Major prize winners, notably supreme champions, normally command heady prices from both family-run traditional retail butchers and meat wholesalers, who compete head to head at the ringside to secure some of the best meat that money can buy for their customers’ Christmas tables.

There are 16 butchers’ prime cattle classes this year, three more than 2016, with the increase seen in the haltered classes for young bulls of any breed, two weight classes for Limousin-cross heifers, plus one for steers, two further classes each for both Continental-cross heifers and steers, a Charolais steer or heifer class, one for native breed steers or heifers, along with the annual young handlers show class.

Once again, the categories have been specially designed to encourage farmers to bring forward more lightweight animals, which continue to have enhanced appeal to retail butchers.

These are supplemented by four classes for pen-judged un-haltered steers and heifers, which cater for the many commercial beef producers who support Skipton’s weekly prime cattle sales, but don’t have time to halter train animals.

There are again ten butchers’ lambs show classes for pens of three covering all the popular sheep breeds – four by-weight Continental-cross classes, both trimmed and untrimmed, along with Suffolk-cross, Mule, Masham, Swaledale Dalesbred and any other horned, hill or native breed classes.

Male and female champions will again be chosen in the cattle classes and both lowland and hill champions in the sheep classes. From these, overall supreme champions will emerge in each section – and it is these that can normally be expected to achieve the day’s top prices.

The 2016 supreme cattle champion made £2,981.50, or £4.45p/kg, and the champion prime lambs £340 each. Many other special prizes for both regular vendors and buyers are also up for grabs in both the cattle and sheep show classes.

Gaining in popularity year on year is the annual standalone lamb carcase competition, again featuring five by-weight classes for Continental, Swaledale, Dalesbred and other native and hill breeds. Last year’s champion sold for top call of £245. Cash prizes from several sheep breed societies will also be awarded.

All entries will then go under the hammer, again presenting a ready-made opportunity for the region’s butchers, hotels, restaurants and pubs to purchase award-winning carcases for display, promotion and sale in the run up to Christmas.

Prime porkers are also on the menu, with a single show class for pens of three. The 2016 victors sold for £170 each.

As in past years, the day, which is styled on London’s famous former Smithfield Christmas Fatstock Show, will feature a strong charity element, with new classes added for the latest renewal.

Retail butchers, farm shops and bakers who make products on their own premises are again well catered for, with show classes for professional traditional pork pies, speciality cold eating pies, sausage rolls and Scotch eggs, supplemented by a brand-new competition class for amateur pork pie makers, giving pie aficionados from all walks of life a chance to excel.
There are again show classes for rich fruit cakes, Victoria sandwich cakes, home-made chutney and sloe gin, with a further seven new classes added this year. Three are for cheese scones, home-made Christmas decorations and the best photograph of an animal.

All ages are now taken into the account, with the other four new classes targeted at children aged under ten and under 14 for the first time – the former for vegetable animals and decorated hand prints, the latter for budding bakers with a decorated Christmas log, along with a hand-drawn picture portraying a vision of the auction mart.

The annual show and sale of fodder hay features three classes for old meadow hay and seed hay bales, along with haylage.

Christmas charity section entries will be auctioned off towards the end of the afternoon, again in aid of the mart’s two main beneficiaries, Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice in Oxenhope, and national farming charity, the Addington Fund, for whom generous bidders have raised many thousands of pounds over the years.

The prestigious event - it is again being supported by multiple sponsors - usually attracts a four-figure attendance and also provides a worthwhile opportunity for butchers and wholesalers to meet and network with farmer producers in person.

Judging starts at 11am, with sale times from 12.30pm. A detailed Craven Lingfield Christmas Show programme is posted in the sales catalogue section at www.ccmauctions.com

Members of the public are also welcome to attend, with full catering and licensed bar facilities available throughout the day.