A three-year-old Border Collie bitch named Tock ticked all the right boxes to clock up the day’s top price of 4,000 guineas (£4,200) at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual summer sale of working sheep dogs. (Fri, July 18). The classy May, 2011-born black and white bitch put in a near flawless performance on the trials field in the hands of Shaun Richards, who runs Pen-y-Borough Sheep Dogs in Eldroth, near Settle in North Craven.

Fortnightly Sale of Young Feeding Bulls, Store Bullocks & Heifers, Breeding Cattle. Forward: 361 head of cattle. Comprising: 88 Young Feeding Bulls, 235 Bullocks & Heifers, 33 Breeding Cattle & 5 Grazing Cows. A cracking mid-summer sale saw a full attendance of buyers at the ringside. The Special Prize Show helped to attract a good quality entry and feeders were keen to top sheds up before harvest time kicks into full swing. Young Bulls averaged £915 across the board, whilst quality bullocks and heifers were keenly contested and younger cattle again found customers in good heart having grass in abundance. Another tidy show of Breeding Cattle were a similar trade to the previous sale.

Craven Dairy Auction (52 head) Yet again a big entry for Skipton Dairy Auction with 52 Head forward. Despite a number of buyers away snatching 2nd Cut silage or Hay trade remained good, with topping prices of £3,000 for the Champion from David and Claire Lawson, and £2,000 for an Incalf 2nd Calver from J Whittaker, Laneshawbridge. The champion chosen by Stephen Coates of Baildon Moor was a Newly Calven Pedigree Heifer giving 32L from the Lawson family and was hard fought over by keen supporters of Lawson Cattle and was snapped up by the Jeanes family.

Forward: 43 Prime cattle comprising 2 Clean Cattle & 41 Cast Cattle 1,943 Prime Sheep comprising 1,559 Prime Lambs, 364 Cast Ewes & Rams 101 Rearing Calves 52 Dairy Cattle 2 Loads of produce

All eyes on Skipton store lamb seasonal opener The big opening seasonal store lamb show and sale at Skipton Auction Mart produced a record entry of 4,087 for the annual fixture, a huge increase on last year’s 2,231-strong turnout. As ever, the sale drew nationwide interest, with all eyes firmly fixed on the opening trade, which saw lambs sell to an across-the-board average of £56.73 per head, compared to the previous year’s £68.18.

SKIPTON AUCTION MART MARKET REPORT – WEDNESDAY 9th JULY 2014 Fortnightly Catalogue Sale of Store Lambs Forward: 4087 Head, Overall av £56.73

Keelham maintains Skipton prime champions buying spree Keelham Farm Shop in Thornton, Bradford, embarked on yet another champions’ buying spree when once again securing both the prime cattle and lamb title winners at Skipton Auction Mart’s July shows.

MARKET REPORT – MONDAY 7th JULY 2014 Forward: 58 Prime cattle comprising 10 Clean Cattle (under 30 mos), 2 Clean Cattle (over 30 mos) & 46 Cast Cattle. 3,226 Prime Sheep comprising 2,670 Prime Lambs, 556 Cast Ewes & Rams. 58 Rearing Calves.

Forward: 56 Prime cattle comprising 6 Clean Cattle (under 30 mos), 3 Clean Cattle (over 30 mos) & 47 Cast Cattle 2,856 Prime Sheep comprising 2,225 Prime Lambs, 35 Hoggs & 596 Cast Ewes & Rams 57 Rearing Calves

Forward: 342 head of cattle Comprising: 101 Young Feeding Bulls, 165 Bullocks & Heifers, 74 Breeding Cattle & 2 Grazing Cows. The store bull trade was in line with expectations with correct age and farm assured cattle still looking well sold against current prime returns. Store Cattle a good trade and continuing to resist the falling prime cattle market, with smart well grown bullocks & heifers receiving a good following.

Forward: 25 Prime cattle comprising 24 Cast Cattle & 1 Feeding Bull 1784 Prime Sheep comprising 1374 Prime Lambs, 16 Old Season Lambs, 394 Cast Ewes & Rams 52 Rearing Calves 66 Dairy Cattle

Craven Dairy Auction (66 head) The Sun was shining and bids were flying. 66 Head were forward at the BOCM Dairy Sale with 51 In Milk and 15 In Calf Cows and Heifers and 1 Pedigree Friesian Bull. Of the Usual Newly Calven Dairy cattle Samantha Sugden of Laycock topped the tree with not only the championship but also top price of the day with £2900. The Heifer a Pedigree daughter of Bolton was calved 19 days and giving 35litres was eventually snapped up by Stephen and Edward Jeanes of Glusburn. The second prize newly calven heifer from Brian Moorhouse didn’t fail to impress with it forging a path to £2600. In the Newly Calven Cows Andrew Jennings of Fountains was the victor and was judged reserve champion. The pedigree second calver was bought by Wick Williams for £1980.

Sammy Sugden wins Craven Dairy Auction title at first attempt Up and coming dairy farmer Sammy Sugden made her first-ever foray into show arena at Skipton Auction Mart’s main June sale – and crowned it with an remarkable debut championship success.

MACHINERY & STONE A smaller show today but still everything was a nice trade. Top Price was a Zetor 5245 Tractor making £5,200 with an L200 Warrior selling at £2,500 & a Twin Axle Caravan found a new home at a cost of £1,650. In the grassland section a JD540 round baler consigned by Mr T Jowett & Sons realised £1,250 and the top price in the trailer section was £1300 for an IW Tipper. In the stone section a note able price of £1110 was achieved for some Yorkshire Grey Slate.

June Agri Trader Sale: Forward – 124 Cattle; 8 Sheep & Goats; 201 Poultry; 465 Reclaim; 186 Machinery; 95 Furniture.