Jess Simms gets '˜key to the door' in winning Royal Welsh supreme championship with Tunnelby Inca

That was the story of the day as Jess Simms, Hulse Farm, Hulse Lane, Lach Dennis, Northwich secured a memorable championship win with her three-year-old bull Tunnelby Inca. It was very much a family day and one for the young breeders as Jess showed the bull along with her younger brother Edward aged 15.

Tunnelby Inca was bred by Miss Ann Thompson, Beechwood, School Lane, Onneley, near Crewe, who also previously bred the 2003 Royal Show Champion Tunnelby Scallywag. He is by the Saphir son Hafodlas Abel and is out of Tunnelby Nectar a daughter of the famous Broadmeadows Cannon.

In 2014 Jess had shown the bull for Miss Thompson and had thereafter purchased him, along with Edward, for her new JessieG pedigree herd. After a year off in 2015 from the show ring the Royal Welsh marked his first outing of the year.

Flicking through the Limousin record books suggests that Jess and Edward may be the youngest ever exhibitors to win a Supreme Limousin Championship at one of the summer ‘major’ Royals.

With great timing and one of those remarkable quirks of fate, the opening day of the show, 18th July, was also Jess’s 21st birthday. What a way to get the fabled ‘key to the door’.

A real Limousin enthusiast Jess’s father Nigel and grandfather Graham have also met with many successes over the years with the noted Simbo herd.

Taking the day very much in her stride an elated Jess said afterwards: “It’s been such an amazing day. I had a personal ambition in mind to show at a ‘major’ by the time I was 21 and to do well. However to win the Supreme Championship, and on my birthday, is way beyond any expectations. Edward and I are just really over the moon.”

There was further success on the Tuesday when Tunnelby Inca was part of the winning Interbreed Team of Five, the second year in a row that the breed has won this award, and also when standing Reserve in the Fitzhugh Pairs Interbreed with Trueman Grazia.

Commenting on his champion Michael said: “He’s just a terrific evenly fleshed bull with both power and shape and he moved extremely well throughout the day. Very much a modern Limousin he’s a bull that could do a good job both in pedigrees and commercials and for today’s market. The champion also had a terrific temperament as did all of the cattle presented today which is a great credit to the breeders.”

It was also a more than memorable day for the Pabo herd of Peredur and Llyr Hughes, Fferam Gyd, Llanbabo, Rhosgoch, Anglesey. Hot on the heels of the champion, their young January 2015 born bull Pabo Legend took the overall reserve supreme, reserve male and junior male titles, before scooping the individual junior interbreed championship on the final day of the show.

Pabo Legend is sired by Loosebeare fantastic and is out of Pabo Gabriel. Gabriel is also the mother of Pabo Icemaden, the September 2013 born Wilodge Drummer daughter, who later went on to win her heifer class; the LBV Thomas award for the best exhibitor bred heifer from a breeder residing in Wales; and was part of two winning Interbreed teams.

Pabo Gabriel’s grandmother is Lowbarn Benelopa who was bought at sale for 1400gns. A delighted Llyr Hughes, who was ably backed up on the day by stockman Gareth Pugh and showman Robin Roberts, said that the 25 breeding female herd had been built up from a low cost base but with animals full of quality.

In what was by far their best showing performance to date Llyr Hughes said that it very much an ongoing aim to look at continuous improvement within the herd and built around quality bloodlines.

For Pabo Legend, who was shown for the first time, the next outing will be the 2016 National Limousin Show at Carlisle on 29th July.

A quick roll call of titles won by Pabo at the show included: Reserve supreme; reserve male; two firsts in class; the LBV Thomas award; the Limousin pairs; the Limousin group of three; junior bull interbreed; exhibitor bred group of three interbreed; and member of the winning interbreed team of five. Quite a show.

In the Limousin females it was the noted Trueman Grazia owned jointly by Paul Dawes and Mary Cormack and Richard Bartle, Dinmore Manor, Hereford, who took the female championship.

The five-year-old Grazia is sired by Haltcliffe Vermount and is out of Cookstown 1425. Bred by Henry Savage and Sons, 70 Skerriff Road, Altnamackin, Newry, Co Down, Trueman Grazia is the mother of the world record breaking bull Trueman Jagger who the Savages sold for £147,000 at Carlisle in October 2015.

Trueman Grazia was also the top price animal at the Red Ladies Limousin Sale at Carlisle in 2012 when she sold for 14,000gns to the Dutch company Cowporation. In a private deal she was subsequently bought and brought back to the UK in late 2015 and has been shown successfully this summer.

Again, Grazia was part of the winning Limousin team of five, as well as being reserve in the Fitzhugh Pairs along with Tunnelby Inca. Paul Dawes chalked up another win for the Dinmore herd when lifting the junior female championship with the January 2015 born Dinmore Lizelle. This embryo calf is by the herd’s stock bull Diamant and is out of the 2010 Royal Welsh champion Dinmore Elle.

