PART THREE OF THREE:  SIMMENTALS TOPPING COMMERCIAL SALES IN AUGUST AT 32 MARKETS AROUND THE UK!

PART THREE OF THREE: SIMMENTALS TOPPING COMMERCIAL SALES IN AUGUST AT 32 MARKETS AROUND THE UK!

SIMMENTALS TOPPING SALE SECTIONS AT: SEDGEMOOR; SKIPTON; SELBY; ABERDEEN; GISBURN; HALLWORTHY; CARLISLE; MARKET DRAYTON; DINGWALL; SALISBURY; MALTON; BAKEWELL; RUGBY; HEXHAM; THAME; CROOKLANDS; THIRSK; SHREWSBURY; STIRLING; EXETER; WHITLAND; LUDLOW; FROME; MELTON MOWBRAY; DARLINGTON; CARMARTHERN; AYR; MONMOUTHSHIRE; DUMFRIES; BALLYMENA; PENRITH; AND SWATRAGH

Analysis of Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) data has shown Simmental gives beef producers more. Industry leading age at slaughter, whether sired by a Simmental or out of a Simmental dam, reductions in finishing costs, and lower emissions meeting environmental challenges. The ultimate combination for Daily Carcase Gain has been shown as the progeny of a Simmental bull out of a Simmental dam, and with the highest rates of DCG, attained by both Continental and Native sires, being for progeny out of Simmental dams. It’s tremendous economics for commercial beef producers.

It’s the final part of Simmentals topping store, prime, breeding, cull, and calf sale sections at markets round the country in August 2024. If you have any snippets of Simmentals topping sales in your area then please forward them to information@britishsimmental.co.uk and we’ll be happy to included them in future Market Briefs.

United Auctions, Stirling, on 14th August sold 875 store cattle & young bulls, 258 Breeding Cattle & 221 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls. OTM bulls sold to £2010 for a 816kg SIM from North Balloch.

At Melton Mowbray’s sale of 161 store cattle on 13th August, forward Simmental steers from GW Swales & Son sold to £1590 with further steers the same way bred from the same stable also seeing £1550 for a brace, and to feature in the leading prices. The same vendor sold well fleshed Simmental heifers to £1400.
In a sale of 155 calves at Shrewsbury on 13th August a few stronger month old types on offer sold to a top of £520 for a smart Simmental bull from John Phillips.
Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held their weekly sale of cast cattle, store and breeding stock and their fortnightly sale of rearing calves on 12tth August. Forward were 257 cattle and 31 calves. Leading the heifers in the store cattle was a super Simmental from A Wilson, Calf Close Farm at £1550.
In a sale of calves at Rugby Farmers Mart on 12th August, the top price was £330 for Simmental bulls.
On 12th August at Market Drayton and a sale of 134 barren cows, cull bulls and overage clean cattle, bulls peaked at 243p, £2,240.46, for a Simmental from Warner Family.
In a sale of prime cattle at Exeter on 12th August, prime heifers topped at £1526 (612kg x 250ppk) for a meaty Simmental from Freddi Chanin of Thorverton.
Bakewell Market held a sale of 127 barren, OTM, and feeding cows on 12th August. Meated cows generally 210p plus with the biggest cows over £1500. Top gross price was £1753.10 for a Simm from BD & JH Ponsonby, Tideswell Moor.
In a sale of 208 store cattle at Ludlow on 9th August, the top price heifer was a Simm X at £1580 and 317ppk.
SIMMENTAL HEIFER AT £2233 TOPS DARLINGTON CLEAN CATTLE

At Darlington’s prime stock sale on 8th August, 124 clean cattle were forward. A marvellous forty-three cattle sold over £2000! Top gross valued heifer was a thumping 747kg Simmental from J Richmond, Dunsa Bank Farm, Richmond at £2233.

