After just four years’ exhibiting at the Royal Highland Show, the Simmers family from Keith took home the award for the best beef animal in the showground.
The inter-breed beef championship, sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was judged by Aberdeenshire commercial beef farmer Pete Watson from Darnford, Banchory, who gave the family’s Simmental heifer the winning slap.
Brothers Reece and Andrew, together with father Philip and their uncle Symon, run 80 pedigree Simmentals at Backmuir, alongside 500 commercial cows and the family’s steel fabrication and steel erection business.
Simmental cow does one better than last year for the Simmers
Taking all the plaudits, after standing breed champion in 2023 and again on Thursday, was Annick Ginger’s Lucia, a four-year-old cow which the brothers purchased at the Annick dispersal in 2022.
She is by Wolfstar Gold Digger, out of Annick Colleen’s Ginger, and was shown with her November-born bull calf Backmuir Pompeii 23, by Backmuir Marksman 21.
The reserve honours went to the Limousin leader from Ian Nimmo and family, Boghead Farm, Wishaw, with Maraiscote Tangerine, shown by Sophie Harvey.
This April 2022-born heifer is by Morhan Peter, out of Maraiscote Orange, and won several awards last year including champion at the Great Yorkshire Show.
Limousin lands reserve honours
Mr Watson said the Simmental was a “super, big and powerful cow” that fills the eye.
“The Simmental was an easy first for me and is a brilliant advert for the breed, being very maternal and the sort of animal you would want to take home,” he added.
“All the animals forward today are a credit to the breeders and stockpersons – you won’t find much better anywhere else.”
North breeders were to the fore in the junior beef inter-breed competition on Saturday morning judged by Robert McNee, Over Finlarg, Tealing, Dundee.
‘You won’t find much better anywhere else’ says inter-breed judge
Winning the supreme honours was the Simmental heifer from Delfur Farms, Rothes, which was brought out by stockman Garry Patterson.
This stylish November 2022-born heifer, which stood junior champion at the breed judging on the Thursday, is by the 9,000gns Ballymoney Larry, out of Delfur Joyful.
Nifty had plenty success at shows last summer and was breed champion at Agri Expo and inter-breed champion at LiveScot.
In reserve, was the Charolais from fellow pedigree breeders Johnny and Raymond Irvine, who run 40 pedigree Charolais at Inverlochy, Tomintoul.
The father and son duo, who won the overall junior title here 20 years ago with Inverlochy Passport, settled for reserve with May 2023-born bull Inverlochy United.
He is by Caylers Napoleon, a bull which has sired sons to average 10,000gns, and out of Inverlochy Indus.
Delfur and Inverlochy win the juniors
United is destined for Stirling Bull Sales in October.
Limousins led the way in the beef team inter-breed competition, sponsored by United Auctions, and judged by Pete Watson.
Eleven teams of four were forward and saw Mr Watson tap forward the Aberdeen-Angus, Highland cattle, Charolais, Simmental and British Blues into a short leet alongside the winning Limousins.
Mr Watson said all six of his final teams “ticked the boxes” for him and displayed the locomotion and commercial attributes he was looking for.
Limmy line-up in the teams
The winning Limousin team featured Maraiscote Tangerine from the Nimmo family and Grahams Ruth, Garrowby Tarzan and Ritchie’s Treasure from Robert Graham.
Reserve in the teams was the Simmentals made up of Annick Ginger’s Lucia and Annick Lucia’s Nicosia, from the Simmers family, along with Delfur Nifty and Delfur Number1 22 from Delfur Farms.
Third went to the Highlanders from Goldenberry Highland Cattle, Heather Corrigall, Graeme Easton, and Dexter and Carolyn Logan.
