East Anglian Simmental Club Report

East Anglian Simmental Club

Report by Nigel Darling - Chairman

As I am sure with all other groups COVID-19 has significantly impaired our activities without shows and sales going on. We have also not had our usual meetings due to the pandemic. We did try to arrange a ZOOM meeting but thanks to BT many members still do not have adequate Broadband so that closed that avenue for us.

There was one bright spot in the year and that was managing to have a herd competition during the summer when restrictions were lifted. Dennis Mitchell kindly judged the competition and thanked the Club for inviting him to judge the 2020 herd competition and further thanked everyone who made him welcome to their farms.

He commented:

“I found it more difficult than I thought it was going to be to view the cattle on various days, and judged the competition with my commercial hat on as well as pedigree breeding. It was a pleasure to go around and see all the herds in the competition. I think the overall quality of Simmental cattle is very good and would stand up to inspection from Simmental breeders from anywhere in the UK.

I think people should always remember the commercial market in their thoughts, when breeding pedigree cattle and focus on animals which suit their own farming system, and the meat industry in general. I wish everybody success in the future and believe the Simmental breed still has big opportunities and potential in the years to come. All at the club thank Dennis for his dedication and attention to detail in both the Judging and his helpful comments.

On a sad note, we must note the passing of Tony Hurn a longstanding member of the club who will be sadly missed, and our heart goes out to his widow Phillida .

Whilst the show and sales have been curtailed members have found other ways of selling their cattle with much success in off the farm sales for quality bulls.

Let us all hope we can get back to some form of normality in 2021.

East Anglia Simmental Club 2020 Herd Competition Results

Bull Calf Born 2020 1st Fircovert Legend-Fircovert Simmentals 2nd Rendham Luther-Rendham Simmentals 3rd Hollybrook Laser-Hollybrook Simmentals Heifer Calf born 2020 1st Guiltcross Luna-Guiltcross Simmentals 2nd Williams Auror’s Lilly-William Clarke Livestock 3rd Rendham Lexi-Rendham Simmentals Cow & Calf 1st Rendham Holly & Rendham Lexi-Rendham Simmentals 2nd Sterling Ezzie & Guiltcross Luna-Guiltcross Simmentals 3rd Key Snow Queen & Goddards Lord Nelson-Goddards Simmentals Family group 1st Thursford Tina 21st Family-Hollybrook Simmentals 2nd Williams Simone’s Crystal Family-William Clarke Livestock 3rd Rendham Forever Family Family-Rendham Simmentals Stock Bull 1st Saltire Inness-William Clarke Livestock 2nd Theberton Genesis-Theberton Simmentals 3rd Key Indi-Goddard Simmentals Judges choice (pair) 1st Langhale Candy & Kracker-Langhale Simmentals 2nd Theberton Joanne & King Power-Theberton Simmentals 3rd Rendham Jem & Joules-Rendham Simmentals Overall & Champion Herd Andrew & Hayley Clarke-William Clarke Livestock. This was a very well matched herd of cattle, which Hayley & Andrew have reduced in numbers to achieve this standard. 2nd Brice Family-Rendham Simmentals I felt the cows and heifers calves were better than the other cows but still a good herd of cattle. 3rd Sharon Morter Langhale Simmentals Again some good cattle and is improving by strict culling for this small herd