Taking the reserve female championship was the shapely Nebo Janice from the Reddragon herd of Tomos Price, Pencraig Farm, Trelech, Carmarthen.

This October 2014 born heifer, sired by the 32,000gns Huntershall Gladiator and out of Nebo Bunny, was bred by Mei Thomas, Bryn Farm, Nebo, Llanrwst, Conwy. Back in 2008 Nebo Bunny was herself the reserve champion female at the Royal Welsh Show. At the 2015 Red Ladies Sale at Carlisle, Nebo Janice had been purchased by Tomos Price for 5500gns.

It was another successful show for the Devon based breeders Michael and Melanie Alford, Foxhill Farm, Blackborough, Cullompton.

They secured the reserve titles in both the junior female and junior male sections and picked up the females of the Future Pairs Interbreed Championship.

The reserve junior female award was won by the embryo calf Foxhillfarm Looksthepart.

This August 2015 born calf is by Guards Boomer and is out of the multi title winning Foxhillfarm Gracie who won the Royal Welsh Supreme Championship in 2013.

On the Thursday, Foxhillfarms Looksthepart teamed up with stablemate Foxhillfarm Limitededition to win the Females of the Future Interbreed in front of judge Gerald Blandford, Bosbury, Ledbury.

This young heifer, by Kype Interrogate and out of Bankdale Elizabeth, had stood second in her class to her pairs partner.

Taking the reserve junior male award was the 2015 born Foxhillfarm Lordofthering who is also by Guards Boomer and out of the famous and prolific Bankdale Alice. It marked a fine summer for this young bull who in June had won the male championship, junior male and overall junior awards at the 2016 Royal Highland Show. Lordofthering is another now heading to the 2016 National Limousin Show.

From a strong base the Limousin breed was again well to the fore in the interbreed competitions winning the team of five; the junior bull; females of the future pairs; the exhibitor bred group of three; reserve in the Fitzhugh Pairs; and champion and reserve in the Commercials. As well as Tunnelby Inca, Truemna Grazia, and Pabo Icemaden, the other members of the winning team of five, judged by David Lewis, Llandysul, Sir Gaerfyrddin, were Trisant Jini and Dinmore Jestelle.

Trisant Jini is from the herd of G and E Jones, Ty Gwyn, Llantrisant, Holyhead, Anglesey. February 2014 born this heifer is by Wilodge Fastrac and is out of Trisant Ffiffi, a daughter of the famous Ronick Hawk. This very smart heifer had stood second in her class. From the same class, Dinmore Jestelle from Paul Dawes, completed the team of five. May 2014 born, Jestelle is another by the herd stock bull Diamant and is out of Ampertaine Estelle.

It was also a championship one-two for Limousin sired cattle in the keenly contested and high quality Commercial Cattle Championships. Taking the supreme ticket was Ellis Lloyd and Co with the May 2015 born, and exhibitor bred, Limousin sired heifer, Beca. Taking the reserve title was Mr E Layton with the July born steer Tip Top bred by DS and DA Brute. Judging the commercial cattle was Hugh Dunlop, Holehouse Farm, Ochiltree, Cumnock, Ayrshire.

Junior Female Championship

Champion: Dinmore Lizelle - Mr Paul Dawes

Reserve: Foxhillfarm Looksthepart - Mr and Mrs M J Alford

Junior Male Championship

Champion: Pabo Legend - Mr Peredur Hughes and Mr Llyr Hughes

Reserve: Foxhillfarm Lordofthering - Mr and Mrs M J Alford

Female Championship:

Champion: Trueman Grazia - M Cormack and R Bartle

Reserve: Nebo Janice - T E and H E Price

Male Championship:

Champ: Tunnelby Inca - Miss Jessica Simms

Reserve: Pabo Legend - Mr Peredur Hughes and Mr Llyr Hughes

Overall Breed Champion:

Champ: Tunnelby Inca - Miss Jessica Simms

Reserve: Pabo Legend - Mr Peredur Hughes and Mr Llyr Hughes

LVB Thomas Award:

Champ: Pabo Icemaden - Mr Peredur Hughes and Mr Llyr Hughes

Reserve: Deri Hotchocolate - Mr Terry Griffiths and Mrs Dawn Griffiths

Group Of Three:

Champ: Pabo Limousins - Mr Peredur Hughes and Mr Llyr Hughes

Reserve: Trisant Limousins - G and E Jones

Limousin Pairs:

Champ: Pabo Limousins - Mr Peredur Hughes and Mr Llyr Hughes

Reserve: Temeside Limousins - Mr V and T Corbett