We took a strong team of young calves to the South East Simmental Calf Show held in conjunction with the East of England Winter Stock Festival at Peterborough. The April-born Sacombe Class Act 11, one of Grangewood William’s first crop of calves stood first in a strong class, while Sacombe Cheetah 11, Sacombe Corona and Sacombe Cameo all featured strongly in their classes, as did Perrywood Caramel and Perrywood Coyote 11.

Sacombe Class Act 11

We’re pleased to announce the sale of the March 2010-born Perrywood Battalion 10 to commercial producer Tim Piper, Kent for £4000. Battalion is by our past senior herd sire Glenturk Nomad and is out of the Rosten Pluto daughter Perrywood Touchstone. Tim is a new buyer for Sacombe/Perrywood and we’d like to wish him all the best with this bull.

Sacombe genetics are proving they do the job at home and abroad as a daughter of Sacombe Melody Kleeb, Ranfurly Kleeb 23rd by Seabank Flint and bred by David Hazelton, was the top priced female at the NI Club sale at Dungannon recently selling for 2900gns. Well done David and family!

We’re absolutely delighted with the results with this year’s South East herd competition, judged by Boddington Estate stockman Jimmy MacMillan.

Not only did the Sacombe herd win the Large herds category, but we also went one better to win the Revelex trophy for the champion herd, which is a huge achievement seeing as this award has never been won before by a herd with more than 40 cows. The Perrywood herd also featured heavily in the individual awards, taking the award for the best dam and progeny was Perrywood Wispa with her calf Perrywood Champion at foot, who is by our herd sire Clonagh World Class. We also won the best heifer calf section with Perrywood Caramel, again by World Class.

Our previous herd sire, Glenturk Nomad, won the best stock bull section and Sacombe won the Shebdon trophy for the best group of maiden heifers.

Having stood second to the overall breed champion, our cow Sacombe Rosemary-Bouquette, by Perrywood Kasper, then went on to be placed reserve female champion and reserve breed champion at this year’s East of England Show.

Also in the team we had great success with our yearling bull Sacombe Balmoral, by Sacombe Nijinsky out of Sacombe Louise-Oma, he won his class and then went on to stand male champion, while Sacombe Bestmate, a Glenturk nomad son stood second in the class and took the reserve male championship. On the Continental day of the show, Balmoral won the interbreed yearling bull class.

Sacombe Balmoral

Our junior cow Perrywood Wispa, by Skerrington Rajah, stood third in her class and also third in the Continental interbreed class on the last day of the show, while Sacombe Amy-Bouquette, another daughter of Glenturk nomad stood second in her class. We were also pleased to win the overall breed pairs competition and the best group of three from the South East. We also won the pairs competition in the interbreed Continental class.

East of England Show was the venue for the first outing for Ben’s Blue Texel lambs and what a show it turned out to be for him. First off, his ram lamb Sacombe Unique, by Bishops Scallywag, won the ram lamb class and then went on to be placed reserve male champion, while the ewe lamb Sacombe Ultraviolet, again by Bishops Scallywag, also won her class. As you can imagine, en was particularly excited to have done so well on his first time ever showing sheep, so we look forward to taking them to their next show.

Sacombe Ultraviolet

We are delighted to announce the arrival of Pode Hole Warrant as our new herd sire. We have been looking for a bull from the Killane Fauna cow family for years and finally we have found him. Warrant is a three year old bull with great size, fleshing and locomotion, coupled with an outstanding pedigree. He has already proven himself by leaving two outstanding crops of calves for the Horrel family’s Pode Hole herd, so we will be very excited to see what he can do for us. No doubt he will compliment Clonagh World Class and Grangewood William, both of whom have produced a very promising crop of calves this spring, much admired by 60 visitors from the Federation of Stockmen's club when we hosted their annual Inter county stock judging competition.

Sales of Sacombe Simmental bulls have been going well over the last couple of months. Our senior stock bull, Glenturk Nomad, has gone to take life a little easier in his old age and has joined Derek Berry's Broadreed Simmental Herd in Sussex.

