Their latest victor was the first prize heifer, a 515kg Limousin-cross sold for the leading by-weight price of 269.5p/kg, or £1,388, to weekly Skipton buyer Keelham Farm Shop. From another strong pen, the Critchleys also stepped up with the first prize steer, again a 515kg Limousin-cross, which fell for £1,498, or 267.5p/kg, to another regular Skipton buyer, Alan Beecroft, of Countrystyle Meats Farm Shop in Lancaster.

Both animals were bought in last autumn and further improved on the farm. The secret of the family’s ongoing success? “We look after our cattle and feed then well. In fact, we have been using tried and tested feeding patterns for many years,” explained Robert Critchley.

Top gross in the sale was the third prize 600kg Limousin-cross heifer from Malcolm Metcalfe, of Baldersby Park, which made £1,545, or 257.5p/kg, when again falling to Keelham buyer and co-owner James Robertshaw.

He was yet again the day’s leading purchaser, securing ten of the 18-strong high quality entry of under 30-month clean cattle for the two family-run shops in Skipton and Thornton.

Also among the Keelham haul were three further Limousin-cross, another heifer from Silsden Moor’s Simon Bennett at £1,520, plus the top price £1,503 steer from N Mayor, of Chorley, and the third prize steer from Denholme’s James Drake at £1,360.

All will be matured for a minimum of 31 days to maximise both texture and taste. “We are always looking for well-finished locally reared cattle with good cover and at the right age that continue to meet the needs of our customers.  In fact, local supply remains integral to our philosophy,” said Mr Robertshaw.

Show judge Martin Brown, of Leyburn, awarded the reserve championship to the second prize British Blue-cross heifer from Dunsop Bridge farming brothers John and Edwin Parkinson. It sold for £1,509, or 269.5p/kg, again to Countrystyle Meats Farm Shop.

Cull cows, 34 in all, recorded another week-on-week increase, this time up 7p/kg to an overall selling average of 117.77p/kg, or £736.60 per head. The entry was helped by an increased number of Continental beef-crosses, which topped at £1,252, or 155.5p/kg, for a Limousin-cross from Simon Bennett, of Silsden Moor, with the overall average for both Limousin and British Blue-cross cows a solid £950 per head.

Black and white dairy entries levelled at £741 per head, or 110.66p/kg, among them a good pen of Dairy Shorthorn cows from Ian Collins, of Dewsbury, which traded well to a high of £746, or 117.5p/kg.  A single mature Simmental bull from James Foster, of Bolton Abbey, made £1,079, or 125.5p/kg.