Gambles a sure bet with five-timer at Skipton Christmas cast ewe show Annual festive shows for cast ewes and cull cows again followed hot on the heels of the big Christmas primestock fixtures at Skipton Auction Mart. Yet again, the headline performers in the former were husband and wife, Ken and Hazel Gamble, of Brickyard Farm, Easingwold, who presented the cast ewe champions for a remarkable fifth consecutive year. (Mon, Nov 27)

Aireburn herd crowned Craven Dairy Auction Christmas champions A cracker of a newly calven heifer from husband and wife Dales dairy farmers Brian and Judith Moorhouse, who run the Aireburn pedigree Holstein herd at Hesper Farm, Bell Busk, was crowned supreme champion at the annual Christmas Craven Dairy Auction at Skipton Auction Mart. (Mon, Dec 4)

Forward: 63 Rearing Calves; 26 Dairy Cattle

Fortnightly Catalogue Sale of Store Lambs & Breeding Sheep Forward: 5,056 Head, (Overall av £51.75) CCM Auctions had a large entry of store sheep for the time of year, when over 5,000 were penned and sold at the fortnightly sale on Wednesday. Strong lambs were in sharp demand with several pens of smart goods making into the 80’s to a top of £86 from RJ Bailey of Reeth, with a list of Suffolk and Continentals making mid 60’s or more. Strong end Mules were in the 60’s, topping at £67.50 from Martin and Vicky Parsons of Giggleswick.

Forward: 117 Prime cattle comprising 63 Clean Cattle (under 30 mos), 1 Clean Cattle (over 30 mos) & 53 Cast Cattle. 3,078 Prime Sheep comprising 2,673 Prime Lambs & 405 Cast Ewes & Rams. 58 Rearing Calves. 2 Loads of produce.

CCM Lingfields Christmas Primestock Shows – Sunday 26th November. The 10th Annual Craven Lingfield Christmas Primestock Show was held on Sunday 26th November. FORWARD – 52 Prime Cattle.216 Butchers Lambs.43 Lamb Carcasses.24 Prime Pigs.

Bamforth four-timer at CCM Skipton Christmas porkers show JG Bamforth & Son, of Heyknowle Farm, Slaithwaite, rattled up a fourth successive championship win with a trio of home-bred Pietrain-cross pigs at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual Christmas primestock shows and sales. (Sun, Nov 26) Again shown by Matthew Bamforth, the first prize 88kg trio, all gilts by a White boar, sold for £240 each, top price in show, to Stanforths Butchers on Mill Bridge, Skipton, who are renowned for their pork products, especially their famous pork pies.

Malhamdale success at Skipton Christmas lamb carcase highlight Malhamdale sheep farmer Michael Hall, of Scosthrop, was supreme champion in the annual lamb carcase competition staged as part of Skipton Auction Mart’s annual Christmas primestock shows and sales. (Sun, Nov 26)

Ireland family Skipton Christmas prime lamb champions sell at £520 each Father and son Richard and Mark Ireland, of Heys Farm, Whalley, landed their first-ever festive prime lamb supreme championship at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual Christmas primestock show. (Sun, Nov 26)

Young James, 3, crowned supreme champion at CCM prime cattle festive highlight Victor sells for all-time record Christmas show high A three-year-old boy owned the supreme champion heifer shown by his mother at Skipton Auction Mart’s Christmas prime cattle show and sale – the annual high profile highlight attended by independent retail butchers and meat wholesalers again seeking top quality beef for their customers’ Christmas tables. (Sun, Nov 26)

Fortnightly Sale of Young Feeding Bulls, Store Bullocks & Heifers, Breeding Cattle Forward: 382 head of cattle Comprising: 86 Young Feeding Bulls, 21 Beef Feeding Cows, 269 Bullocks & Heifers, & 6 Breeding Cattle. 79 Bulls of the 86 forward under 12 months of age and the strength and quality of the 2016 spring born calves improving every sale. Top price of the January born bulls was a Limousin x from JA&JM Wade & Son, Cononley. James Huck of Austwick sold his first draws 4 continental cross bulls born January to March 2016 to average £1143. Smaller bulls £720 to £970 throughout the sale. Overall aver of the under 12 month bulls was £933.

Forward: 67 Prime cattle comprising 26 Clean Cattle (under 30 mos), 1 Clean Cattle (over 30 mos) & 40 Cast Cattle 4,104 Prime Sheep comprising 3,802 Prime Lambs & 302 Cast Ewes & Rams 47 Rearing Calves 21 Dairy Cattle 3 Loads of produce

Craven Dairy Auction (21 head) A strong show of milkers on show today and pre-sale judge Edward Fort had his work cut out finding his favourite. In the end he picked a cracker of Grafeeti heifer from Brian Moorhouse of Bell Busk which sold for the sale high of £2150, which sold to Brian Blezard of Ribchester. Reserve Champion went to the returning Samantha Sugden of Laycock again a grafeeti daughter and giving 29kg sold to the Richard Sutcliffe of Queensbury. Other noted heifers came from Peter Baul of Bishop Thornton selling his sweet 30kg heifer to the Sowray Bros for £1800, Brian Moorhouse’s other consignment a 30kg Miguel daughter out of a 85 point cow sold for £1950 again to the Sowray Bros. David Fort of Glusburn sold three cows with the best, a 3rd Calver giving 30 litres reached £1800 to Stephen and George Breare of Silsden Moor

Another cracker in prospect for CCM Christmas primestock highlight Skipton Auction Mart is again looking forward with great anticipation to the climax of its primestock year, the annual Christmas shows and sales, on Sunday, November 26. Entries for the 2017 highlight have now closed and the mart reports that there is once again extensive interest across all livestock classes from the cream of the region’s cattle and sheep farmers, who prepare their charges purposely for the high profile festive showcase.

Fortnightly Sale of 4,219 Store Lambs & 480 Breeding Sheep & Rams Forward: 4,699 Head, Overall av £56.41 A cracking sale for Mid November with still a large line up of 4,219 store lambs alongside nearly 500 breeding sheep attracting a good company of buyers and a fast trade ensued. Best Continental Store lambs into the 70’s, strong Suffolks and Texels in the mid 60’s, as were the best pens of Mules and Mashams including a pen of 112 mules at £65 each from James Harrison, Weston. Mid to long keep lambs have also been better to sell this last few sales as seasonal buyers get clear ground to graze. Horned lambs found a very strong following.