Of the younger bulls, Perrywood Africa has been sold to new Simmental Breeders S Whitwell and Partners for their Queach herd in Suffolk, while Perrywood Apollo has been bought by Lord Iveagh's Wilton Estate, Wiltshire, after an extensive search by them to find a Simmental bull matching their requirements. Messrs Haywood have also bought their sixth bull in a row from us, their loyal custom is much appreciated. We would like to wish all purchasers the very best with their bulls.

Many thanks to those purchasers who bought any of our Simmental bulling heifers at Newark Livestock Market this week. These heifers peaked at £1060 with our run of 18 averaging £965. We would like to wish the buyers the very best of luck with their heifers.

We are pleased to announce the private sale of Sacombe Aero 09 to Neil Edwards, Suffolk, for his 300-cow suckler herd. Born October 2009, Aero is by Rosten Pluto and is out of the Important daughter Sacombe Henrietta-Bouquette. Having bought one of our bulls through someone else which gave him such good working daughters, Mr Edwards decided to deal with us direct and buy another. We wish him all the best with Aero.

We are pleased to announce the sale of various young bulls sold privately off the farm. Firstly Sacombe Apache 09 sold to the Georgetti family of Rolvenden, Kent. This one is by Sacombe Nijinsky N68 out of the Strathisla Juno daughter Sacombe Matilda-Bouquette, Sacombe Adebayor 09 sold to Eyford Estates who is a repeat customer. Adebayor is again by Nijinsky, but out of the Milnafua Junior daughter Sacombe Nancy-Parine and finally Sacombe Brigadier sold to Mr J White, who is yet again another repeat customer. Brigadier is by Rosten Pluto and is out of the Milnafua Junior daughter Sacombe Nadia-Kleeb. Another four bulls have also been ordered for repeat customers for use this spring. We’d like to wish all our buyers the very best with their purchases.

The first calves by our latest stock bull Clonagh World Class have been born and we are extremely pleased with them. Born easily they have hit the ground running and their growth rates are going to match those of their sire.

January is also an exciting month as we are delighted that Jess Denning has joined our work force as our new Stockperson. Jess was the 2009 winner of the UK Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society's Youth Development Programme Finals and won a travel bursary to Canada to work with some of the leading herds in the breed and gain invaluable experience. Jess has already settled in well and is proving her worth, we look forward to developing a great working relationship with her.

After recomendations from the Westpoint Veterinary Group, Oliver and David Walston of Thriplow Farms have purchased some of our commercial heifers to use as receiptients for their Wagyu embryo project. We will be incredibly interested to see how these heifers calve down and wish them well with their new venture.

Leading the way for the Sacombe and Perrywood show team at Bucks County Show  was our two year old heifer Perrywood Wispa. Born March 2008, Wispa is  by Skerrington Rajah and is out of Ranfurly Mame 3rd. She won her heifer class and then went on to take the reserve breed championship.

In the same class Sacombe Willow-Bouquette, a daughter of our homebred  bull Sacombe Nijinsky N68, stood third. In the yearling heifer class we  took a second prize with Clonagh Adorable, by Banwy T-Rex and our  yearling bull Perrywood Apollo, by Glenturk Nomad, also stood second.

Following on from her strong performance at Bucks County Show, our two year old  heifer Perrywood Wispa won her senior heifer class at Edenbridge and  Oxted Show at the end of August and then went on to be tapped out as  overall female champion and then overall breed champion against some  incredibly tough competition.

In the same heifer class, Sacombe Willow-Bouquette stood second, while in  the yearling heifer class we took a second place with our bought in  Irish-bred heifer Clonagh Adorable and a third with Sacombe  Amy-Bouquette, by Glenturk Nomad.

In the male section we also won the junior bull class with Perrywood Apollo and he went on to be placed reserve male champion.

This year’s National Simmental Show took place at the Great Yorkshire Show  where some 140 Simmentals were paraded in front of judge and breeder  Roget birch of the Pasturefields herd.

Our junior herd sire Clonagh World Class, by Kilbride Farm Newry, stood  third in a tough senior bull class as there wasn’t a class for his true  age group, but in the junior championship he was entitled to compete as  the best bull under two years of age. We then went on to take the junior male championship and reserve overall junior championship.

