His latest victor at the ForFarmers-sponsored fixture was the first prize newly calven heifer, Stainbank Allison 22, by the Genus sire Fly-Higher Michelob, out of Allison 17. This milky line stretches back over 20 years to the first cow acquired from John Dennison's Denmire herd in Ulverston.

Twenty days calved and giving 34 litres, the champion sold for £1,620 to the show judge, Cheshire’s Wick Williams, from Nantwich, who has been a regular buyer of dairy cattle at Skipton all year long.

Bishop Thornton’s Peter Baul, of the Ravensgate pedigree Holstein herd at Watergate Farm, who landed a championship and reserve championship double at the previous Christmas Craven Dairy Auction, was reserve again with his second prize newly calven heifer, Ravensgate Tiergan Blossom 166, by Cogent Tiergan, out of Northside Blossom 138.

A month calved and giving 32 litres, she went on to secure top price of the day at £1,750 when falling to local buyer John Howard, of Heslaker.

The third prize newly calven heifer from Samantha Sudgen, of Laycock, Keighley, sold for £1,280 to Cowling’s Martin Jennings.

The first prize newly calven cow came from Fred and Mark Houseman, of Church Farm Enterprises in Burton Leonard, with the second prize winner presented by David Leeming, of Burnt Yates, who continues to disperse his commercial dairy herd. Both sold for joint top call in class of £1,380, again to Mr Williams.

There was also a further dispersal of the Calton pedigree Holstein herd of Teesside’s Mark and Karen Calvert, from Carthorne, who presented the third prize newly calven cow, which became another Williams buy at £1,140. The Calverts arrived with 12 new calvers, both cows and heifers, which sold to highs of £1,210 twice, both to Mr Jennings.

First prize in the show class for in-calf heifers again fell to Brian and Susan Barningham, who trade as Isaac Oliver & Partners in Darley, their red rosette winner heading the section prices at £1,080 when falling to Roger Naylor, of Langbar.

Chris Broadwith, of Thornton Watlass, stood second and third in class, his charges selling at £1,100 and £1,060, both to Gargrave’s David Shuttleworth.  A strong entry of 11 In-calf heifers averaged £1,007 per head overall.

Sam Middleton, from Wawne, near Hull, brought 14 maiden heifers, topping at £920 for a Rhaposdy heifer bought by Preston’s Aubrey Greenhalgh. Joss Lancaster, of Horton-in-Craven, again produced a quality run of seven dairy calves, which sold to a high of £310 and averaged £268 each.

A robust entry of 71 head met with trade described as “testing.” Newly calven heifers averaged £1,266, newly calven cows £1,121 and maiden heifers £581.
 
Church Farm Enterprises were also to the fore in the same day’s rearing calf sale when topping the trade at £430 with a British Blue-cross bull calf, also heading the heifer calf prices at £380 with another Blue.

A strong turnout of 92 youngsters met with a straight trade throughout, with the best end performing well. While black and whites were held back by some plain calves, there were still plenty selling into the £100s, producing an overall average of £67 per head. Continentals averaged £306 and natives £186.57.