DRUMCLOG, AND BOWHILL THE SIMMENTAL ‘STARS’ AT STIRLING

DRUMCLOG, AND BOWHILL THE SIMMENTAL ‘STARS’ AT STIRLING

• Drumclog Richard takes the Junior honours
• Bowhill Petal wins Senior Championship
• Jim Goldie Jnr wins the Young Handler Championship!

 First time ‘big winners’ was the name of the game at Stirling as the Bowhill and Drumclog herds, took the Simmental Championships at the prestigious Stars of the Future Calf Show held on Saturday,  9th November, at United Auctions, Stirling Agricultural Centre.

Overall Junior & Junior Male Champion Drumclog Richard

Judge for the day, John Barlow of the Denizes Herd, Four Oaks, Ulnes, Nr Leyland, Lancashire found his Overall Junior Champion, and Junior Male Champion, in the shape of the April 2024 born Drumclog Richard from Robbie Hamilton, Allanton Farm, Darvel, Ayrshire. This young bull is by Islavale Echo 2 13 EX 92, and is the first calf out of Islavale Margarita, a Wolfstar Elusive daughter. Commenting on his Junior Champion the judge John Barlow said:  “What a good calf this is and he caught my eye the second he walked into the ring! The youngest in the catalogue he has good size for his age, is very calfy, and full of style and character.    With a great top, and straight lines to him, he also walked extremely well. Full of potential, Drumclog Richard has every chance to go on and make a high-end breeders bull.”  It was quite a debut for 23 year old Robbie Hamilton, a sheep auctioneer at United Auctions, with Drumclog Richard being his first ever Simmental calf, and his first time ever showing!  Islavale Margarita was purchased privately from Stewart Stronach, Berryleys Farm, Keith and with straws of Islavale Echo 2 13 EX 92 being given as part of a luckpenny.  The Drumclog herd presently comprises of three females, with a view to increasing it to ten cows in the future, and is run alongside the herd of Luings at home.  From here Drumclog Richard will be used and then with a view to him being aimed at a sale thereafter.

Overall Senior & Senior Female Champion Bowhill Petal

It was a day for Ayrshire based herds with the Overall Senior Champion being Bowhill Petal from Rachael Reid, D&R Holdings, Low Bowhill Farm, Newmilns, Ayrshire.

Sired by the 26,000gns Pistyll Kingsman, who is also the sire of the record breaking 46,000gns Overhill House Neo, the September 2023 born Bowhill Petal is out of Overhill House Mary, a heifer bought at Caledonian Marts, Stirling, fundraising sale for £4000 with proceeds going to children’s charities in Ukraine. Speaking afterwards David and Rachael said:  “Overhill House Mary has a lovely, quiet nature and this has rubbed off on Bowhill Petal who has been so easy to work with. This is the first year that we have been on the show scene and we’re just absolutely thrilled to win the Overall Senior Championship at an event like Stars of the Future. Bowhill Petal is definitely a keeper!  The aim is to have her on the show scene next year and to go on and breed from her.”

Establishing the Bowhill prefix and joining the Society in 2023, the Bowhill herd has a base of breeding stock bought from the Overhill House herd of Richard McCulloch, and presently comprises of twelve breeding females with five in calf or near calving.

Reserve Junior Male Champion Blackford Revel 24 (P) ET

Reserve Junior Female Champion Blackford Raggiana (P) (ET)

It was a successful day for the Blackford herd of WG MacPherson (A Firm), Blackford Farm, Croy, Inverness who took the Reserve Junior titles in both the male and female sections. Placing second in his class to the Overall Junior Champion, and going on to take the Reserve title was the February 2024 born Blackford Revel 24 (P) (ET). Heterozygous polled, this calf is an embryo calf by the multi-title winning bull Heathbrow Important 17 (P) EX 93, and is out of Blackford Aero EX 92, a Kilbride Farm Strabane daughter, and whose previous progeny include the 2017 Royal Highland Simmental Champion, Blackford Galaxy.  A ‘well made bull, with super conformation’, Blackford Revel 24 (P) ET will hopefully be destined for Stirling in October 2025. Taking the Reserve Junior Female title was the March 2024 born Blackford Raggiana (P) ET). Again an embryo calf sired by Heathbrow Important 17 (P) EX 93, this calf is out of Blackford Wagtail VG 86, a Kilbride Farm Strabane daughter. Blackford Wagtail’s progeny most notably includes the breed’s previous record priced bull, the 45,000gns bel Dhu Capercaillie.

Reserve Junior & Junior Female Champion Delfur Roxy

Reserve Senior Male Champion Delfur Pocket Rocket

Taking the Overall Reserve Junior Championship, and Junior Female Champion, was Delfur Roxy from Delfur Farms, Rothes, Aberlour. From a strong breeding line on both sides of the pedigree, this ten-month-old heifer is by Woodhall Instinct 17, and is out of Delfur Hells, a Clonagh Tiger gallant (ET) daughter. Woodhall Instinct has sired sons up to 16,000gns at Stirling, and Delfur Hells has been a terrific breeding female in the herd. It was another strong day for the Delfur team, and herd manager Garry Patterson, with Delfur Pocket Rocket also winning the Reserve Senior Male title. Taking the red ticket in the second class of bulls, Pocket Rocket is one of the first sons of the 28,000gns stock bull Islavale Magnum purchased at Stirling in October 2022. Described as ‘a modern type Simmental with a good top, and shape’, Delfur Pocket Rocket may be shown at LiveScot later this month before being aimed at the May Sale in Stirling next year.  Prolific in the show ring, the Delfur team took the Reserve Senior Female Championship at Stars of the Future last year, and arrived at this event having won the Reserve Overall & Reserve Senior titles at the recent Simmental Youngstock Show at Carlisle.

