Brothers Reece and Andrew Simmers of the Backmuir herd at Keith returned home in style from the Scottish Simmental National Show, securing the reserve overall honours.
The event was held at Dumfries Show on the same day as the family’s local Keith Show, where the Backmuir herd scooped the Simmental championship with a three-year-old cow.
Winning the overall award at the national event, when judged by Bridget Borlase of the Sacombe herd, Hertfordshire, was Popes Princess Immie, from the Wood family, Preston.
This six-year-old cow, shown with her January-born bull calf at foot Popes Premier, also went on to win the overall beef inter-breed when judged by Stephen Illingworth of the Glenrock Limousin herd, Lockerbie.
She is by Kilbride Farm Comber, out of the herd’s former show winning cow Popes Princess Cleo.
Immie has won a number of prestigious titles this year including the supreme championship at the English Simmental National Show, reserve continental inter-breed at the Royal Norfolk, and overall inter-breed at the Yorkshire Show.
Just pipped at the post, was the eight-year-old cow Annick Colleen’s Ginger, from Reece and Andrew Simmers, Backmuir.
Bred by the late Lachlan Quarm, Ayrshire, she is by Corskie Callum, out of Annick Prudence’s Colleen EX95, and was bought by the Simmers at the Annick herd dispersal sale for a combined 23,000gns with her calf at foot.
She was shown with her February-born heifer calf at foot Backmuir Ginger’s Paprika.
The brothers also saw their Royal Highland Show champion and local show winner, three-year-old Annick Ginger’s Lucia, by Wolfstar Golddigger, win her class.
She was purchased for 16,000gns at the herd dispersal.
Backmuir Eva’s Neva, a January 2022-born heifer claimed the reserve junior female title.
Also a class winner at this year’s Royal Highland, Eva’s Neva is by Islavale Imperial, out of Starline Eva 25.
In a strong show of bulls, Armadale based breeder, Richard McCulloch, of the Overhill House herd, won the male championship, junior male championship and overall junior championship.
This was Overhill House Niko, by Overhill House Enhance, out of Overhill House Keelo.
The reserve male championship was won by an Islavale-bred bull from Gavin Brown, of the Springfield herd at Penicuik.
Purchased from the Stronachs for 6,000gns in 2020, Islavale Jabba, is by Wolfstar Elusive 13.
Another bull bred in the north-east, this time Auchorachan Kennedy, from local breeders Jim and Patricia Goldie, Newbie Mains, Annan, stood reserve in the senior males.
This four-year-old bull bred by Michael Durno, Glenlivet, was purchased for 9,000gns in 2021, and is by Auchorachan Hercules.