North West Auctions Junction 36 fortnightly sale of calves and stirks on 8th August saw an entry of 92 forward. Stirks sold to a top of £990 on three occasions and including for a Simmental from Bambers Farms, Cockerham.
At Hallworthy’s sale of 165 store cattle on 8th August, top of the day was £1500 given for a trio of older Simental x steers in from the Maunder family of Landrake who sold others to £1240 and £1230.
On 7th August Harrison & Hetherington held their weekly sale of Weaned cattle at Borderway, Carlisle, with 275 stirks forward. Auchengray Farm sold the top priced Simmental heifer for £1400, the day’s top price heifer, and with Mr Paul Davidson, Old Irvine Farm selling the top priced Simmental bull for £1450.
In a sale of 196 calves at Carmarthen on 7th August, one-month-old Simm bulls sold to £458 from Price, Cwrt Mawr, to feature in the leading prices.
A sale of cull cows at Frome on 7th August saw a top gross price of £1772 for a Simm from DAM Marklove, Lydiard Millicent.
In a sale of prime cattle at Malton on 6th August, steers were topped at £2182.95 for a 19 month old Simm, 810kgs, from AW Hardwick
In a sale of calves and stirks at Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd, Ayr on 6th August, the trade for stirks was topped at £1220 for a Simmental Cross Heifer off Messrs McLelland, Knockshinnoch.
At Salisbury Livestock Market on 6th August, the sale of UTM finished cattle saw a very strong trade throughout. Top prices went to a good run from Tony Nutland and family which saw homebred Simmental x steers reach the day’s highest price and return of 265p and £1856.65 with a homebred Simmental x heifer topping her section at 263.5p.
In an ‘exceptional entry of 153 calves forward’ at Monmouthshire on 6th August, plenty of purchasers looking for quality types. Topping the trade was a Simmental bull from Raymond, Mathry, selling for £615.
C&D Auction Marts held their fortnightly sale of Store Cattle in Dumfries on 5th August.
Bulls sold to £1560 for Simmentals from J B Paterson & Co, Hartbush and to 321.6p/kg also from J B Paterson & Co, Hartbush.
In a sale of calves at Ballymena on 2nd August, bulls were topped by a Sim at £985 from A Clarke Randalstown, who had another at £825.
On 2nd August, Penrith & District Farmers’ Mart LLP held their fortnightly sale of Rearing Calves and Stirks with 121 forward. Bull stirks were led at £860 by a Simmental from Church Stile Farm.
On 1st August Aberdeen & Northern Marts held a sale of cast cows and bulls on behalf of Orkney consigners at Thainstone. Beef Cows Sold to £1,770 gross for a 848kg Simmental from J & M Dearness, Knowe, Sanday.
On 30th July at Swatragh a great entry of 80 quality cattle was presented for sale which resulted in another super trade for all stock on offer. Bullocks sold to a top of £1920 per head for a Sim at 746kg (257p/kg).
PART TWO OF THREE: SIMMENTALS TOPPING COMMERCIAL SALES IN AUGUST AT 32 MARKETS AROUND THE UK!

PART TWO OF THREE: SIMMENTALS TOPPING COMMERCIAL SALES IN AUGUST AT 32 MARKETS AROUND THE UK!

SIMMENTALS TOPPING SALE SECTIONS AT: SEDGEMOOR; SKIPTON; SELBY; ABERDEEN; GISBURN; HALLWORTHY; CARLISLE; MARKET DRAYTON; DINGWALL; SALISBURY; MALTON; BAKEWELL; RUGBY; HEXHAM; THAME; CROOKLANDS; THIRSK; SHREWSBURY; STIRLING; EXETER; WHITLAND; LUDLOW; FROME; MELTON MOWBRAY; DARLINGTON; CARMARTHERN; AYR; MONMOUTHSHIRE; DUMFRIES; BALLYMENA; PENRITH; AND SWATRAGH

Analysis of Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) data has shown Simmental gives beef producers more. Industry leading age at slaughter, whether sired by a Simmental or out of a Simmental dam, reductions in finishing costs, and lower emissions meeting environmental challenges. The ultimate combination for Daily Carcase Gain has been shown as the progeny of a Simmental bull out of a Simmental dam, and with the highest rates of DCG, attained by both Continental and Native sires, being for progeny out of Simmental dams. It’s tremendous economics for commercial beef producers.

It’s part two of three of Simmentals topping store, prime, breeding, cull, and calf sale sections at markets round the country in August 2024.

Hexham and Northern Marts held its weekly sale of 224 Store Cattle on 23RD August with trade throughout the sale being very strong and with no let-up in trade on short keep cattle. Leading the sale with a Simmental cross steer at £1960.00 was Mr Douglas Green, Longlea. At £1760 was a thick Simmental cross heifer from Riding Mill producer Mr R M Johnston, High Fotherly.

