ROCKING IT! CADE KATHLEEN’S ROCKSTAR WINS OVERALL SIMMENTAL SUPREME AT THE 2026 GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW!
- Cade Kathleen’s Rockstar takes Reserve Overall Supreme Individual Interbreed
- Simmental wins Interbreed Team of Four for Second Year Running
- Popes Princess Lumi and Denizes Nugget win Interbreed Pairs
- Newbiemains win Reserve Overall, Male Champion, and Junior Champion
Adding to what has become a stellar show season, the stylish in-calf heifer Cade Kathleen’s Rockstar, aka ‘Roxy’, from the Rougemont pedigree herd of Mary Cormack, Leominster, Hereford, swept all before her to win the Simmental Overall Supreme Championship at the 2026 Great Yorkshire Show held in Harrogate.
Overall Champion, Cade Kathleen’s Rockstar
In perfect morning showing conditions on Wednesday 15th July, a quality line up of Simmentals strutted their stuff in front of a healthy crowd and the judge for the day Gavin Brown of the noted Springfield herd at Penicuik, Midlothian. With some real quality through the classes, the traditional Championship ‘tap’ was given to the January 2024 born Cade Kathleen’s Rockstar.
‘Roxy’ was purchased by Mary Cormack for 15,000gns at the Next Generation V Sale at Carlisle in December last year, and from breeders Paul & Sharrie Cade, Buckden, Peterborough. Sired by Sacombe Jameson 18, and out of Brandane Kathleen, Roxy is in-calf to Backmuir Pegasus. Rolling back to 2025, this heifer had stood Reserve Overall, Female Champion, and Junior Champion, at the Simmental English National Show.
Moving onto this year, and under the ownership of Mary Cormack, ‘Roxy’ has just continued to ‘wow’ the crowds and wrack up a host of titles. Taking a little look, here’s a summary of just some to date:
Great Yorkshire Show Overall Simmental Champion & female Champion, Reserve Overall Individual Interbreed, and part of the winning Simmental Interbreed Team of Four; Simmental Champion at the Royal Three Counties; Overall Simmental Champion and Individual Interbreed Supreme at the Royal Cornwall; and the Simmental Overall Supreme, and Reserve Interbreed Continental Championships at the Devon County in May. A fantastic show record!
Esme Cormack left, Jennifer Hyslop, and Mary Cormack with ‘Roxy’ after winning the Individual Interbreed Overall Supreme Reserve
Commenting on his Champion, the judge Gavin Brown said: “On the day, Cade Kathleen’s Rockstar was an exceptional animal that stood out from the rest of the championship line-up. She combined tremendous power and substance with all the femininity you would want to see in a top-class Simmental female. She was exceptionally well fleshed throughout while still retaining her female characteristics, showing real style, balance and presence. She had a beautiful head, excellent breed character and was backed up by outstanding conformation, carrying muscle and flesh in all the right places. This heifer was correct on her feet and legs, moved freely and confidently, and presented herself with great ring presence. Overall, she was a complete package and was a very worthy champion.”
Very much endorsing this was the well-known Individual Interbreed judge James Weightman, Peterlee, Co Durham who said: “This was very well balanced heifer who just exuded style with plenty of power. She has everything to go on and make a tremendous cow.”
The Great Yorkshire added to what has become a terrific summer showing season for the Simmental breed with some quality line ups going on to yield a number of Interbreed titles. At Harrogate, as well as the Reserve Overall Individual, the Simmentals lifted the Interbreed Team of Four, for the second consecutive year, and also won the Margaret Champion Continental Beef Pairs Interbreed.
Winning Simmental Interbreed Team of Four
Making up the winning Simmental Interbreed team was Denizes Nugget and Popes Princess Lumi from Jimmy & Vikki Wood, Cade Kathleen’s Rockstar from Mary Cormack, and Ranfurly Weikel 55th from George Scrivens and Holly Grant. Of the winning team, James Weightman said: “The Simmental team were very correct, well balanced, and with plenty of power and style.” Denizes Nugget and Popes Princess Lumi then teamed up to win the Margaret Chapman Continental Beef Pairs in front of the judge for this competition, David Benson, Kelso, Roxs.
Reserve Female Champion, Popes Ruffles
Enjoying another trip ‘down south’ and having a hugely successful day was the Newbiemains herd of Jim & Patricia Goldie, Newbiemains Farm, Annan, Dumfries. Amongst a number of ‘premier prizes, the herd’s June 2024 born heifer Popes Ruffles jointly owned with Ali Dodd, Tundergarth herd, Tundergarth Mains, Lockerbie, followed Rockstar right through from the class to being Reserve Overall Supreme, and Reserve Female Champion. In May this year at Carlisle, Popes Ruffles was purchased by this partnership for 14,000gns at the Popes Princesses Production Sale of heifers from Jimmy & Vikki Wood, Popes Farm, Dutton, Preston, Lancashire. Sired by the €52,000 Clonagh Lucky Explorer, Ruffles is out of Springfield Magic whose pedigree goes back to the noted Woodhall Extra. Popes Ruffles is in-calf to Annick Klondyke and is due to calf early next year.