Reserve Overall Senior & Reserve Senior Female Champion Coltfield Perfect

Winning the Reserve Senior Champion and Reserve Senior Female titles was Coltfield Perfect from the 4-breeding female herd of Cameron MacIver, Wester Coltfield, Forres, Moray. September 2023 born, Coltfield Perfect stood second in her class to the day’s Senior Champion and followed her through to take the Reserve position.  This heifer, noted as being the standout from last year’s crop of Coltfield calves, first in her class at the Scottish Simmental National Show and was also first at Grantown Show. Her dam, Coltfield Katie, took Senior Female Champion at the Royal Highland Show in 2021. Coltfield Perfect is sired by Rockytop Invader who has bred very well in the herd with bulls selling 11,000gns. Moving forward, Coltfield Perfect will be put in-calf in the spring time and after calving, and all being well, will hopefully again be shown as a mature cow. Commenting generally, Cameron MacIver said:  “We’ve had a great day and are delighted to win the Reserve Senior ticket.  Stars of the Future is a terrific show that we like to support and it’s extremely well run. The cattle shown are just weaned, not pushed in any way, and we think it’s a real showcase for the Simmental breed.”

Senior Male Champion Newbiemains Priceless

Completing the Championship line up was the Senior Male Champion, Newbiemains Priceless from Jim & Patricia Goldie, Newbiemains Farm, Annan, Dumfriesshire. August 2023 born,  Newbiemains Priceless is by Auchorachan Hercules 16 (ET) EX92, who has bred well since joining the herd in 2022, and is out of Newbiemains Lots’o’honey EX 91, a Skerrington Iceman 17 EX 95 daughter. Speaking afterwards Jim Goldie said: “We think Newbiemains Priceless is a really well-balanced bull, who walks very well, has great length and good breeding on both sides of his pedigree.”  Provisional plans sees this bull being aimed at the Stirling Sale in February.

Young Handler Champion Jim Goldie

The show for the Goldie family, and Newbiemains Priceless, had started with a bang when, on the previous evening, there was a big win for Jim Goldie Junior who was crowned the show’s Overall Young Handler Champion, and won the Royal Smithfield Club trophy and clippers kindly sponsored by McCaskie’s. Through the competition, ‘wee Jim’ was handling Priceless.  It was a great follow on from the Simmental Youngstock Show in the previous week at Carlisle and where Jim won the Junior Young Handler class.

SIMMENTAL RESULTS, 2024 STARS OF THE FUTURE PEDIGREE CALF SHOW
– judged by John Barlow, Denizes Simmentals

Junior Championship Drumclog Richard & Delfur Roxy

JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Overall – Drumclog Richard from Robbie Hamilton
Reserve – Delfur Roxy from Delfur

Junior Male – Drumclog Richard from Robbie Hamilton
Reserve – Blackford Revel from WG Macpherson

Junior Female Championship Delfur Roxy & Blackford Raggiana

Junior Female – Delfur Roxy from Delfur
Reserve – Blackford Raggiana from WG Macpherson

CLASS 7 – Junior Female
1st – Blackford Raggiana from WG Macpherson
2nd – Goldstar Ruby from J&C Hodge & G Jack

CLASS 6 – Junior Female
1st – Delfur Roxy from Delfur

CLASS 5 – Junior Male
1st – Drumclog Richard from Robbie Hamilton
2nd – Blackford Revel 24 (P)(ET) from WG Macpherson
3rd – Coltfield Result from Cameron Maciver
4th – Maidenlands Rolo (9) from Dean Saunders
5th – Goldstar Rabbie from J&C Hodge and G Jack

SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Overall – Bowhill Petal from Rachael Reid
Reserve – Coltfield Perfect from Cameron Maciver

Senior Male Championship Newbiemains Priceless & Delfur Pocket Rocket

Senior Male – Newbiemains Priceless from the Goldie family
Reserve – Delfur Pocket Rocket from Delfur

Senior Female Championship Bowhill Petal & Coltfield Perfect

Senior Female – Bowhill Petal from Rachael Reid
Reserve – Coltfield Perfect from Cameron Maciver

CLASS 4 – Senior Females
1st – Bowhill Petal from Rachel Reid
2nd – Coltfield Perfect from Cameron Maciver
3rd – Newbiemains Pippa from the Goldie family
4th – Newbiemsins Penny from the Goldie family
5th – Castlewigg Explorer Girlie 3 from Frank Gwynne
6th – Springfield Pippa from Gavin Brown

CLASS 3 – Senior Females
1st – Chestermann Explorer Stella from N&N Gwynne
2nd – Castlewigg Gibble J-lo from Frank Gwynne

CLASS 2 – Senior Males
1st – Delfur Pocket Rocket from Delfur

CLASS 1 – Senior Males
1st – Newbiemsins Priceless from the Goldie family
2nd – Springfield Pentagon from Gavin Brown
3rd – Blackford Polaris 23 (P) from WG Macpherson
4th – Braidwood Panther from Miss L Moffat
5th – Innerwick Prime 23 from Mr & Mrs L Moffat