Heifer classes were incredibly tough and we stood fifth in a very hard  yearling heifer class with Clonagh Adorable, by Banwy T-Rex, and then  took a sixth prize with Sacombe Willow-Bouquette, our March 2008-born  heifer. We were delighted to have Garrett Behan over from Ireland to  help show the cattle for us. Garrett bred World Class and Adorable so it was great for him to be showing them for us and we’d like to help him  for all his hard work at the show.

Praised by judge Robin Boyd of Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, for being a  correct, mobile and well fleshed bull, our junior herd sire Clonagh  World Class took the male championship and overall reserve breed  championship at the Royal Norfolk Show. On the second day of judging he  then went on to take the Continental male championship and reserve  overall supreme championship under judge and Beef shorthorn breeder Jane Landers, making Norfolk Show the best one yet this season for the team.

Clonagh World Class

Also in the Simmental classes our yearling heifer Clonagh Adorable, our  other Irish-bred addition to the herd, stood first in a very tough  yearling heifer class, while our two year old heifer Sacombe  Wanda-Wanse, a June 2008-born heifer by Glenturk Nomad stood fourth in  her class and Sacombe Willow-Bouquette, a March 2008-born heifer by  Sacombe Nijinskey, also stood fourth in her class.

Clonagh Adorable

Sacombe Wanda - Wanse

Sacombe Willow-Bouquette

Leading the way for us at East of England Show was our new junior herd sire  Clonagh World Class who, although was shown in a senior bull class at  not even two years of age, he stood second against an older bull and  then went on to take the reserve male championship under judge Brian  Allan. World Class was bought as a yearling bull last year from Garrett  Behan’s reduction sale. We’re extremely pleased with how World Class is  looking, he’s a well grown, clean, balanced bull with great muscling and mobility.

Our other Irish-bred member of the show team, Clonagh Adorable, stood  second in a very strong yearling heifer class and took the reserve  junior championship ticket as well. Our two year old heifer Sacombe  Willow stood sixth in a strong two year old class which saw the eventual champion and reserve champion come from this class.

Our next show will be the Royal Norfolk.

Our first show of the year came in the form of Herts County, where we took a team of four cattle and celebrated a successful day’s showing under  judge and breeder Vicki Wood of the Popes herd. Our highlight of the  show was taking a first prize with our new junior stock sire Clonagh  World Class who was bought from Garrett Behan’s major reduction sale  last year. World Class is by Killbride Farm Newry and is out of Clonagh  Posh-Klowna and went on to take the male championship as well as the  reserve overall championship.

Our other Irish addition to the herd, Clonagh Adorable, also bought from  the sale, stood first in a tough yearling heifer class. Adorable is by  Banwy T-Rex and is out of Clonagh Norma. In the same class we stood 4th  with Sacombe Amy-Bpuquette, a daughter of Glenturk Nomad out of Sacombe  Tory-Bouquette, while our two year old heifer Sacombe Willow-Bouquette, a Sacombe Nikinsky daughter out of Sacombe Mable-Bouquette stood second  in yet another tough class. Simmental numbers at Herts were incredibly  strong this year so we were very pleased to do so well on our first  outing of the year. The same show team will next be heading to the East  of England Show in a couple of weeks time.

A number of Simmental bulls have been sold off farm recently, the first  of which was Sacombe Westpoint W10. He has gone to P and S Rowland,  Essex, who supply some 120 head of finished cattle each year to  Humphreys, the abattoir in which our extra stock of beef for Bridget B’s is sourced from.

Next we’re pleased to announced the sale of our past and very successful  herd sire Rosten Pluto. He has found a new home with J Learmouth in  Aberdeenshire, who has started a new 120-cow suckler herd. Again  sticking with past herd sires, we also sold Sacombe Nijinsky, who has  sired some fantastic males and females for us. He has gone to Messrs  Barbour of the Kingarth herd, Leicestershire. Completing the sale of  bulls, Duncan Parker, Bucks, has just bought another one of our past  sires, Perrywood Warrier.

