Brian Moorhouse is Craven Dairy Auction Christmas champion once more
Bell Busk farmer Brian Moorhouse seized the Christmas Dairy Championship once again at Skipton Auction Mart this week. (MON DEC 3)
The Moorhouses are regular winners at CCM with their Aireburn pedigree Holstein herd at Hesper Farm, and bagged the festive championship last year, having been reserve champions in the corresponding fixture in 2016.
Judge Allan Throup, of Silsden, nominated their first prize Grafeeti-sired heifer as the overall champion and awarded Mr Moorhouse the Craven Cattle Marts Perpetual Trophy.
The 19-days calved heifer, giving 31 litres, went on to sell for £2,220 to John Howard, of Heslaker.
Reserve champion was a sweet pedigree heifer put forward by David Lawson, of Arthington, 21 days calved, giving 32 litres, sired by Lynncrest Zebra and boasting five generations of VG or EX, which sold for £1,800 to Brian Blezard, of Ribchester.
The Lawsons also took third prize in the newly calven heifers class, selling for £1,780 to John Howard, and first prize in the newly calven cows class, selling the winner for £1,650 to Stephen Coates & Son, of Baildon.
Second in the newly calven cows was MD Parkinson, of Barden, who sold for £1,650 to P&RM Sutcliffe, of Queensbury, and third was GB Jennings, of Harrogate, selling for £1,080 to the same buyer.
With 58 in total put forward, a large show of youngstock met a fluctuating trade with in-calf heifers arguably a straight trade considering the current industry circumstances, while the newly calven cattle benefited from a healthy ringside of buyers.
Chris Drake took home the Frank Wade Perpetual Trophy for his in-calf heifer (due to the Aberdeen Angus for February); she sold for £1,010 to David Shuttleworth, of Gargrave. Mr Drake also claimed second and third place with two more in-calf heifers, and another third place in the maiden class.
The J Ibbotson Trophy for best maiden went to Peter Baul, of Watergate Farm, Bishop Thornton, the 2016 and 2017 winner of the Frank Wade Perpetual Trophy, with an Overside Dragon daughter topping his trade at £800, selling to Messrs Ishmael, of Orrell.
At the same day’s weekly rearing calf sale, there was a quieter show following the Christmas Calf Show, however heady prices were still seen for the best of the calves, with Robert Metcalfe, from Brearton, topping at £420 for a lovely British Blue heifer. A run of Continental stirks from A Twell & Co, of Spalding, saw some healthy bidding, reaching £650 twice for some Continental bullocks, and a brace of Blue heifers at £600.