Some of the best beef cattle in the UK were paraded in front of judges and exhibitors at the opening day of the Royal Highland Show. Morayshire breeders were to the fore in the Simmental section when the Simmers family from Backmuir ruled supreme and the Green family of Corskie settled for reserve. Nearby breeder Michael Durno of Auchorachan, Glenlivet, awarded Reece and Andrew Simmers from Keith their third consecutive breed championship here, as well as reserve junior male champion with Backmuir Pegasus.
Taking all the plaudits alongside their father Philip and Darren Davidson, was last year’s winner Annick Ginger’s Lucia, a four-year-old cow by Wolfstar Gold Digger, out of Annick Colleen’s Ginger. Purchased at the Annick dispersal, she was shown with her November-born bull calf Backmuir Pompeii, by Backmuir Marksman. Iain Green and family’s 190-cow Corskie pedigree herd at Garmouth stood reserve with April 2022-born heifer Corskie Namenco, which stood junior female here last year.
She is by the 10,000gns Kilbride Farm Haka, bred out of Corskie Framenco. It was a day to remember for Neil and Mark Wattie, Mains of Tonley, Alford, when they secured their first ever Highland Show championship after 10 years exhibiting. The duo, who stood reserve champion two years ago, went one better with April 2022-born Tonley Fiona Y937, a daughter of Tonley Jester Eric S318, which has bred bulls to 24,000gns and 20,000gns.
Bred out of Tonley Fiona V594, this heifer has was champion.