Speaking of his Overall Reserve Champion the judge Gavin Brown said: “Popes Ruffles was another outstanding female and, unsurprisingly, came from the same exceptionally strong class as my Champion. There was very little between the two, and she possessed many of the same qualities that made that class such a pleasure to judge. Ruffles had a fantastic outlook, with bags of style, class and breed character, combining femininity with a modern, eye-catching presence. Beneath that style was a female with excellent length, outstanding conformation and plenty of natural flesh, all carried on a very correct set of feet and legs.”
“The deciding factor between her and the Champion was simply the Champion’s slight advantage in overall size, scale and power. Aside from that, Popes Ruffles was a tremendous example of the modern Simmental female and very much the type of breeding female I admire and aim to breed myself. She was a thoroughly deserving Reserve Female Champion and Reserve Overall Champion.”
Just for the record, the Newbiemains roll call of 2026 prizes at the Great Yorkshire included: Overall Reserve Supreme; Overall Reserve Female; Male Champion; Junior Champion; Group of Three Winners; Pairs Winners; and a further class win. Top work from the Newbiemains team!
Male Champion, Newbiemains Sapphire 25
Whilst it was a Championship day for ‘fantastic females’, there were also some top Simmental bulls on show. Leading the way as the Male Champion, and also the Junior Champion was another from the Newbiemains stable in the shape of the classy Newbiemains Sapphire. This young February 2025 born bull is by the herd sire Islavale Jabba 18 (ET) EX 92, and is out of Newbiemains Jem EX 93 (EX2). Of his Male Champion Gavin Brown said: “Newbiemains Sapphire was, for me, the standout young bull on the day and, ultimately, the best male in the show. He is exactly the type of modern Simmental bull that I believe the breed should be striving to produce. He displayed tremendous breed character, with a really attractive head and a great turn of lug, giving him that unmistakable Simmental presence. While he certainly caught the eye for his style and ring presence, he more than backed it up with genuine power, natural flesh and excellent conformation. He stood squarely on good feet and legs and moved with ease and correctness.”
“He has all the makings of a top breeder’s bull, combining correctness, performance and natural fleshing ability with the easy-doing qualities commercial and pedigree breeders are looking for. Finished off with excellent colour and overall balance, he represented the modern Simmental type exceptionally well and again was a very deserving Male and Junior Male Champion.”
Of Newbiemains Sapphire, Niall Goldie said: “We think Sapphire is probably one of the best bulls we’ve bred at Newbiemains. He’s got tremendous width from front to back but also keeps his length with great locomotion. There’s that bit of style with a proper Simmental head and outlook. All being well he’ll go to the Stirling Sale this October as part of a team of five or six Newbiemains bulls.”
Described as a consistent breeder in the herd, Newbiemains Jem was also the dam of the March 2025 born embryo calf Newbiemains Solitaire, a Newbiemains Noble son and who won the youngest bull class of the day. Newbiemains Sapphire teamed up with Popes Ruffles to win the Simmental Pairs, and Solitaire joined the party to see the herd win the Group of Three.
Reserve Male Champion, Denizes Nugget 22
Just pipped into the Reserve Male position was the June 2022 born bull Denizes Nugget from the aforementioned Jimmy & Vikki Wood, Dutton, Preston. Bred by M A Barlow & Sons, Ulnes, Nr Leyland, Lancashire, Nugget was purchased by the Woods for 37,000gns at Stirling in February 2024. He is sired by the well-known Denizes Hamish, and is out of Ashland Topaz Janet, a Team Celtic daughter. Beyond the breed judging Denizes Nugget went on to be a cornerstone of the Simmentals Interbreed successes featuring in both the winning Team of Four, and also the Margaret Chapman Continental Beef Pairs. Denizes Nugget arrived at Harrogate on the back of further multiple success at the Simmental English National Show held within the Royal Norfolk, and where he was Reserve Overall Supreme and Male Champion in the English National before going on to be Overall Reserve Interbreed, Continental Male Interbreed, and feature in the Reserve Team of Five, and Group of Three.
Commenting on the Reserve Male Champion, Gavin Brown said: “Denizes Nugget was a very good example of a senior Simmental bull and possessed many of the attributes you would expect from a mature breeding animal. He carried tremendous power and substance, with an exceptional amount of natural flesh and muscle throughout. Displaying good breed character, plenty of width and depth, he had the overall strength and presence expected of a senior bull.”
“When it came to the championship decision, however, I felt he just lacked the extra touch of style, character and overall presence shown by my Male Champion. Those qualities ultimately made the difference on the day. Nevertheless, he was a very strong, powerful senior bull and a worthy Reserve Male Champion.”
