Cropper repeat coup at CCM Christmas lamb carcase competition

A total of 51 lamb carcases were put forward for judging in a standalone competition class that again proved an integral and highly popular feature of Skipton Auction Mart’s annual Christmas primestock shows and sales. (Sun, Dec 1)

Breeders and feeders from Craven and further afield produced a magnificent show of carcases, with lambs delivered to the mart and weighed live, before slaughter at John Penny and Sons in Rawdon, with delivery back to the Stanforths Butchers meat plant on the CCM site.

Carcases were individually graded by EBLEX and created keen interest among butcher buyers and one local restaurateur who snapped up five carcases. The fixture built on the success of last year’s inaugural event when producing an overall average price of £114.66 per lamb, compared to £104.50 in 2012.

As last year, Beltex-sired carcases clinched the leading honours, with the championship awarded to the first prize under-35kg Continental entry from Bentham’s Robert Garth and Kelly Armitage with a carcase weighed in at 29kg alive, but returned at 17.5kg, with a killing out percentage of 60.34% and a grade of E3L.

The victors, who also sent out the same day’s reserve supreme prime lamb champions, saw their title-winning carcase sell for a new event high of £300, or £17.14 per kg, to the show judge, Red Rose butcher George Cropper, whose shop is in Accrington Market.

Mr Cropper, who runs the shop with his daughter Clare – she lives in Long Preston – also bought last year’s title-winning lamb carcase. On the same day at this year’s renewal, he also swooped to buy the 2013 Christmas prime lamb champions.

The reserve champion carcase came from Coverham’s David Findlay, whose 37kg Beltex lamb returned at 20.9kg, or 56.48% killing out and an E2 classification, before selling for £200, or £9.57p/kg, to Anthony Swales, buying on behalf of his butcher’s shop in Albermarle Road, York.

Mr Swales bought a total of five prize-winning carcases – the second and third prize 35-40kg Continental entries from Bill Logan, of Stainforth, and Michael Hall again at £135 and £155 respectively, the second prize under-35kg Continental carcase from Hannah Brown, of Newton-le-Willows, for £170, and the first prize native breed carcase shown by Carleton’s Ian Bell for £112. All will be on sale to Knavesmire Butchers’ customers.

Luc Daguzan, who runs Le Bistro des Amis in Skipton’s Jerry Croft, became the first restaurant owner to acquire top-notch locally produced lamb at the fixture by purchasing five carcases, all but one of them prizewinners.

He bought the third prize under-35kg Beltex lamb carcase from 2013 Skipton Christmas prime lamb champions Martin and Val Brown, of Newton-le-Willows, for £170, the third prize Swaledale lamb carcase from Burnsall’s JW Stockdale & Son at £88 and the second prize native breed Cheviot lamb carcase from David Findlay for £83.

Mr Daguzan also added the first prize Dalesbred lamb carcase from Richard Close, of Starbotton, for £85, along with a second Dalesbred carcase from Middlesmoor’s David Verity.

All five lambs, which then passed through CCM Quality Foods’ meat preparation unit at the auction mart, run by Skipton-based Stanforth Butchers, who again sponsored the show, will now appear in various prime cuts on the menu at Le Bistro des Amis in the run-up to Christmas.

Luc, who was making his first-ever visit to an auction mart, said: “It was an incredible experience – an education. We always try to buy our meat from local farmers – and you can’t get much more local than Skipton Auction Mart. I’ll definitely be back.”

George Cropper Jnr, of Baxenden, paid £150 for the first prize 41-44kg Continental carcase from local vendor Michael Hall, of Scosthrop, Airton, on behalf of the Roaming Rooster Farm Shop, near Nelson.

Barnoldswick’s Alan Parnaby was also in the thick of the action when buying a total of seven carcases on behalf of Dales Butchers for its two outlets in Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale. They included the third prize hill lamb carcase, also from JW Stockdale & Son, for £80, and the second prize Swaledale lamb carcase shown by Roy Nelson, of Bordley, at £78.

Mr Nelson was also responsible for the first prize Swaledale carcase, sold for £89 to Stanforths Butchers, which also paid £84 for the third prize Dalesbred carcase from Kevin Wilson, of Blubberhouses. Both will be sold in the Skipton shop.

Stanforths also went to £95 to secure the first prize hill lamb carcase from David and Michael Wilson, of Beckwithshaw, on behalf of Hopper Lane Hotel in Blubberhouses.

David Findlay added to his successes with the first prize native breed lamb carcase, knocked down for £74 to Watson Livestock in Hellifield, while David Verity was also responsible for the second prize Dalesbred lamb carcase, sold for £81 to John and Sarah Hartley, of Bashall Eaves.

Les Grange, of Follifoot, stepped up with the remaining prize winner, the third prize 41-44kk Continental carcase, which joined JH Jackson, of Raygill, for £142.