SIMMS TOPPING SALE SECTIONS AT ABERDEEN: BALLYMENA; HALLWORTHY; ASHFORD; DINGWALL; MARKETHILL; FROME; DUNGANNON; STIRLING; CARMARTHEN; MARKET DRAYTON; HOLSWORTHY; WOOLER; SALISBURY; AYR; LANARK; DUMFRIES; ANGLESEY; TRURO; CARLISLE; QUOYBRAE; PENRITH; CASTLE DOUGLAS;...
SIMMS TOPPING SALE SECTIONS AT ABERDEEN: BALLYMENA; HALLWORTHY; ASHFORD; DINGWALL; MARKETHILL; FROME; DUNGANNON; STIRLING; CARMARTHEN; MARKET DRAYTON; HOLSWORTHY; WOOLER; SALISBURY; AYR; LANARK; DUMFRIES; ANGLESEY; TRURO; CARLISLE; QUOYBRAE; PENRITH; CASTLE DOUGLAS;...
Shropshire-based breeder Chris Martindale has been elected as President of the British Simmental Cattle Society (BSCS) following the Society’s Annual General Meeting held recently in Stirling at the October Bull Sales. Having served as a Council Member since 2021, he...
• Pistyll Nightrider takes Reserve Championship as UK Simmental genetics feature strongly
It’s a massive well done to Gavin Brown of the Springfield Simmental herd, Springfield Farm, Penicuik who has won the 2023 Simmental Champion of Europe with his herd stock bull Islavale Jabba. The European Championship is held within the ‘Simmental Champion of the World Competition’ run by the Texas, USA based Simmental breeder. With British Simmental genetics very much to the fore, the Reserve Championship was won by the young bull Pistyll Nightrider from Welsh breeders GA & HM Francis, Pistyll Uchaf, Abergorlech, Carmarthen.
With a growing track record in this event, the Champion of Europe award was a second in a row, and the fourth time in five years it has been won by British Simmental breeders. Last year it was Drumsleed Legacy 20 from Gerald and Morag Smith, Fordoun, Laurencekirk, who prevailed, with previous wins for Lisglass Goldstar from Gordon Clark, Cupar, Fife in 2020, and prior to that Heathbrow Important from David and Lesley Sapsed, Herts in 2019.
May 2018 born, Islavale Jabba was purchased for 6000gns in 2020 from breeders WS Stronach & Son, Berryleys, Keith, Banffshire, and his first bulls at Stirling last year averaged 5000gns, with a good run of heifers levelling at 4500gns. Springfield Major, the champion at the Simmental Calf Show at Borderway Agri Expo in 2021, and also a Jabba son, sold for 7500gns at Stirling in February this year. A prolific breeder in the 30 cow Springfield herd Islavale Jabba has sired some 40 calves in this last two years. He himself stood Senior Male Champion at this year’s Scottish National Simmental Show whilst a son, Springfield Neptune, won the Reserve Supreme & Senior Championship at the recent Simmental Youngstock Show held at Carlisle at the end of October.
Commenting a delighted Gavin Brown said: “We are over the moon with the result. In this online competition Islavale Jabba has been judged on his presence and by breeders from different parts of the world who will have different takes on the values of the Simmental breed in terms of colour, fleshing, and muscle definition. So to be picked out as Champion from all of these entrants is very special. The coverage this competition has over a social media and online platform is massive and it can only be good for the breed in the UK to have British Simmental genetics again recognised internationally.”
The Reserve European Champion, the May 2022 born Pistyll Nightrider is by the noted Team Celtic and is out of Pistyll Frances VG87, a Brookwood Alla King daughter. Earlier this summer Pistyll Nightrider won the Simmental Male Championship at the Royal Welsh Show. The Pistyll herd who hold the Welsh Simmental record for a bull sold at sale, the 26,000gns Pistyll Kingsman at Stirling in February 2021, have also previously won the Reserve Female Championship at the Royal Welsh Show.
The Simmental judges for the ‘Champion of Europe’ award consisted of Flávio Montenegro Alves (Brazil): Fred Dell (South Africa): Dominik Matti (Switzerland): and Deanne & Rob Young (Canada).