On 23rd August at Thame Farmers Auction Mart Ltd sale of 264 cattle, a large entry for the TB Exempt Sale met a strong trade for all. Red Lion Farms topped the steer trade with a trio of Simmental steers at £1620. Dave Alder sold his single suckled Simmental x heifer at £1685 to top the sale.

North West Auctions Jct 36 sale of 115 calves and stirks on 22nd August saw a top call of £530 achieved by MH&AR Robinson, Kendal for a Simmental bull.

In a sale of 200 store cattle at Hallworthy on 22nd August, the Heifer section was led by the Backway Family with four cracking Simmental x Heifers at £1590. The same vendor sold four Simmental x Steers at £1500 at 16 months old and three other Simmentals at £1420 at only 14 months old!

At Thirsk’s sale of 166 cattle on 22nd August, the best grossing cull cow at £1908.59 was a Simmental X from F & D Cornforth, Old Byland purchased by JA Jewitt Ltd, Spennymoor.

In a sale of store cattle at Shrewsbury on 22nd August, store bulls were topped at £1050 for a 405kg Simm from Messrs Griffiths Farms Ltd. A 645kg store heifer from the same vendor sold for £1695. 19 month old Simm steers from R&EM Lightfoot sold for 318.3 ppk.

In a sale of stirks at Gisburn on 22nd August, a proper mix of bulls, steers and heifers both dairy and suckler bred all away nicely with some real highlights in the sale including a beautiful red roan Simmental x heifer topping the sale at £1520 from Mark Taylor.

United Auctions, Stirling, on 21st August, sold 959 store cattle and 211 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls. Bullocks (504) sold to £1930 for a 675kg SIMX from Mollandhu. Other SIMX bullocks from the same homemade £1880, £1860,& £1840. Beef Cows (168) sold to £2440 for a 968kg SIMX from West Mains.

On 21st August and a sale of 269 store cattle at Market Drayton, a 520kg Simmental from D&A Warrington topped the heifers at £1460.

In a sale of cull cows and bulls at Exeter on 19th August, the cull cow section was headed by strong Simmentals from Andrew and George Palk of Marldon with the better two rising to £1438 (788kg x 183ppk) and another close at £1435 (702kg x 205ppk).

At H&H’s 50th anniversary primestock sale at Carlisle on 19th August, steers sold to a day’s top of £2352.52 for a 824kgs Simmental from Messrs Harrington, Hosket Hill, Carlisle purchased by Mr Eric Hall. On the same day, and a sale of prime bulls, Simmentals from Messrs Paxton, South Milmain Farm, Stranraer sold to £2239.74 for 828kgs.

In a sale of barren cows and OTMs at Whitland Mart on 17th August, a strong demand for all classes of cull cattle saw non-tested cows selling to £1,510 for a Simmental from Owen, Cefnypant, with tested cows sold to £1,440 for a 740kg Simental from Griffiths, Rhos. In the sale of 343 store cattle, Young Bulls sold to £1,480 for a Simmental from Jones, Tegryn.

In a sale of TB restricted store cattle on 16th August at Ludlow, steers were topped at £1530 by Simm X’s, with the heifers also topped by Simm X’s at £1550.

At Aberdeen & Northern Marts, Thainstone, on 15th August, a sale of cast cows and bulls saw beef feeding cows (67) Sold to £1595 for a 768kg Simmental Cross from Raefin, Keith.

In a sale of prime cattle at Caledonian Marts, Stirling, on 15th August, beef OTMs averaged 185.26p per kg or £1335 per head selling to £1960 for a Simmental from J Brown, Greencraig. OTM males sold to £1860 for a Simmental from R Wardrop & Son, Easter Coates.

Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd, on August 14th, sold 119 store cattle, 85 adult head of breeding cattle and 50 OTM cattle. Cow with calf at foot (68) sold to £2,650 gross for a Simmental cross cow and calf from Balnuran, Culloden Moor. Cow in calf (12) sold to £1,800 gross for a Simmental cross from Balnuran, Culloden Moor.

