She claimed the title with her first prize newly calven heifer, Harehills Brenda 718, who hails from a long-established line of milkers and is a daughter of the celebrated Genus dairy sire, Picston Shottle, well utilised by Sally, primarily because of his size. Out of Brenda 369, the 13 days-calved victor, giving 29 litres, sold for £1,920 to regular buyer Mark Goodall, of Tong, Bradford.

Show judge Stephen Coates, of Baildon, awarded the reserve championship to the second prize newly calven heifer from commercial breeder David Fort, of High Malsis Farm, Glusburn – he currently has 50 cows in his dairy herd. By another Genus sire, Zoro, the overall runner-up came to market seven days calved and giving 26 litres. She too joined Mr Goodall for a price-topping £2,050.

Brian and Judith Moorhouse, who run the Aireburn pedigree Holstein herd at Hesper Farm, Bell Busk - they already have a brace Craven Dairy Auction championships under their belt this year - were again among the prizes with the third prize newly calven heifer, Aireburn  Paramount Idol, by the first time used Cogent sire, Ards Paramount, out of Aireburn Douglas Idol. The fortnight calved 30-litre heifer sold for £1,850 to Queensbury’s Richard Sutcliffe.

A run of in-calf Friesian heifers from WA Brown, of Earby topped at £920, this selling to the Smith brothers in Sutton-In-Craven, while Stephen and Eddie Jeanes, of Glusburn, consigned ten maiden heifers, four of which led the way at £600 each, with the majority falling to Otley’s David Smith.

Solid trade for the 22-strong turnout saw newly calven heifers average £1,604 per head.

Airton calves lead trade
The same day’s weekly rearing calf sale attracted 45 youngsters, which continued to sell away nicely, with Paul and Janet Bolland, of Airton, having the pick of the trade with a brace of British Blue-cross bull calves hitting £420 top call and £410.

RL Wright & Son, again from Airton, also achieved £410 with a Blue-cross bull calf, while Fred Houseman, of Church Farm Enterprises in Burton Leonard, sold Blue-cross heifer calves to a section top of £385. The overall Continental-cross selling average was £346 per head.

A smaller turnout of native calves saw Michael Heron, of Bramhope, lead the way with Aberdeen Angus entries in both classes, selling heifer calves to £205 and bull calves to £135. The section average was £151 per head.

Black and white youngsters averaged £81 each, peaking at £135 for a bull calf from John Blackwell, of Gargrave, with well fleshed four-week-old entries from John Marshall, of Dacre, also catching the eye at £110 and £100.