British Simmental Review 2018

Farewell to Dear Friends
Paull Borlase
1943 – 2018
My father Paull was born on the 22nd July 1943 in Hertford
and lived for the first 72 years of his life at both Sacombe
Hill Farm and Perrywood Farm on the Woodhall Estate,
where he farmed firstly with his Grandfather, then in
partnership with his parents, Bert & Betty Borlase before
their passing.
Paull firstly attended Heath Mount School based on
the Woodhall Estate then Lancing College in West Sussex
before he finished his studies at Moulton Agricultural
College in Northamptonshire and returned home to the
family farm. At the age of 8 he was struck down with
tetanus and spent 8 weeks in a coma before having
to learn to walk again. Paull became an accomplished
sportsman, particularly as a mile runner, and he competed
against the likes of Roger Bannister at the White City
Stadium following on to play rugby for the Royston Crows
for many years.
In 1968 after a very short courtship with Judy he asked
her father if he could marry Judy and when later that day,
he took her by complete surprise by saying to her that
he had asked her father for her hand in marriage, her
comment was, ‘and what did he say?’. Without hesitation
my father recited my Grandfather’s comment ‘The Best of
Bloody Luck to you’. Paull and Judy were married on the
4th December 1968 and so very nearly got to their Golden
Wedding anniversary but sadly it was not to be. William
was born in 1969 and I followed in 1975 and our father
was always immensely supportive of us and very proud
of what we had both achieved and he became the best
Grandfather our children could ever have had, referring
to his Grandchildren, Ben, Samuel and Scarlett as his little
angels.
On the 4th July 1970 Paull and his parents had the
foresight to establish the Sacombe Simmental Herd and
became founding members of The British Simmental
Cattle Society, his one wish was to see the herd attain its
50th Anniversary which we will proudly do in 2020. He
loved his cattle and particularly loved the summer shows.
Never one to seek the limelight, he often let others do the
showing, but he loved nothing more than grabbing the
muck fork or a comb and chatting to all the show goers,
inviting numerous people from home and abroad to come
and view the herd on the farm and in the process signing
up many new members for the breed - he was very much a
people’s person.
Paull achieved many highlights over his 48 years in
the Simmental breed including winning the Supreme
Championship at Perth Bull Sales on two occasions with
Sacombe Edgar and Sacombe Wishful Thinking, Supreme
and Interbreed Champion at The Royal Show with Sacombe
Shamus, Supreme Champion at the Royal Highland with
Sacombe Bernard and Supreme Champion at The Royal
Welsh on two occasions, firstly with Sacombe Balmoral and
this year just a
week before his
passing with
Sterling Petra’s
Cairo which
he was able to
watch on TV.
Without a doubt
though, the
highlight of his
farming career
as he saw it was
winning the
coveted Burke
Trophy in 2012
with Perrywood
Wispa and Clonagh World Class.
A naturally gifted engineer, Paull could turn his hand
to anything in a workshop and it was often joked how he
could have appeared on Scrap Heap Challenge such was
his ability to turn tired old metal into something useful and
this skill came to the fore throughout his farming life.
Paull took the very bold decision at the age of 72 to
purchase a new farm in Shropshire, and on the 30th
September 2015 together with Judy they moved to
Batchcott Hall Farm, which he described as having moved
to God’s Country. He promptly set about trying to promote
the attributes of Simmentals to the locals and establishing
an 800-ewe flock to run on the farm alongside the portion
of the Sacombe herd he had taken with him and he
immensely enjoyed the new friendships he promptly made
in the local area.
16 years ago, my father was diagnosed with Primary
Sclerosing Cholangitis, a liver disease which was
untreatable, and specialists knew very little about. Knowing
he couldn’t be cured he enrolled himself to be a guinea pig
so in the future he can hopefully help others. It was just
three weeks from him being diagnosed with cancer to his
passing, it was so aggressive it took everyone by surprise.
Throughout he never failed to thank the medical staff and
always told them how brilliant they were, his care from
them was fantastic.
Farming was Paull’s life, his passion and his pleasure
and no aspect more so than his beloved Simmental herd.
His enthusiasm for farming and Simmentals was infectious
and plain for all to see.
My Mother, William and I would like to thank everyone
who has shown our family so much support and kindness
through this difficult time, we have lost a loving husband,
supportive father and loving grandfather and a best friend
to many. We are all the richer for having had him in our
lives.
Bridget Borlase
064 www.britishsimmental.co.uk