Welsh Simmental Club Calf Show
Llandoverey Market
Saturday 13th December 2008 - 12 noon prompt start
6 Classes for 2008 Calves plus Young Handlers

2007 REPORT
by A Francis

Once again as Chairman of the Welsh Club, my report starts with the Welsh Winter Fair 2006. This year again, it was a huge success with a big attendance and is another Welsh Show that grows every year. The Simmental stand again looked the part having been put together by nearly all the Club members who turned up at Builth the day before and made a fantastic effort to produce a colourful and attractive stand. This year again, our exhibit on the stand was a cow and calf which was provided by one of our members, R & L Jones of Oakdale herd. She was a cross bred cow with an outstanding calf that had won the best cross bred calf at our Interclub Herd competition a couple of months earlier. 2006 was a good and successful year for Welsh members at the Show and Sales, and the 2007 sales were off to a good start.

At Perth in February, I was delighted with the success of my own two bulls, when one of them Pistyll Sion won the Intermediate Champion and the Reserve Supreme Champion and the other winning third prize and then being sold for 7,000 gns and 8,000gns; The highlight of my year.

The next get together was the AGM held at The New Inn, Llanbadarn, Fynydd. It was nice to see our President giving us a visit at our AGM. The officials were all re-elected.

During the winter, we had fewer meetings than usual, but one very interesting visit was to Bailey Farm Feeds, a local farmer that has produced some very good animal feeds and has grown to be a very successful business and by now selling to most parts of Wales, with many Welsh bulls which are sold at Perth and at others Sales, being fed on Bailey Feeds.

The summer events started well with members showing cattle at local shows, with one Welsh exhibitor showing cattle at the Royal. This year it was Aled Davies that took animals to Stoneleigh. He exhibited two home bred bulls, and we all congratulate the Davies family on gaining first prize in the Young Bull class and then going on to win the Junior Champion and the Reserve Male Champion with Hirwaun Titus, a big achievement on his first attempt at showing at the Royal.

Again this year the Young Members had a good show at the Royal with a Senior and Junior team representing Wales in the Stockjudging competition. The Junior team Angharad Francis and Rhys Francis, Pistyll herd, won third prize as a team and Angharad gained first prize for giving reasons. The following day, she also won the Holstein Linear assessment competition and was part of the South Wales Stockjudging team that came second overall in the Holstein UK competition. Like many events this year, the Royal Welsh was also caught by the weather, and the exhibitors got a good wash on Monday when showing their cattle. Nevertheless, the standard of the cattle was very high. As usual Welsh members did very well with Aled Davies winning Male and Supreme Champion with a home bred bull Hirwaun Rooney and Wyn Jenkins winning the Reserve Male Champion again with a home bred bull, Penwern Simon. Gethin Lloyd and family took the Reserve Female Champion with a home bred heifer, Crugmelyn Twilight. The Simmentals also won the Reserve Pairs in the Fitzhugh Beef Pairs Championship with Hirwaun Rooney and Penwern Rachel. Aled Davies also won the Junior Beef Interbreed Reserve Champion with Hirwaun Titus. The weather was good on Tuesday and Wednesday and everyone enjoyed the Annual Simmental barbeque on Tuesday evening, and as always the Royal Welsh was a great success this year again.

Our shows in Wales were just getting off to a good season, with most shows to be held in August, but sadly they came to a sudden stop. I congratulate all those who prepared and showed cattle this year it was a short season, but we made our mark with cattle bred in Wales. Congratulations to Anwen Jones, Cefngwlad herd who won the Young Stockpersons Competition at the Royal Welsh.

With many events cancelled, we did manage to hold our annual herd competition, the Judge this year was Mr & Mrs Gerald Smith, Drumsleed and after travels throughout Wales from North to South.

The results were as follows:- Large Herd Brian & Kitty Raymond Ben-nant Herd
Medium Herd Dafydd Jones Banwy Herd
Small Herd Aled Davies Hirwaun Herd
Best Bull Wyn Jenkins Penwern Herd
Best Cow Gwyndaf Evans Parcytrap Herd
Best Pedigree calf Wynford Jones Oakdale Herd
Best Cross bred calf Wyn Jenkins Penwern Herd
Progeny Group Aled Davies Hirwaun Herd
Young Stock Brian & Kitty Raymond Ben-nant Herd
Overall Herd WinnerBrian & Kitty Raymond Ben-nant Herd

Again, I congratulate all those who took part and especially Brian and Kitty Raymond for being the Overall Herd Winners and this for the third year running. On winning this competition again, Brian, Kitty and family offered to hold an Open Day for Club Members and friends, and we were all delighted to have a chance to visit one of the best herds in Wales, it was a very successful day as around 80 people turned up to view their cattle which were very worthy of winning the Herd Competition, it was also good to meet up after missing so many shows.

During September the Club had another herd visit, this time it was a trip North to see the Blackpool herd, owned by J.D. and A. Loftus, again members enjoyed the day looking at good Simmental cattle.

Welsh Club Visit to Northern Ireland

Also, two weeks later, another trip was arranged, this time members flew to Ireland to visit more outstanding cattle. Our thanks go to Mr. David Hazelton who arranged the trip for Drumbulcan herd owned by K. Stubbs, the Magheracrigan herd owned by Wesley Abraham, then the Cleenagh herd owned by Adrian Richardson and finally the Omorga herd, owned by John Moore. The second day, we visited the Bushmills Whiskey Distillery and then had a relaxing walk down and around the Giants Causeway followed by a herd visit to David Hazelton’s Ranfurly herd. The third day we saw Lesley Weatherup’s Lisglass herd in the morning and the Robson family’s Kilbride herd in the afternoon, we then travelled home. A very enjoyable time was had by all, and the cattle seen were of the highest quality and well worth the journey to see them. The weather was good throughout the trip and we had excellent hospitality and a warm welcome at all the farms.

At the time of writing this report we are all looking forward to the Perth Bull Sale, and hoping that the Welsh bred animals would once again have another successful sale.

As this is my third year as Chairman, it will be my last report and I would like to thank all those who have helped and supported me during my years as Chairman and I wish the Welsh Club and members a very successful future.

Unwaith eto, diolch I bawb am eich cyfraniad ach umdrech I helpur clwb ac I fagu a marchnata gwartheg Simmental o safon uchel iawn. Pob lwc i’r dyfodol.

2006 club report

2005 club report

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