In a sale of cull cows at Frome on 14th August, a quality Simmental cow from D & GJ Stevens soared to 226p/kg and £1632 to lead the sale.

At Market Drayton’s sale of 200 store cattle on 14th August, steers were topped at £1,700 for some Simmentals from D & A Warrington.

PART ONE OF THREE; SIMMENTALS TOPPING COMMERCIAL SALES IN AUGUST AT 32 MARKETS AROUND THE UK!

PART ONE OF THREE; SIMMENTALS TOPPING COMMERCIAL SALES IN AUGUST AT 32 MARKETS AROUND THE UK!

SIMMENTALS TOPPING SALE SECTIONS AT: SEDGEMOOR; SKIPTON; SELBY; ABERDEEN; GISBURN; HALLWORTHY; CARLISLE; MARKET DRAYTON; DINGWALL; SALISBURY; MALTON; BAKEWELL; RUGBY; HEXHAM; THAME; CROOKLANDS; THIRSK; SHREWSBURY; STIRLING; EXETER; WHITLAND; LUDLOW; FROME; MELTON MOWBRAY; DARLINGTON; CARMARTHERN; AYR; MONMOUTHSHIRE; DUMFRIES; BALLYMENA; PENRITH; AND SWATRAGH

Analysis of Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) data has shown Simmental gives beef producers more. Industry leading age at slaughter, whether sired by a Simmental or out of a Simmental dam, reductions in finishing costs, and lower emissions meeting environmental challenges. The ultimate combination for Daily Carcase Gain has been shown as the progeny of a Simmental bull out of a Simmental dam, and with the highest rates of DCG, attained by both Continental and Native sires, being for progeny out of Simmental dams. It’s tremendous economics for commercial beef producers.
See here part one of three of Simmentals topping store, prime, breeding, cull, and calf sale sections at markets round the country.

At Sedgemoor on 31st August and a sale of 1393 store cattle, grazing cows, & stirks, continental steers rose to £1755 for grand Simmental steers from EF & MA Cottle, North Brewham, who sold more at £1700 and £1660. More big Simmentals £1725 from C & R Foote, Stroud; £1705 A Parkin & A Broadhead and £1580 GJ & SM Down, Umberleigh. Continental heifers topped at £1585 for a Simmental from C & R Foote. More at £1515 and £1435 from EF & MA Cottle.

In a sale of 174 stirks at Skipton on 31st August, suckler bred continentals sold to an active ringside with Sim steers selling to £1100, the top steer price on the day, from T&S Holgate, Halton West.

Selby Market’s store sale on 31st August, saw young bulls sell to a top of £1270 and £1260 for Simms from S Keen.

On 30th August, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 482 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves at Thainstone. £1900 was the top call of the day for a Pen of Three Simmental Cross Heifers scaling 612kgs consigned by the Stronach Family, Berryleys, Grange. Heifers (239) averaged 305.8p and sold to 377.5p per kg for a 400kg breeding Simmental from Cairntack, Belhelvie and £1900 gross for a Pen of Three 612kg breeding Simmentals from Berryleys, Grange.

At Thainstone on 29th August, Aberdeen and Northern Marts held a sale of prime cattle. With all classes significantly dearer on the week an excellent entry of 64 prime cattle saw trade top at £2450 for a Simmental bull from Messrs Grant, Druid Temple. On the same day at a sale of cast cows and bulls, beef feeding cows (103) averaged £1263.35 and sold to £1550 for a 702kg Simmental Cross from Glencuie, Glenkindie.

On 29th August at Gisburn’s sale of 171 rearing calves, Simmental x bulls sold for £590 from RH & JS Vickery and topped the averages at £532.

At Hallworthy’s sale of store cattle on 29th August, a tremendous run of Simmental heifers from ID & SS Backway of St Columb topped the heifer section with a trio of stunning Simmental x Heifers to £1510 and a second pair to £1490, their trio of fleshed Simmental x away for breeding to £1440.

At Sedgemoor’s sale of prime cattle on 26th August, steers sold to £2,004.08 for a 752kg Simmental from CHJ Attwell & Sons, who sold more at £1,857.51 (697kg) and £1,791.28 (685kg). Heifers sold to £1,866.60 for a 680kg Simmental also from CHJ Atwell & Sons, who sold more at £1,756.82 (677kg) and £1,737.30 (647kg).

