British Simmental Review 2018

REGIONAL CLUB REPORTS
North West Simmental Club
Report by Sarah Ford - Secretary
Another year woosh!
Our club year started with the AGM in February
held at the Auctioneer, Carlisle, where new club
officers and committee were elected. Juliet Sanders
stepped down as chairman having done her two- year
stint, we all very much appreciated Juliet’s hard work. Alan
Tallentire took over. Winter this year was interesting to say
the least with “the beast from the east” doing its best to kill
us, making many of us question what we are doing!!!
The Carlisle Spring sale which included the Leading
Ladies was held on the 20th April and was judged by
Stewart Stronach Jr of Maisley, Keith, Banffshire. We had a
pre-supper sale at the Auctioneer where we held a raffle
raising £90.
At last the weather improved and treated us to a
fabulous summer. Clive Houldey and family very kindly
invited us to join the farm walk they were holding for the
Scottish club. Unfortunately, only a handful of members
made it, but we were very grateful to be asked to enjoy
Manor Park’s lovely cattle and hospitality.
On Sunday 16th September we had our farm walk
and a fabulous day it was too. We started at Mr Pearson
at Blencow, Penrith. This is one of the herds from
which we source the cattle that grace the stand at Agri
Expo. He runs around 120 cows all Simmental x Blue or
Simmental x Limousin covering them with a Simmental,
Blue or Limousin bull. The bull calves are fattened and
sold deadweight, some of the heifers will be kept as herd
replacement the others sold for breeding or fattened. We
then went onto John Piele’s at Greystoke where we had a
lovely lunch. John runs a 200 plus herd of cows all of which
are commercial crosses. He buys Simmental x blue heifers
from Irvine Pearson, which are bulled with a Limousin as
heifers, then a Charolais bull thereafter. Calves are sold
off the cow as weaned suckler calves. Alongside the cattle
he runs a flock of Swaledale sheep, some of which are
bred pure, others producing Mule lambs, as well as a flock
of Texel crosses. We found it extremely interesting to go
around commercial farms, seeing the Simmental used for
different purposes. We were looked after extremely well,
and a great day was had by all. A huge thank you to both
families.
Agri Expo was another outstanding success for the
Simmental Society with tremendous cattle on the stand
with a selection of pure bred Simmentals from Ian
Willison’s monitor farm, pedigree bulls from Newbiemains
and two Simmental x cows with Belgian Blue calves at
foot sourced from Irvine Pearson. These proved to be a
real showstopper. The stand was busy as usual with club
members spending a very busy day making lots cups of tea
to go with lovely sandwiches and cakes. A good show of
calves was very ably judged
by Laura Green. Thank
you Laura. The Overall
Champion was Storersmith
Isla; a great day was had
by all with many of our
generous sponsors being
there to present the prizes.
Simmental X Cow with
British Blue calf at foot
096
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