By Feizor Melody, a stock bull used by the Booth family, also from North Craven, the 12-days calved victor, giving 35 litres, sold for £1,750 to ringside regular Wick Williams, of Nantwich in Cheshire.

Pre-sale show judge Dave Berry, of Thornton-in-Craven, awarded the reserve championship to the first prize newly calven cow from Teesside husband and wife, Mark and Karen Calvert, of Glebe Farm, Crathorne, Yarm, who are continuing to disperse their Calton pedigree Holstein herd.

They already have a brace of Craven Dairy Auction title wins under their belt and added a third reserve championship at the latest renewal with their top-class Picston Shottle daughter, Calton Shottle Ruby 2, who is rated EX90 and comes from a family boasting 10 generations of VG or EX. On her fourth lactation and giving 55 litres, the runner-up, which calved on June 24, sold for a sale-topping £2,100 to William Oldfield, of Stocks Enterprises in Newsholme, Gisburn.

With six newly calven cows on offer, the Calverts achieved a clean sweep of the prizes in this show class with two further entries both giving 45 litres. Their runner-up, Calton Blue Sky Wendy (by Galastar Bluesky), made £1,740 when joining T Pickup in Bolton, while their third prize Calton Focus Hannah 2 (by Ralma Focus) sold for £1,540, again to Mr Williams.

The Calverts report that they have heifers still at home that are due to calve and will soon be coming forward at Skipton.

Back with the heifers, multiple past Craven Dairy Auction champions, the Lawson family, who run the Newkbirks pedigree Holstein herd in Arthington, Otley, were again to the fore when presenting the second and third in class. The third prize winner became the top-priced heifer when selling locally for £1,900 to James Kayley in Halton West, while the runner-up made £1,860 on joining the Fleetwood family in Mirfield.

With a turnout of 51 dairy cattle, a strong ringside of buyers bid relatively freely for some quality entries, producing trade better than anticipated. 

Pedigree newly calven heifers averaged £1,692 per head overall, with their commercial counterparts averaging £1,252 each and selling to a high of £1,600 for an entry from Richard Walker, of East Morton. The buyer was Mr Williams again.

Pedigree newly calven cows averaged £1,590 per head and commercial entries £1,396, with a day’s high of £1,720 for a further dispersal sale entry from David Leeming, of Burnt Yates. This, too, fell to Stocks Enterprises.

I Olivers & Partners, of Darley, took first and second prizes in the show class for in-calf heifers, selling the red rosette winner for £1,320 and the runner-up for £1,300. Both were bought by Sowray Bros in Bishop Thornton.

The undoubted highlight of a strong turnout of 24 maiden heifers from several vendors was the £1,660 achieved for an impressively bred pedigree Holstein, Grangecroft Talent Dot, from Sam and Lucy Middleton, of Wawne, near Hull. With seven generations of VG or EX behind her, Aubrey Greenhalgh, of Enchanted Holsteins in Preston, was quick to snap up the standout entry. Maiden heifers averaged £755 per head overall.

The show was again sponsored by ForFarmers, represented by Keith Colley.