On 28th August, Harrison and Hetherington held their sale of calves at Borderway Mart, Carlisle. Once again, a bumper entry of 445 calves through the doors. Sale topped at £590 and including for a 3 month old Simmental bull from Haregills Farming, Ecclefechan.
In a sale of 256 store cattle at Market Drayton on 28th August, heifers were led at £1740 for a 594kg Simmental from D&A Warrington.

In a small sale of prime cattle at Dingwall on 27th August, prime bullocks (3) averaged 303.0p per kg and sold to 304.0p per kg twice and including a 640kg Simmental Cross from Shoreton Farms, Culbokie.

A sale of UTM Finished cattle at Salisbury Livestock Market on 27th August saw the pick of the heifers being Simmental x from Steve Dyer, Chale Farm which reached 274.5p or £1570.14.

At a sale at Malton on 27th August, young bulls topped at 283.50ppk for an excellent 17 month old Simmental X weighing 720kgs (£2041.20)from DR Beal, Marishes, selling to R Pearson. Top price was another Simmental X from the same home at £2139.13.

At Bakewell on 27th August, and a sale of barren, OTM, and feeding cows, the strong trade for best meated cows was topped at £1842 for a Simm from EH Woodward, Risley.

In a sale of calves at Rugby Farmers Mart on 26th August, top price went to Messrs RC & J Mann £335 for his Simmental Bull Calf, who also sold a Simmental Heifer to £300.

On 26th August at a sale of barren cows, cull bulls, and over age clean cattle, at Market Drayton bulls traded to £2318.80 for a Simmental from S&M Huxley & Son, Talke.

On 23rd August and a sale of store cattle on behalf of Orkney consignors at Aberdeen & Northern Marts, Thainstone, heifers sold to 317.6p per kg for a 362kg Simmental from J W S Wishart, Knockhall, South Ronaldsay.

Hexham and Northern Marts held its weekly sale of 224 Store Cattle on 23RD August with trade throughout the sale being very strong and with no let-up in trade on short keep cattle. Leading the sale with a Simmental cross steer at £1960.00 was Mr Douglas Green, Longlea. At £1760 was a thick Simmental cross heifer from Riding Mill producer Mr R M Johnston, High Fotherly.

On 23rd August at Thame Farmers Auction Mart Ltd sale of 264 cattle, a large entry for the TB Exempt Sale met a strong trade for all. Red Lion Farms topped the steer trade with a trio of Simmental steers at £1620. Dave Alder sold his single suckled Simmental x heifer at £1685 to top the sale.
DELFUR WEIGELA N12 IS CROWNED THE 2024 BRITISH SIMMENTAL VIRTUAL SHOW SUPREME CHAMPION

DELFUR WEIGELA N12 IS CROWNED THE 2024 BRITISH SIMMENTAL VIRTUAL SHOW SUPREME CHAMPION

  • October 2022 born heifer Delfur Weigela N12 wins Overall Supreme Champion
  • Newbiemains Prague places Overall Reserve
  • 2024 competition sees 457 entries, up by 26 on the year, over six classes

Delfur Weigela N12, the October 2022 born heifer from Delfur Farms, Rothes, Aberlour is this year’s winner of the 2024 British Simmental Virtual Show.  The fifth staging of this event, which has become the UK’s largest online pedigree show, saw 457 animals entered over six classes and from 87 breeders around the country.

Doing it the ‘hard way’, Delfur Weigela N12 initially came through the year’s largest class of 134 entries, for heifers born between 1st January 2022 and 31st July 2023, which was judged by Adrian Ivory of the Strathisla herd, Blairgowrie before securing the Female Championship from  Anne MacPherson of the Blackford herd, Croy.

This year’s Overall Supreme Championship was judged by the British Simmental Cattle Society’s President Norman Robson of the Kilbride Farm herd, Ballyclare and saw Delfur Weigela N12 get the nod in front of the Male Champion, the February 2023 born Newbiemains Prague from Jim and Patricia Goldie, Newbie Mains Farm, Annan.

