Club Report 2007
by Ian Turvey

I was elected chairman at our AGM this year after serving as Vice - Chairman for the past two years, I have worked with Simmentals since their introduction into this country, so hope I can give a valuable input to our Club.

Our meetings are held at the Marsham Arms, which we all find a great success having a meal together before the meeting, with half still on their large sweet course (mainly the ladies) when I start the meeting!

Well done to Margaret and Norman Smith who have attended all our meetings even though they have to travel a long way. Also thanks to Brian Filby our Council member for all his hard work at Council meetings.

Well what a year: Firstly I must congratulate all our members on a very successful showing season this year; you have all done exceptionally well. Our members travel a great distance to support other area club’s local shows and we would love to welcome them all to our shows sometime!!

We had a wedding in our club this year, well done Tim and Sharon.

Here in the East, hay cutting was put back much later as it never stopped raining, silage went ahead late and was completed after several attempts at pulling big balers out of boggy holes! Hay followed with plenty of bulk and little else. It was a struggle to get it in dry, but as usual the time came. Then harvest, with the combines also digging their own holes with the straw being baled before leaving the combine nearly, to try and get it in reasonably dry. Straw will be hard to come by this year.

We were very pleased to welcome Fiona at the Royal Norfolk this year, and also Roger Birch as our Judge. The weather smiled on them both and I know they enjoyed their visit. What about the Royal…...say no more. Next came foot and mouth and Purbright or was it Purbright and foot and mouth. Not yet under control as I write this report but being contained. Now the Royal Show changed their dates and left the World Congress in confusion.

The club had a meeting to discuss the Royal Norfolk Show hosting the World Congress. This was yet again a lively well-attended meeting. Both Phillida and myself had been to the Royal Norfolk Showground to discuss the venue and were subsequently able to answer all the questions about holding the World Congress there. We at the East Anglian Simmental Club felt the best of all options was the Royal Norfolk Show as a venue for this event and with tireless efforts by our Club Secretary Phillida, who worked hard on our behalf, our case was accepted by the Congress Committee Members, so we hope to have a good Royal Norfolk next year. We will all work hard here in East Anglia to make sure this event is a success.

Now Bluetongue...lets hope that the winter comes hard and fast to take control of it....We love our part of this world, even if our Lord has sent this all to try us. Aylsham Show unfortunately didn’t happen for the cattle entries, on the August Bank Holiday Monday, due to the foot and mouth outbreak, such a shame as it has always been a very successful local show.

We are a strongly supported club and have very lively meetings, I can tell you with several opinions on several subjects.....needs a diplomatic Chairman and a very patient Secretary.

In March we had a very interesting talk given by one of our local vets, Chris Tomlinson on problems that occur in young calves, which again was a well-attended meeting, turning into a very good discussion. We had trips arranged this year, all cancelled due to the foot and mouth and Bluetongue control, but hope next year we can go ahead with them.

Our Christmas Dinner this year is at the Marsham Arms where we will be expecting a full house and plenty of Boootiful Turkey!!!

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