Big turn out at the NI Simmental Club Annual Dinner and Awards Night

A large crowd of club sponsors, breeders and family and friends gathered to celebrate the success from the 2024 show and sale season and enjoyed an excellent meal on the night.

From the Spring Sale held on 22nd March 2024, the Danske Bank Silver Saver for the best pedigree animal was awarded to William Dodd & family, Saintfield, Co Down with their bull Craigy Neo. The S.H. Watterson Perpetual Cup for the highest priced bull at this sale was awarded to Andrew Clarke, Tynan, Co Armagh with his bull Breaghey Netflix selling for £5800 gns. Also from the spring sale held at Dungannon Farmers Mart, William Dodd & family also claimed the female championship with Craigy Beatrice N10 best opposite sex winner.

The NI Cattle Breeders Club sale in May 03/05/2024 held at Swatragh Livestock Market, saw the Bruces Hill Cattle Company cup awarded to Eamon McCloskey & family Kilrea, Co Antrim with the female champion, Drumagarner Nour sold to online bidders in Scotland on the night.

The Autumn club sale 25/10/2024 held at Swatragh Livestock Market saw the W.H. Robson & Sons cup being taken home by Cecil McIlwaine, Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone for Corrick Patriot which went on to sell for £5500 gns and top price bull at the sale.

The reserve champion, for the opposite sex winner, the Ulster Farmers Mart R.J. Allen cup went to Val & Conrad Fegan, Rostrevor ,Co Down for Knockreagh Princess which was also top female price on the night of £4100 gns .

The club saw a successful exhibition of top-quality Simmental cattle at local shows this year.

From Balmoral Show, it was Joe and Alan Wilson Newry, Co Down with their heifer, Ballinalare Farm Nikita who took home most of the awards, a second consecutive year in a row for this outstanding female, including the overall winner, crystal glasses winner, Bobbie Dickson perpetual championship trophy winner, silver award for the best exhibit bred in N.I. winner, Wm Black Memorial perpetual cup winner and Newsletter Shield winner. They also picked up the perpetual cow bell, Bangor & Six road ends Farmers Union perpetual trophy, Irwin’s perpetual cup and the Bobby Gamble perpetual challenge trophy for the same heifer.

The cup for the best Simmental male at Balmoral Show went to Lisglass Prince from Leslie & Christopher Weatherup, Ballyclare, Co Antrim with Leslie’s grandson Timothy Rainey a young man that excelled at the showing this year wining the Young Stockperson of the Year 2024 shield and the Thelma Gorman cup.

In the annual stock judging competition kindly hosted by the Hazelton family, Dungannon the winner of the Carnkern Cup was awarded to Erin Nelson ,Rosslea, Co Fermanagh and the open class winner was jointly contested by Kenneth Stubbs Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh & Leslie Weatherup. The Betty Walker Memorial perpetual challenge cup/club member of the year winner was awarded to Ryan Gilmour, Dungannon.

This year’s Simmental National Show was held at Antrim Show. The Danske Bank Female of the Year Crystal Bowl and cow bell winner went to Joe and Alan Wilson, for Ballinalare Farm Nikita and the Danske Bank Male of the Year cow bell winner was David & Jonny Hazelton, Dungannon, Co Tyrone with Ranfurly Principal P12.

The Danske Bank Reserve Female of the Year crystal bowl winner was won by Leslie & Christopher Weatherup with Dermody Princess 2. The Danske Bank reserve Male of the Year crystal bowl winner was award to the Mcdonald brothers Shane & Paul, Tempo, Co Fermanagh with Coolcran Pharaoh they also won the Dani Rosebowl, winning with the young bull Coolcran Peroni who scored the highest points at the National Show held at Antrim back in July 24. The Animal Health trophy for the best pair was awarded to David & Jonny Hazelton also at the National Show, Antrim with Ranfurly Principal P12 & Ranfurly Weikel 52 P18.

The NI Simmental Cattle Breeders Club would once again like to thank all club members, club member Val Fegan for taking photographs during the year along with William McElroy and David Porter. The British Simmental Cattle Society and supporters to the club and all the sponsors throughout the year for the shows and sales. A special thanks also to both Dungannon Farmers Market and Swatragh Livestock Market for hosting the sales throughout the year and lastly to all the farmers in NI, ROI and the UK for putting their trust and confidence in NI Simmental Cattle.

The last event on the calendar this year is the NI Simmental calf show taking place at Ballymena Livestock Market on Saturday, 30th November with a cracking entry of 50 calves.