Commenting on his Champion, Normon Robson said: “This is a really well balanced female.  She has a level top line, is very clean, shows a tremendous back end without being over muscly, and has a good tail setting.  With plenty of femininity, she shows natural fleshing, and sound, correct feet and legs.  I think she’s a very worthy Champion and is the type of high quality heifer that epitomizes the ongoing strides of improvement that Simmental breeders have been making over a number of years.”

Hearing the news of this Championship win just prior to the public announcement, Delfur herd manager Garry Patterson said:  “I’m absolutely over the moon to hear that Delfur Weigela has won the 2024 Simmental Virtual Show!  We were really delighted to win what was a huge class  and with Delfur Nifty also taking second place.  It’s been a terrific competition with a very high standard throughout, and just a great advert for the Simmental breed.  Of Delfur Weigela N12, Garry went on to say, “Along with Delfur Nifty, Weigela has done really well at the backend shows last year and through this summer and has just continued to improve and come on.  In shaping and developing the Delfur herd these are the type and quality of heifers we hope to continue to breed and build around.”   Delfur Weigela N12,  who is by Ballymoney Larry 20, and out of Delfur Weigela E12, an Auchorachan ACDC 09 9 daughter,  has been served by the herd stock bull Islavale Magnum which was purchased for 28,000gns at Stirling in October 2022.

Of the ongoing popularity of the Simmental Virtual Show, Iain Kerr the British Simmental Cattle Society General Manager said:  “First and foremost it’s a huge thank you to all of the breeders who have had a go and put forward entries for this year’s competition.  Over 450 animals from 87 breeders is just terrific and the standard throughout reflects extremely well on the depth of quality within the Simmental herdbook.  The competition is proving to be extremely popular with breeders and gives them an opportunity to come together, have a bit of fun and compete on a national level. From the numbers of people watching week on week, both in the UK and internationally, it really is a great promotional showcase for British Simmental and we’ve again had some terrific feedback.  Plans are already underway for the 2025 competition!”

All of this year’s classes, entries, and videos can be viewed on the Society’s Facebook page.

SIMPLY, AND STRATHISLA SIMMENTAL BULLS SOLD IN PRIVATE DEALS

SIMPLY, AND STRATHISLA SIMMENTAL BULLS SOLD IN PRIVATE DEALS

  • Simply Peter Pan sold to the Wacton herd of RE & SHW Steggles
  • Strathisla Pentagon joins the Denizes herd of MA Barlow & Sons

The importance of the show circuit as a ‘shop window’ for breeders to promote top quality cattle has again been highlighted with the news that two high achieving Simmental bulls through the 2024 summer have been sold in respective private deals.

At the 2024 Simmental English National Show, held within the Royal Lancashire Show, the January 2023 born Simply Peter Pan from Robert, Louise, & Margaret Fitton, Moss Hall Farm, Lostock, Bolton,  won the Male Championship, Junior Male, and Overall Junior titles in front of the judge Stewart Stronach of the Islavale Herd in Keith, Banffshire.   Seeing this stylish bull at first hand was fellow exhibitor Sam Steggles of the Wacton herd, Fieldings, Honingham, and further to family chats, and discussions, a deal was done with him being sold for £11,000 and joining the Wacton team when heading back to Norfolk following the show!

Simply Peter Pan 23 –  Male Champion, Junior Male and Overall Junior Champion, English National Show 2024

Commenting, Sam Steggles said: “We hadn’t gone to the show with the view of buying a bull but we saw Simply Peter Pan being unloaded at the Royal Lancashire and just liked him a lot straight away.  He’s a modern Simmental bull with length and shape, very clean, is good on his legs, and has a lot of breed character.  There’s proven breeding behind him and he’s got very good performance figures.  We’re delighted to get him and excited to see his progeny in due course.”  Joining the 50 head Wacton herd, the initial aim is to take some semen from the bull before putting him to a handful of cows in the backend, and with him put to more cows come next Spring having settled in.

Full of Northern Irish breeding, Simply Peter Pan is by Ashland Magic and is out of Derrycallaghan Kitkat (ET) who was bought at three months of age from breeders H C Stubbs & A A Burleigh, Ballindarragh.  Kitkat herself was Junior Champion at the Simmental Calf Show in 2019 at Borderway Agri Expo, and with her dam Corskie Vesna being a top breeding female with many of her progeny being sold at Stirling bull sales.