Reserve Junior Champion, Popes Sylas
There was more success for the Popes herd when their young April 2025 born bull, Popes Sylas, followed Newbiemains Sapphire through from the class to stand Reserve Junior Male Champion. Sylas is another by the €52,000 Clonagh Lucky Explorer, and is out of Springfield Melody, another Islavale Jabba 18 (ET) EX 92 daughter. Prolific and successful exhibitors at the Great Yorkshire Show, the Popes team had another red ticket when the six-year-old Popes Princess Lumi won the first female class of the day.
We’ll leave the last word with the judge Gavin Brown and his general reflections on the show of Simmentals and the Simmental breed:
“It was a fantastic show of Simmental cattle. While the numbers may not have been quite as high as the breed would have liked at such a prestigious event, the quality of the stock on display was truly exceptional. The standard throughout the classes was extremely high, but the heifer section, in particular, stood out. One class was especially outstanding, and I genuinely believe any of the first four heifers in that class would have been capable of winning at many local shows. That speaks volumes for the depth of quality on display.”
“For me, the modern Simmental is in a very strong place. The breed continues to retain its renowned maternal qualities while making tremendous progress in terms of natural fleshing ability, growth, daily liveweight gain and overall performance. To combine those commercial attributes with genuine breed character, style and correctness is a great achievement and something everyone involved with the breed should be proud of. It was also particularly pleasing to see the Simmental breed go on to enjoy such success in the interbreed competitions, as well as the pairs and team classes. That success demonstrated that, despite the smaller entry, the quality of the cattle was among the very best at the show. It was a tremendous advertisement for the breed and for all the breeders who exhibited.”
“Congratulations to everyone who brought cattle to the Great Yorkshire Show, and especially to those who went on to achieve success in the interbreed championships, pairs and team competitions. They were fitting rewards for an outstanding display of Simmental cattle and a credit to the breed as a whole.”
So it’s a massive well done to all of the exhibitors who showed and coming from counties across England, as well as Scotland. There were also a few first-time exhibitors which was great to see and the herds exhibiting were:
Denizes; Fircovert; Hallway; Lynfield; Melbournepark; Newbiemains; O’So’Good; Popes; Rougemont; Simply; Tapster; Tundergarth; Urswick; and Wacton.
Female & Overall Championship, Cade Kathleen’s Rockstar & Popes Ruffles
Junior Championship, Newbiemains Sapphire & Popes Sylas
Male Championship, Newbiemains Sapphire & Denizes Nugget
Winning Simmental Interbreed Pair, Popes Princess Lumi & Denizes Nugget, in the Margaret Chapman Beef Pairs Competition.
2026 Great Yorkshire Show
Wednesday 15th July 2026
Judge Gavin Brown, Penicuik, Midlothian
Results
Class 73 BULL born before 1 January 2025
1st Messrs JH & VG Wood Denizes Nugget 22
Class 74 BULL born on or after 1st January 2025
1st Mr J Goldie Newbiemains Sapphire 25
2nd Messrs JH & VG Wood Popes Sylas 25
3rd Messrs BT Stanley Melbourne Park Sniper 25
4th Miss L Harding Hallway Samson 25
5th Mr R Tremayne O’so’good Snowball 25
6th Mr G Scrivens Tapster Sinatra 25
7th Messrs BT Stanley Melbourne Park Strider 25
8th Mr O Airey Urswick Sauvage 25
Popes Princess Lumi
Class 75 COW OR HEIFER in-calf or with calf at foot, having had a certified calf before attaining the age of three years
1st Messrs JH VG Wood Popes Princess Lumi
2nd MA Barlow & Sons Heathbrow Koko Star (P)
3rd Mr P Gunther Fircovert Peggy
4th Mr S Steggles Brandane Mint
Class 76 HEIFER born in 2024
1st Mrs M Cormack Cade Kathleen’s Rockstar
2nd Mr J Goldie Popes Ruffles
3rd Mr G Scrivens Ranfurly Weikel 55th
4th MA Barlow & Sons Denizes Matilda 21st
5th Mr S Steggles Popes Princess Ruby
6th Mr R Bishop Lynfield Estelle
7th Mr T Fitton Simply Rosetta
Newbiemains Solitaire
Class 77 HEIFER born in 2025
1st Mr J Goldie Newbiemains Solitaire
2nd Mr S Steggles Vale Royal Annie’s Star
Group of Three
Class 78 GROUP OF THREE ANIMALS
1st Mr J Goldie
2nd Mr S Steggles
Pairs
Class 79 PAIR OF ANIMALS
1st Mr J Goldie
2nd Messrs JH & VG Wood
Junior Champion
Mr J Goldie Newbiemains Sapphire 25
Reserve Junior Champion
Messrs JH & VG Wood Popes Sylas 25
Male Champion
Mr J Goldie Newbiemains Sapphire 25
Reserve Male Champion
Messrs JH & VG Wood Denizes Nugget 22
Female Champion
Mrs M Cormack Cade Kathleen’s Rockstar
Reserve Female Champion
Mr J Goldie Popes Ruffles
Overall Supreme Champion
Mrs M Cormack Cade Kathleen’s Rockstar
Reserve Overall Supreme Champion
Mr J Goldie Popes Ruffles
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