News

TOM BRUCE NAMED SAYFC YOUNG FARMER OF THE YEAR

Abig ‘well done’ is extended to Tom Bruce, Tillyeve, Udny, Ellon Aberdeenshire who in June 2021 was crowned Young Farmer of the Year by the Scottish Association of Young Farmers’ Clubs.

The finals of the event, where Tom competed against five other young farmers from across Scotland, were held within the live streamed Royal Highland Showcase at Ingliston, Edinburgh. However, before taking aim at the tasks in hand in the finals, Tom had the small matter first of judging the year’s Simmental section and where he put up Gerald & Morag Smith’s Drumsleed Hivy 16 as the Overall Champion. Tom has previously successfully competed in the SAYFC Stockmanship programme, with Simmental being his breed of choice. With the Royal Highland placing an emphasis on young judges at this year, this experience led to him being chosen as the Simmental judge.

Moving to the Young Farmer of the Year event, each of the finalists were interviewed and quizzed on a business plan they had produced for the contest, before having their practical skills put to the test through a series of tasks including preparing a tup, constructing a self-locking yoke, and calibrating a tractor and plough. The finalists were also asked to take part in a promotional video shoot to sell a steak, and an ATV driving course!

After the not inconsiderable tasks, Tom powered through to lift the title and which was given as the 2020 award, with the original competition delayed due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Commenting Tom, who is a member of Udny JAC, said: “I was placed 3rd in the 2019 final and learned a lot from that experience. It was fantastic to have qualified again in 2020, and I’m absolutely thrilled to have returned for this final and to win the Young Farmer of the Year award.”

At the Society & Scottish Simmental Club Dinner held jointly in October 2021, on the evening prior to the Simmental Stirling Bull Sale, Tom was the guest after dinner speaker where he reflected upon his summer achievements, the Simmental breed as a whole, and with a few thoughts about the forward industry. Speaking at the time, Scottish Simmental Club Chairperson Trish Goldie said: “A big congratulations is due to Tom for winning this prestigious Young Farmers award and for so ably judging the Simmentals at the Royal Highland. There’s a bright future ahead for the breed and Scottish agriculture with young Simmental members of Tom’s ability.”

Along with his family Tom runs the Tillyeve pedigree herd based in Udny, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, and with the first pedigree Simmental calf registered in 1990. The herd comprises of 40 Simmental cows, run alongside a commercial herd of 60 head, and which uses both a Simmental and Angus bull.

Picture: Courtesy of H Leighton

BRIDGET BORLASE WINS WOMEN IN MEAT INDUSTRY AWARD

The winners of the annual Women In Meat Industry Awards were announced in November at a black-tie dinner and awards ceremony at the Hilton London Metropole.

Designed to recognise the vitally important contributions that women make to the meat sector, this prestigious initiative is driven by reader nominations and votes via the Meat Management Magazine, with an expert judging panel gathering to select the overall Meat Business Woman of the year recipient.

Olympic medallist and TV broadcaster Katherine Merry, who hosted the evening’s proceedings, presented 10 winners with their trophies and certificates and among the successful winners on the night was Simmental breeder Bridget Borlase of the noted Sacombe herd, Sacombe Hill Farm, Watton, Hertfordshire.

Bridget, who owns the Bridget B’s chain of butchery shops and counters in Hertfordshire, came through as overall winner of the Craft Butchery section. Bridget B’s was formed in 2005 as a diversification project to the family’s existing farming business. This enterprise has fast grown from one retail outlet to four, as well as selling on-line with an attractive website. Bridget has worked hard with her team to offer her customers a really modern approach, mixing all the classics with many new cuts, with a strong focus on customer service and engaging with her customers to enjoy their meat.

Backed up by a team of craft butchers, Bridget always strives to provide meat with integrity and first class customer service.

ALASDAIR HOUSTON

The British Simmental Cattle Society was saddened to report on the passing of Alasdair Houston, MBE, DL, FRAgS, of Gretna Green, in June 2021. A hugely respected and popular figure within agriculture, livestock and the pedigree sector, Alasdair met with great success in the sales and show ring over a sustained period with his noted Charolais and Aberdeen Angus pedigree herds. Earlier in 2021 he was awarded the Sir William Young award for his ‘exceptional contribution to the world of cattle breeding’.

Serving a period as Chairman of the British Charolais Cattle Society, and also a period as Chairman of the Board of Harrison & Hetherington, Alasdair was a dynamic individual who coupled his roles in agriculture whilst being a hands-on farmer, and developing his significant and successful business interests in Gretna.

From a Simmental perspective, Alasdair also of course leaves his indelible fingerprint on the history of the breed having bred Gretnahouse Supersonic, a bull who is the second most prolific in the British Simmental herdbook.

Year Letter for 2022 is

N

The Year letter for Bulls born in 2022 is N followed by the year 22

eg: Prefix Norman 22

WELSTON EMBRYOS RAISE FUNDS FOR NHS CHARITIES

In January, Anthony Davies, Welston pedigree herd very kindly put up for auction four Sterling herd embryos to raise money for NHS Charities. The embryos, from the mating of Sterling Adels Rosemary and Sterling Viking 2nd, were bought at auction by Anthony at the record-breaking Boddington Estates Sterling Herd Dispersal Sale held in 2017. Purchasing the embryos at £400 for the charitable cause was Adrian Ivory, Strathisla Farms, Blairgowrie.

N

BRITISH SIMMENTAL BREED PROMOTION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media has continued through 2021 to play a huge part in building the profile and awareness of the Simmental breed and related sales and events. The Next Generation, Stirling, Worcester, Northern Irish Anniversary, Kilbride, and Roma Sales have all benefitted through extensive promotion and coverage in the run up to the sales themselves. Highlighting the breed’s performance at commercial sales around the UK, and such as the nine-week Simmental Virtual Show, has proved popular and easy to do through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and has built up a huge following of the individual posts and the pages as a whole. Whilst the traffic has been extensive in the UK, the international reach, recognition and following of British Simmental is growing all of the time. In the year we pushed well through and beyond 10,000 Facebook followers with informative breed posts on a daily basis. Through the achievements and performance of the breed and breeders around the country we want to continue to highlight in pictures and words the breed quality that there is, pedigree and commercial, in every corner of all four home countries. Let’s continue this collective journey in 2022 to extend the profile, reach and promotion of British Simmental!