Darsham Kit Kat with calf at foot

Judge’s Report by Mr Adrian Richardson

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the RHAS for their invitation to judge the Simmental Cattle at the 2005 Highland Show. It was indeed a great honour and privilege to be given the opportunity to judge at this prestigious event.

The stock on show was every bit the high standard that I expected with many excellent individuals throughout the classes, a real credit to their owners and exhibitors.

My Overall Champion of the day came from the Senior cow class, Darsham Kit Kat owned by A R Clements & Ptnrs.  This was a tremendous frame of a cow full of breed characteristics, a well-balanced mighty cow with great bone and size. This cow had good locomotion making her well fit to work and she was clearly being worked with a tidy young calf at foot, yet in such fine form. Kit Kat was just different than anything else.

Reserve Overall Champion was Starline Marquiss owned by Delfur Farms. Marquiss was a senior bull and Male Champion. This bull was again a tremendous frame of an animal with exceptional growth and fleshing ability. He was a very long bull with great style, character and a tremendous head, I had no doubts in making him Male Champion and Reserve Overall.

My Reserve Male Champion and best Junior bull was Skerrington Rajah from John Young. Rajah was a very long young bull. He was very wide over the top with a tremendous loin and square at his plates. This young bull also had great ability to alter and was not like a bull that had it all done. All round a great commercial bull.
Reserve Female Champion was a heifer, Sterling Dolores Petra from Boddington Estates. Very similar in type to my Female Champion but not quite as smooth. While she had the tremendous frame, bone and was very well fleshed she was showing slightly fat at the tail.

My best Junior animal was Blackford Pam from W G MacPherson. A very tidy clean heifer very well balanced and correct, she displayed great style and breed characteristics. Pam had a great head and one of the most feminine females of the day. She was also a heifer with good natural muscling and carried it well.

In conclusion may I congratulate all prize winners and exhibitors (too many to mention individually) for such an excellent show of cattle. I would also like to thank the Stewards for their help and hospitality on the day, indeed both my wife and I enjoyed a warm welcome and kind hospitality from everyone.