Royal Norfolk Show 2023: Sam Steggles returns to cattle ring

Sam Steggles, who runs the Goat Shed farm shop at Honingham, won four classes in the British Simmental Cattle Society's national show, which was held in Norfolk this year.

His grandfather Russell Steggles was among the pioneering breeders who imported the versatile Simmental beef breed to the UK in the 1970s, establishing the Wacton Simmentals herd near Long Stratton.

But the herd was sold in the mid-1980s, and Mr Steggles' previous attempt to revive it in the 1995 ended when he went to college in 1999.

Last year though, his wife Caroline and children William, 14, and Polly, 11, bought him a cow for his birthday - and that has now grown into a herd of 17.

And after success at the Suffolk Show earlier this month, he said he was thrilled to be back showing Simmentals at the Royal Norfolk Show for the first time in 25 years - including his multiple prize-winner Denizes Eve's Beauty the Seventh.

"It makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up," he said. "When you've got the sgns saying 'Wacton Simmentals, established 1973', and to be able to see William and Polly in the ring with this heifer - it brings a tear to your eye, it is really special."

The growing herd will now play a key role in supplying his expanding farm shop.

"These Simmentals are a bit of a hobby of mine, I use them as a relaxation from the farm shop, but the plan is that when we do our shop extension and we are building our butchery we can process our own animals and supply our customers with our own beef," said Mr Steggles.

Hannah Wood with overall Simmental cattle champion Popes Princess Immie (Image: Chris Hill)

The overall Simmental champion was a six-year-old heifer named Popes Princess Immie, from Popes Farm in Preston - whose mother won the same accolade in 2017.

Her owner Hannah Wood said: "It is fantastic to win here. This is a royal show, which makes it one of the most important shows for agriculture in the UK."