Show-stopping Simmentals to come under the hammer

Billed as one of the most anticipated Simmental sales of 2024, the catalogue for the joint offering from Joe Wilson and David Hazelton includes over 40 in-calf and maiden heifers, two heifers with calf at foot, two service-age bulls and two lots of embryos.

Both herds have been breeding pedigree Simmentals for decades and are highly-regarded throughout the UK and Ireland for their top-quality bulls and prolific and proven cow families.

The Ranfurly herd has been carrying out linear type classification for a number of years.

Currently the 20-cow herd comprises nine Excellent cows, nine Very Good cows and two first-calf heifers awaiting classification in the autumn.

The sale takes place at Rathfriland Farmers’ Co-op, commencing at 12.30pm, with all lots coming under the hammer of guest auctioneer David Lowry from Lanark in Scotland.

David Hazelton said: "This is our 4th production sale in twelve years. We host the sale periodically to reduce numbers and it has been heart-warming over the years to see our stock excelling in other herds. This year’s catalogue features something for everyone, including two prospective stock bulls, females bred from generations of our top cow families and a number of multi-award-winning show animals.”

One of the stars of the catalogue is the much-admired and exceptional heifer Ballinalare Farm Nikita (Lot 19). She has claimed numerous Simmental championships and interbreed awards in 2023 and 2024, including two successive supreme Balmoral Show and National Simmental Show championships – a feat believed to be a first for a Simmental bred in Northern Ireland. Nikita was sired by the 14,000gns Saltire Impressive and sells four-months in-calf to Omorga Murray.

The sixteen-month-old bull Ranfurly Principal (Lot 21) is bred from three generations of EX dams from the noted Weikel family and was sired by the home-bred 16,000gns Ranfurly Limelight – reserve intermediate champion at Stirling in 2022. He was male champion at Omagh; male champion, junior male champion and reserve supreme at the NI National Show; interbreed junior bull champion at Antrim and supreme overall Simmental and interbreed beef champion at Clogher Show.

Another very exciting prospect for the future is the fourteen-month-old Ranfurly Limelight daughter, Ranfurly Weikel 52 nd (Lot 20). This stylish heifer was reserve junior champion at the Four Breeds calf show last year; reserve junior champion at Balmoral and a first prize winner at the National Show.

The Wilson family are offering first-crop daughters from their 11,000 Euros herd sire, Bighill Magic – junior champion at Roscommon in November 2020.

Also on offer is Ballinalare Farm Paris ET (Lot 26), a full sister to the 10,000gns Ballinalare Farm Legacy and the 28,000gns Stirling supreme champion Ballinalare Farm Masterpiece.

Viewing of the sale animals is welcome on-farm by appointment with the vendors. Contact David Hazelton on 07841 748764 or Alan Wilson on 07871 351686. Animals can also be

inspected in the saleyard on the evening prior to the sale and on sale morning.

The sale will be conducted under the auspices of the British Simmental Cattle Society. They are all sire verified, vaccinated for BVD and inspected to breed standard. Both herds are

members of the AFBI CHeCS approved health scheme and are Johnes risk Level 1.

Animals purchased for export to mainland GB will be transported from the saleyard to an approved Assembly Centre. They will be delivered free of charge to a lairage facility in GB.

Animals destined for export to ROI will return to their farm of origin, where the necessary pre-movement tests will be completed.

Online bidding will be available via the MartBids App or www.bidding.martbids.ie.

Prospective buyers must register at least 24 hours prior to the sale, and contact Kenneth Dodd on 07708 090741 to request online bidding approval.

Catalogues are available on request from Rathfriland Farmers’ Co-op tel: 028 4063 8493.

Alternatively, contact the vendors or view online at www.britishsimmental.co.uk