Show finale for Simmental breeders at Enniskillen

Simmental enthusiasts turned out in force for the continental breed’s show season finale at Fermanagh County Show.

The Enniskillen venue has a long-standing tradition of hosting the Male and Female of the Year awards, which have been sponsored by Danske Bank (formerly Northern Bank) for almost twenty years; and the Merial-sponsored Ivomec Super Simmental Pair of the Year final which is now in its ninth year.

The Simmental entry dominated the cattle section at the show, with County Laois judge Garrett Behan taking over three hours to make his judgements in the various classes.

The junior bull class winner Omorga Eli, bred by John Moore, Beragh, emerged as the day’s male and supreme overall champion. Shown by Moses Irwin, and John’s daughter Cara, this eighteen-month-old entry was sired by Ashland Brandy and is out of a home-bred dam. Destined for Stirling in October, this bull was Simmental and interbreed beef champion at Omagh Show in July.

Claiming the reserve position on the winners’ podium was the second prize winning junior bull Slievenagh Extra Special, bred by the Boyd family – Robin, Darla, Christopher and Jamie, who run a herd of 25 cows at Portglenone. Born in April 2013 he was sired by Kilbride Farm Bantry.

Seven pairs of cattle turned out for the final of the prestigious Ivomec Super Simmental Pair of the Year competition. They qualified over the past few months at nominated shows across the country.

After careful consideration Garrett Behan awarded the 2014 plaudits to the junior bull duo Slievenagh Emperor and Silevenagh Extra Special bred and exhibited by Robin Boyd and family. They qualified at Balmoral Show in May.

Merial Animal Health’s area manager Philip Clarke was on hand to congratulate the winners and present the prizes. “We are proud of our long association with the NI Simmental Club. It has been another fantastic competition, with seven exceptional pairs of cattle qualifying for today’s final. Well done to everyone involved.”

The reserve award in the pairs competition went to Duncan McDowell from Newtownards, who exhibited the home-bred heifers Castlemount Modesty and Castlemount Bianca. They qualified at Lurgan Show in June. Bianca was born in October 2012 and is by Curaheen Tyson, while the September 2012 born Modesty is a daughter of Arkmill Franklyn.

Once again the Simmental Male and Female of the Year awards sponsored by Danske Bank were hotly contested, with breeders notching up points throughout the show season. “

Club chairman Richard Rodgers explains:”“Prizes mean points, as the winners are determined using a scoring system which is collated at nominated shows throughout the summer months. Points are awarded to individual animals, and the higher the animal’s accolade in the show ring the bigger the points it earns.”

The 2014 Male of the Year award went to the Boyd family’s Slievenagh Emperor. Born in March 2013, he was sired by the 9,200 Euro Curaheen Apostle ET – an outcross sire featuring north Amercian genetics, while his dam is the home-bred Slievenagh Aileen.

This bull has secured numerous accolades including junior, reserve male, exhibitor-bred and reserve supreme champion a Balmoral, reserve male champion at Ballymena, and supreme overall champion at Lurgan and Castlewellan.

His herd mate Slievenagh Extra Special took the reserve Male of the Year award. He stood second in his class to Emperor at several shows, and was reserve male champion at Lurgan Show.

The January 2013 born Ballinlare Farm Empress secured the Female of the Year award for Joe Wilson, and sons, Keith, Neill and Alan, from Newry.  She was sired by the herd’s 20,000gns stock bull Auchorachan Wizard.

This heifer was reserve junior and reserve female champion at Balmoral, and winner of the 2014 Woodcraft Kitchens junior heifer derby. She also won the breed’s reserve supreme championships at Lurgan and Castlewellan, and was supreme champion at Armagh Show.

Narrowly beaten by one point to take the Reserve Female of the Year award was the senior heifer Ranfurly Weikel 11^th from David and Jonny Hazelton’s herd at Dungannon. Sired by Hillcrest Champion, she is bred from the herd’s noted brood cow South Park King Kong Weikel 2^nd.

Her show record includes reserve supreme champion at Ballymena and Armagh, supreme champion at Antrim, reserve female champion at Lurgan and Clogher, and female champion at Enniskillen.

The crystal awards were presented by John Henning, Danske Bank’s head of agricultural relations, who was assisted by Rodney Brown, Matthew Johnston and William Noble.

The NI Simmental Club’s Young Stockperson of the Year Award went to new breeder Jason Whitcroft from the Whitdrum herd at Middletown in County Armagh.

Richard Rodgers concluded:”I am delighted to see a good turnout of cattle at Enniskillen, and an even bigger turnout of supporters from as far away as County Cork. A sincere thank you to our sponsors for their continued support.

“Shows act as a shop window for our breed, and thank you to all of the exhibitors who took part in the Simmental classes at the provincial shows. Congratulations to the winners on their achievements, especially the Boyd family whose hat-trick included the pairs championship, and the male and reserve male of the year titles.”