We also sold a run of seven unregistered heifers at Newark Livestock  Market. These topped at £1250 and averaged £1180, with six of them going to one Yorkshire-based producer and the other one going to rob  Hopkinson of Hollingwood Simmentals. Off the back of this sale Mr  Hopkinson came back on farm and bought another six heifers.

We would like to wish all our customers the very best of success with their Sacombe and Perrywood stock.

Adding further to our stock sires line up, Sacombe Simmentals are delighted to announce the arrival of Grangewood William from the Leedham family,  Denby. Having stood second in his class, William was bought at the Perth Bull sales in Stirling for 11,000gns. He is a Popes Laird son and is  out of the Blackford Falcon daughter Grangewood Sundial. We first  admired William at the Royal Show where he stood first in his class. He  has a calving ease of +6.7, a terminal sire index of +28 and a self  replacing index of +38 and will work alongside our recently acquired  junior herd sire Clonagh World Class.

October has been an exciting month already at Sacombe with the purchase of two  new bloodlines in to the herd. In the search for a new junior stock bull we took a trip across the water to Garrett and Lyndsey Behan’s major  reduction sale of their Clonagh herd. There we bought the striking 11  month old young bull Clonagh World Class for 6600 euro.

World Class is a Kilbride Farm Newry son out of Clonagh Posh-Klowna, who is a daughter of Anatrim Jacob. We were particualry impressed with his  growth rate for his age, his correctness and power in his backend. He  has been shown successfully on the Irish summer show circuit and will be heading to the Irish National championships before heading over to join the herd.

Clonagh World Class pictured with Garrett at Strokestown show where he stood Male Champion

To celebrate our 40th anniversary this year, we also decided to introduce  some new female bloodlines to the herd, so at the same we bought the 10  month old and incredibly stunning heifer Clonagh Adorable for 3200 euro. Adorable is a daughter of the herd’s power house of a stock bull Banwy  T-Rex and is out of the Freighduff Brendan daughter Clonagh Norma.

Adorable is a tall, growth heifer with great style and presence. She has been  shown this year on the Irish circuit and took first prizes at Tullamore  National Livestock Show, Cappamore and Moate. She is likely to be part  of our 2010 show team.

Clonagh Adorable at 9 months old

Sacombe are pleased to announce the sale of some junior bulls sold to both commercial and pedigree producers.

We wish the following buyers a great deal of success with their new bulls  and look forward to doing business with them again in the future.

• Neil Shand of the Cairnorrie herd, Ellon, Aberdeenshire bought Sacombe  Winston, an April 2008 son of Glenturk Nomad out of Sacombe Nesta-Alfa.
• Bruce Magretts bought the April 08 son of Glenturk Nomad out of Sacombe  Nadia-Justine, Sacombe Westerly as a new stock bull for his newly  established pedigree herd.
• Sacombe Washington, a son of Sacombe Nijinsky out of Sacombe Matilda-Kleeb,   was bought by Mark Parrot for his newly established pedigree herd.
• Mr & Mrs Gould of the Huntsmead herd at Fordingbridge, Hampshire, have bought Perrywood Wizard who is by Glentuk Nomad out of Perrywood Mandy.
• Commercial producer Mr Curragh of Oxon has bought Sacombe Woodstock, a may 2008  son of Glenturk Nomad out of Sacombe Lillian-Bouquette.

We’ve come back from an incredibly successful Great Yorkshire Show and  improved on our success from the Royal Show the week before by taking  the reserve spot in the female championship with our yearling heifer  Perrywood Wispa.

Our three year old cow Sacombe Torry Bouquette also came home with a second rosette and Sacombe Winston took a fourth place in a tough yearling  bull class.

Our next outing will be Edenbridge and Oxted Show towards the end of August - we hope to see you there!

Well it was a pretty bizarre show with a less than dynamic atmosphere, but we enjoyed our last ever Royal Show last week.