For the ten cow Simply herd it was a terrific couple of days with the Simmental English National Show prizes being the ten-cow herd’s highest awards to date, and followed by a private sale to a pedigree herd.  Speaking afterwards Rob Fitton said: “In the run up to, and through the show, we said that we thought this bull is the full package of looks, breeding, and performance.  His sire was bought for length, colour, and figures, and his dam is a thick set cow.  He’s clean with width, end, and no gut, carries a +9 figure for Maternal (Milk), and is +109 for Self-Replacing Index.”  Continuing he went on to say: “We’re over the moon that Simply Peter Pan is going to Sam and his noted Wacton pedigree herd.  When a pedigree man comes and buys an animal that you have bred it’s just great and there’s a little added bonus as you know that his name will appear on certificates for years to come.  We wish the Steggles family every success with him.”

Come the autumn and Rob Fitton will be taking two half-brothers of Simply Peter Pan to the Stirling Simmental Bull Sale in October.

The second private sale has seen Strathisla Pentagon, from Strathisla Farms, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, head south when selling to the Denizes Herd of MA Barlow & Sons, Near Leyland, Lancashire, and this time for £10,000.

Strathisla Pentagon at the Royal Highland Show 2024

This April 2023 born bull stood first in a strong class at the Royal Highland Show when judged by Michael Durno of the Auchorachan Herd, Glenlivet Ballindalloch. With some breeding connectivity, Strathisla Pentagon is by Denizes Logic 20 VG89, and is out of the Dirnanean Grafter 15 EX93 daughter Strathisla Jitterbug’s Haka VG85.

Commenting on this purchase, John Barlow said: “This bull just caught my eye for the tremendous length he had coupled with his power and weight for age.  His sire comes from a strong female line that we obviously know very well, and he’s got some tremendous performance figures behind him.  We think he’ll be a good fit with daughters of our primary stock bull Corskie Nutmeg, and we’ve already used him on Denizes Hamish heifers.”  Corskie Nutmeg was also purchased privately, following last year’s Royal Highland, for £32,000.

With exceptional performance figures, Strathisla Pentagon is in the breed’s top 1% for both Self Replacing and Terminal Production Indexes, the top 1% for 400 & 600 day growth, top 1% for Eye Muscle, and is +9 for Maternal (Milk).

This is the second Denizes Logic 20 bull that the Strathisla herd have sold privately recently and with a further seven sons, the first crop to be offered at sale, heading to Stirling in October.  Of Denizes Logic 20 and this private sale, Strathisla Farm’s Adrian Ivory said: “We’re delighted with Denizes Logic 20 and he’s breeding very consistently and to a type. His progeny have length, shape, are easy fleshing, and with great daily live weight gains from birth.  We’re really delighted with the sale of Strathisla Pentagon to a noted herd like Denizes.”

2024 SIMMENTAL YOUNG MEMBERS STOCK JUDGING FINALS HAILED ‘A BIG SUCCESS’!

2024 SIMMENTAL YOUNG MEMBERS STOCK JUDGING FINALS HAILED ‘A BIG SUCCESS’!

• Finals held within Simmental Young Members Weekend in Northern Ireland
• 48 competitors take part with teams from seven UK regions, plus RoI
• NI’s Martin Cunningham, and Erin Nelson win Senior, and Junior Individual titles.
• North East (England), and East Anglian Clubs win Senior, and Junior Team titles
• Master judge was Iain Green of the Corskie herd

The Northern Ireland Simmental Cattle Breeders Club hosted the British Simmental Cattle Society Young Members UK stock judging finals on Friday 26th July. The finals formed part of an extended British Simmental Young Members Weekend that comprised of the stock judging competition; further herd visits; and attendance at the NI Simmental National Show held within Antrim Show.

Some forty eight young members from seven regions across Scotland, England, and Wales, with visitors also from the Irish Simmental Cattle Breeders Club, travelled to Northern Ireland to compete in this fun and prestigious competition.

The stock judging finals were held at Kilbride Farm, Doagh, home of WH Robson and Family and the Kilbride Farm Simmental herd and with there being four classes to be assessed by the young judges, followed by giving reasons. The four classes were:
Class 1: Young Bulls
Class 2: Dry Cows
Class 3: In-calf Heifers
Class 4: Young Heifers

There were 48 competitors across three categories: Under 21 (Junior), 21-30 (Senior) and the same for international guests. All judges competed as individuals but were also paired with another judge within their age category and their scores were combined as an overall team result. There was an open competition for other competitors and family members which was also highly contested.

