. With an eye muscle area of +5.6 placing him in the breed’s top five per cent, he sold to WJ Simpson from Killyleagh, County Down.
First bull into the salering Dressogue Legacy TSI+86 SRI+98 came under the hammer at 2,600gns for Seamus O’Kane and Sons from Drumquin, Omagh. Born in May 2020, he is by the herd’s 11,000gns stock bull Islavale Invincible; and his dam is the home-bred Dressogue Goldie. In the top five per cent for milk +12, he sold to Patrick Quinn from Stoneyford, Lisburn.
Claiming the day’s Reserve Male Championship award was the seventeen-month-old Coolcran Lambrini TSI+91 and SRI+98 bred by brothers Shane and Paul McDonald, Tempo. Sired by Ashland Brandy, he is bred from Coolcran Juliet’s Ella – one of 20 cows in the herd founded in 2006. Buyer at 2,500gns was C McKeeman from Bushmills.
Drumacritten Lily
Female trade peaked at 2,600gns, paid to William Nelson, and son George, Rosslea, for the September 2020 born Drumacritten Lily. She caught the judge’s eye to claim the Female Championship plaudits. Sired by the 14,000gns Saltire Impressive, this heifer is bred from the Raceview King daughter Drumacritten Wanda EX91 – one of ten cows in the County Fermanagh-based herd. Buyer was Ian Magill from Millisle who has recently established the Ballyrolly Herd.
The Nelson duo also secured a bid of 2,000gns for the second placed Drumacritten Louise. Born in September 2020, she is by Dermotstown Delboy, and out of a home-bred Curaheen Dickens dam. Buyer was pedigree herd owner Ashley Bowden, owner of the Legmurn Herd based at Stewartstown.
Sales from the Slievenagh; Omorga; and Hiltonstown herds
Three-year-old cow Slievenagh Klassy Lady was exported to Felix Tobler from Switzerland.
The New Year is off to a good start for three Simmental herds located in counties Antrim and Tyrone, Northern Ireland, with the export of two cows and calves, five heifers, and one young bull to breeders in Switzerland and Germany.
Slievenagh Lottie was exported to the Bunde family’s herd in Germany.
The deal featuring the Slievenagh, Omorga and Hiltonstown herds, follows on from an ‘export first’ in July 2020 involving 11 Northern Ireland-bred Simmental cattle. This latest export deal was struck with three repeat customers and a new buyer, and bolsters an upsurge in international demand for genetics, embryos and semen from high health status herds in Northern Ireland.
Robin Boyd from the Portglenone-based 30-cow Slievenagh Herd is the British Simmental Cattle Society’s World Simmental and Fleckvieh Federation representative and was one of three breeders who shipped pedigree cattle to the continent last week.
“We are delighted to announce another significant export of Simmentals to Switzerland and Germany. The breed was first imported to Northern Ireland in 1971, and last year, as the NI Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club celebrated its 50th Anniversary, we were brokering a deal to export ten Simmental cattle to the breed’s native homeland,” explained Robin Boyd.
“The dual-purpose Simmental is one of the more influential breeds in the UK, offering both superior terminal and maternal traits. This latest export is testimony to the quality and consistency of Northern Ireland bred cattle and gives breeders in Germany and Switzerland an opportunity to tap-into new bloodlines from proven bulls and cow families.”
Mr Boyd continued: “It is very pleasing to see that the majority of the cattle are going to satisfied customers Felix Tobler, Christian Bunde and Mario Walther, and new buyer Markus Rahn. “
The initial export almost eighteen-months ago was initiated by Flex Tobler, and his son Joel, from Chapelle in Switzerland, who had visited the UK and NI to participate in stockjudging competitions organised by the Simmental Young Members’ Association. Their enthusiasm fuelled a growing interest in local cattle, which resulted in visits from prospective buyers in October 2019 and January 2020.
The Tobler family were the first-ever herd owners to import cattle, of any breed, from Northern Ireland to Switzerland.
Felix and Joel Tobler took delivery of five animals carrying the Boyd family’s Slievenagh prefix. The consignment included the three-year-old cow Slievenagh Klassy Lady, an Omorga Isaac daughter, bred from Slievenagh Faith VG85, whose maternal granddam Slievenagh Madonna bred the 20,000gns Perth reserve supreme champion Slievenagh Talisman (Nov 2007). This young cow was accompanied by her polled eight-month-old Coose Jericho bull calf.
The March 2019 Slievenagh Krystal was sired by Shacon Hannibal, one of the most influential sires at the Society’s recent Next Generation Sale in Carlisle. Her dam is the Kilbride Farm Bantry daughter Slievenagh Emmylou EX90. Included in the deal was Krystal’s eight-week-old heifer calf Slievenagh Monica, a daughter of home-bred stock bull Slievenagh Kildare.
Also selling to Felix Tobler was the yearling heifer Slievenagh Molly. She is a polled daughter of Dermotstown Delboy, and a twin heifer bred from first calver Slievenagh Jasmine. This heifer’s maternal grandam Slievenagh Buttercup EX90 was the UK’s first Golden Cow in the new register launched by the society in 2019.
The Bunde family from Drewitz in Germany, purchased the 2020 born heifers Slievenagh Lottie and Slievenagh Lily (P).
Lottie was second in a strong class for autumn-born heifers in the NI Simmental Club’s virtual show last year. She was sired by Omorga Murray and is out of the Kilbride Farm Bantry daughter Slievenagh Goddess, which hails from the Madonna female line.
Lily is by Slievenagh Justthejob, a home-bred homozygous polled son of Kilbride Farm Glenhead. Her dam is Slievenagh Iris from the noted Omorga Daffodil family.
The Moore family’s polled heifer Omorga Midnight also sold to Mario Walther from Frankfurt.
Mario Walther from Frankfurt bought two Curaheen Gunshot progeny from the Moore family’s 40-cow Omorga prefix. Both nine-months of age, Omorga Midnight (P) is bred from the Kilbride Farm Bantry daughter Omorga Fanny, while the bull Omorga Moses (P) is bred from Curaheen Dell. Mr Walther previously purchased from the Omorga Herd in 2020.
Richard and Rhys Rodgers from Portglenone, were also part of the 2020 export deal, and this time sold a heifer to German customer Markus Rahan. The March 2020 Hiltonstown Lindsay was sired by the 2014 and 2015 Balmoral Show champion Dertmotstown Delboy and is out of the home-bred dam Hiltonstown Grace VG88 – one of 35 cows in the herd.
The export was facilitated by livestock haulier Martin O’Neill, with the journey from Northern Ireland via Rosslare and Cherbourg, taking almost three days. This latest deal continues what has been a significant export demand for British Simmental live cattle and genetics over the last two years with further sales to Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, USA, and China
Nine-month-old bull Omorga Moses sold to German buyer Mario Walther.Polled heifer Slievenagh Lily was purchased by the Bunde family from Drewitz in Germany.
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