We took a small team up to Stoneleigh to take part in the last show and  were fortunate to stand second in a tough yearling heifer class with  Bridget’s own heifer Perrywood Wispa. This March 2008 born was highly  admired as a young calf where she stood champion calf at Edenbridge and  Oxted Show. Wispa is by Skerrington Rajah and out of Ranfurly Mame 3^{rd (ET).}

In a tough yearling bull class we stood fifth with Sacombe Winston W25, an April 2008 bull by Glenturk Nomad out of Sacombe Nesta-Alfa. This  was the first outing for this bull and is currently offered for sale.

We’re pleased to announce a cracking month in terms of bull sales at Sacombe. This month we have sold Sacombe Victorious, a December 2007 born bull  by Glenturk Nomad out of a Milnafua Junior daughter Sacombe Nyree-Fani  to Sutton Valence, Kent-based commercial producer Nick Bates.

We have also sold another Nomad son, this time Perrywood Wizard who is out of Perrywood Mandy. Wizard has a calving ease of +1.3 and a milk figure of +7. He heads to the Gould’s Huntsmead herd, Fordingbridge,  Hampshire.

Breeder Mark Parrott, Essex, came to Sacombe to buy some Belted Galloway cows  for another breeder, but also went home with a new addition to the  Simmental herd, namely Sacombe Washington, a son of Sacombe Nijinsky out of Sacombe Matilda-Kleeb. 

Herts Show was our first outing for the Sacombe Simmental show team and we  were incredibly pleased with the results. It’s always a busy show for  us, as we have the Bridget B’s meat stand in the food hall as well, but  we were fortunate to pick up a couple of second prize rosettes as well  as a first in the pairs class.

We stood 2nd with our 3 year old cow and calf Sacombe Tory Bouquette and 2nd with our yearling heifer Sacombe Willow Bouquette. Our junior bull Perrywood warrior also stood 2nd place with Sacombe Winston coming 4th place.

For the interbreed pairs class, Sacombe Willow Bouquette and Perrywood  Wispa joined forces and took a first prize in an incredibly strong  class.

In the young handler’s classes, Ben Borlase stood 2nd with Sacombe Amy and Daniel Dawkins stood 6th in an incredibly tough senior class with Perrywood Wispa.

We’re pleased to announce the addition of Perrywood Warrior as a junior herd  sire to the Sacombe team. A tremendous young bull, combining performance and style, he is Sired by Skerrington Rajah out of one of our star  brood cows Perrywood Franchesca.

Franchesca was a prolific winner in the show ring as a yearling heifer and has  since bred some exceptional progeny with every son she has bred sold as a pedigree herd sire, including Perrywood Jasper 1st prize and Junior Champion Herts and Suffolk Show 1999 and 3^rd prize RASE; Perrywood Kasper, Supreme Champion at Herts and Bucks 2003; Perrywood Rowanne 2^nd prize RASE 2006 and Perrywood Nighthawk, joint top price Bristol 2004.

Now in her 14th year Franchesca will be flushed in 2009.

Warriors initial ABRI figures are a TPI of +29 with an SRI of +34.

Congratulations to Neil Shand on winning the supreme championship at Thainstone Bull  Sales with Cairnnorrie Valiant. Valiant is out of Sacombe Gilly Oma and  sired by Glenturk Nomad. Neil founded his Simmental herd in 2007 with  the purchase of 12 females from us and we wish him all the best with  them.

Fingers crossed sales of cattle are easier this year without the hassle of  bluetongue movement restrictions. We’d like to wish producer Steve  Harding from Hertfordshire all the best with three of our 2008 crop of  calves and we welcome his repeat business. Another four of the same  bunch have also been reserved for May delivery.

Bridget Borlase made the final three in this year’s Farmers Weekly Beef Farmer  of the Year and after a grilling judging experience in the summer she  was named runner up at a glittering ceremony held at the Grosvenor  Hotel, Park Lane, London in October. For more on this story and to read  what the judges thought of her click here

A party of 40 Romanian Simmental breeders drove the crazy journey over  from Holland especially to visit the Sacombe herd. As a tag on to a  visit made to one of the agricultural shows in Holland, they decided to  travel to the UK just to see our herd, a visit we were incredibly  honoured to host. We hope you had an enjoyable day!