Master Judge for the event was Iain Green of Corskie Simmentals, Garmouth. His role involved adjudicating the reasoning element for all 48 young judges along with timekeeper, Shane McDonald.

In addition to the stock judging competition, judges and visitors enjoyed a farm tour around the Kilbride Farm Simmental Herd where there was an impressive show of young bulls, breeding females and young stock. The afternoon was followed by an evening of socialising and a hog roast before the announcement of results.

Senior Individual
1st Place – Martin Cunningham, Belfast

Overall and Senior winner Martin Cunningham with Iain Green

2nd Place – Katie Boyes, Yorkshire
3rd Place – Holly Lutkin, East Anglia

Junior Individual
1st Place – Erin Nelson, Rosslea

Junior winner Erin Nelson with Judge Iain Green

2nd Place – Chloe Cade, East Anglia
3rd Place – Callum Leedham, North Yorkshire

Senior Team
1st Place – Katie Boyes and Alex Bulmer (North East Simmental Cattle Breeders Club)

Senior Team winners Katie Boyes and Alex Bulmer with Judge Iain Green

2nd Place – Holly Lutkin and Daisy Jones (East Anglia Simmental Cattle Breeders Club)
3rd Place – Martin Cunningham and Kyra Parke (NI Simmental Cattle Breeders Club)

Junior Team
1st Place – Isabelle Markham and Chloe Cade (East Anglia Simmental Cattle Breeders Club)

Junior Team winners Isabelle Markham and Chloe Cade with Judge Iain Green

2nd Place – Erin Nelson and Molly Bradley (NI Simmental Cattle Breeders Club)
3rd Place – Emma Stronach and Aimee Stronach (Scottish Simmental Cattle Breeders Club)

International Senior Individual
1st Place – Cian Connolly, Leitrim

International Senior winner Cian Connolly with Judge Iain Green

2nd Place – Eilish Gill, Mayo
3rd Place – Jamie Reape, Mayo

Individual Junior Individual
1st Place – Jimmy Neeham, Cork

International Junior winner Jimmy Needham with Judge Iain Green

2nd Place – Bridin Needham, Cork

International Teams
1st Place – Cian Connolly and Jamie Reape (Western Simmental Club)
2nd Place – Conor Maher and Eilish Gill (Western Simmental Club)
3rd Place – Cian Martin and Eoghan Coogan (Southern Simmental Club)

Open Competition
1st Place – Timothy Hamilton
2nd Place – Fiona Sutherland
3rd Place – Sarah Jane Young

The young members attended Antrim Show for the 2024 Simmental National Show on Saturday 27th July where there was a superb lineup of Simmentals on the day. Several NI young members were involved in showing animals as well as participating in the Young Handlers competition. In the 8-12 years old category, Lewis Dodd was placed first, Timothy Rainey placed second and Danny Clarke placed third. In the 13-18 years old category, Jamie Dodd placed first and Rhys Rodgers was placed second.

Following this, the young members travelled to the Hiltonstown Herd of Richard and Rhys Rodgers, Portglenone. The visitors were taken on a farm tour, with viewing of excellent breeding stock before a barbeque and socialising in the evening.

On Sunday 28th July, the young members travelled to Newry to visit the Ballinalare Farm herd of Joe and Alan Wilson. Visitors were also given a farm tour which includes several animals to be featured in their upcoming export sale on 7th September. There are to be approximately 25 animals within in this catalogue including full embryo siblings to the unbeaten Ballinalare Farm Nikita and the 28,000 gns Banhill Farm Masterpiece.

The Northern Ireland Simmental Club extends it’s sincere thanks to all host farms for their organisation, hospitality and generosity to making the weekend a huge success. “All farms and Simmental herd visits were a credit to the families involved and testament to their dedication to the Simmental breed”, Irish Simmental Cattle Society.

Also, thanks to Master Judge, Iain Green, for sharing his expertise and adjudicating the event as well as to all young members, family members and visitors for attending all events and supporting the club.