Established over a century ago in 1909, the Upsall herd won both junior heifer show classes, one selling for the day’s top price of 4,400gns, the other standing reserve champion.

The Skipton showcase has been a happy hunting ground for the Upsall holding, which last year secured a championship, reserve championship and top price treble, as well as also being responsible for the 2012 Skipton title winner.

Their latest top price performer was the 18-month-old Nonpareil X1001 of Upsall, a daughter of the home-bred sire, Fortress of Upsall, himself a powerful roan son of Ingleton C111, out of Nonpareil X469 of Upsall,

She fell to Amy Mountain and her partner Will Gore-Browne, who trade as New York Farms and run their Shorthorn herd, established three years ago, at Walton Hole Farm on Silsden Moor. The up-and-coming breeders, both in their 20s – Amy also works as a land agent with Dacre, Son & Hartley in Ilkley – made a second Turton acquisition when paying 2,500gns for the May, 2014, junior heifer, Gem X999 of Upsall, a home-bred daughter of Eurosceptic of Upsall.

They came away with 11 heifers in total, among them a trio of 2,600gns 2014-born acquisitions from the Wharfedale-based Westmoor herd of Robin Paisley in Middleton, Ilkley – Westmoor Joyful Honeydew, Westmoor Yasmin Heather and Westmoor Lancaster Harriet. All were by Alvie Bovill.

Amy and Will’s Skipton buys have boosted their Shorthorn holding to 30 breeding cattle and followers. The new arrivals, purposely bought empty, will be put to their latest sire, an all-white bull, Podehole Ghost, acquired from well-known East of England Shorthorn breeders Charles and Sally Horrell. They aim to produce high quality show cattle.

Aimie Park, wife of Mr Turton’s herdsman Ian Park, led out the reserve female and overall reserve champion, the March, 2014-born Clipper X968 of Upsall, by Dingo of Upsall, who has bred first-rate bulls and females. Out of the EX91 classified Clipper X968 of Upsall, a daughter of the Canadian sire, Crooked Post Triple, the runner-up sold in calf to Firefox of Upsall for 3,900gns to RJ Baudains, of Nunnington in Ryedale.

The same buyer also bought three further Upsall junior heifers, paying 3,100gns for Clipper X980 of Upsall, a daughter of Belmore Patriach, 2,700gns for Clipper X997 of Upsall, another Dingo daughter who was runner-up in her show class, and 2,400gns for Ury Maid X998 of Upsall, by Democrat of Upsall.

The Upsall herd’s third prize May, 2014-born, junior heifer, the Frigate of Upsall daughter, Victoria X1014 of Upsall, also sold well at 3,000gns to Scottish breeders J Stewart & Partners, of Peebles.  The nine-strong Upsall heifer consignment all found new homes.

Charles and Sally Horrell’s Podehole herd, based at Thorney, Peterborough, itself hit the headlines when awarded the champion’s rosette by Scottish show judge George McCulloch, from Dunblane, for their first prize March, 2014, junior heifer, Podehole Gypsy Harebell.

By Chapeltown Clansman, a 10,000gns acquisition in 2010 and since used to good effect, having himself sold bulls to 10,000gns, out of the Nevada Warrior daughter, the EX91 classified Podehole Gypsy Angel, the title winner found a new home in North Yorkshire when selling for 2,900gns to Ian Clough, of Pickering.

The Horrells did even better when achieving 3,000gns with a second junior heifer, the January, 2014, Podehole Phantasy Heidi, again by Chapeltown Clansman and a full sister to the 10,000gns Podehole Fenman, This found a new home in Ireland with Martin Kelly, of Carlow in County Carlow, a builder by trade who last year took over the long-established family-run Shorthorn herd, now into its third generation.

The Horrells also had a hand in the third prize winner in the same show class, a January, 2014, junior heifer from the Highlee herd of Calderdale breeder Tracy Severn, of Brick Green Farm, Barkisland, Halifax. By Podehole Elite, out of Sandwick Duchess Zoe, a Great Yorkshire Show female and reserve breed champion, Highlee Duchess Heidi became a further J Stewart & Partners buy at 2,500gns.

Scottish breeders Thomson, Roddick & Laurie, who run the Shawhill herd in Eaglesfield, Lockerbie, achieved 2,600gns with their junior heifer, Shawhill Hazelnut, by Alvie Blue Eyed Boy, which fell to JH Whalley, of Oswaldtwistle, while Peter Turnbull’s Oakleigh herd in Kildale, Whitby, made 2,300gns with a further junior heifer, the Blelack Masterpiece daughter, Oakleigh Harmony. The buyers were MG&VE Bowman, of Stanhope in County Durham.

The first prize 2013-born senior heifer was Glenariff Princess Gladys from Norfolk breeders Nick and Anneline Barrett, who trade as Glenariff Pedigree Livestock at South Wooton, near Kings Lynn. By another Turton sire, Chieftain of Upsall, out of the home-bred Glenariff Princess Elizabeth, the red rosette winner sold away at 1,300gns to M Ward, of Whitby. The Barretts consigned seven pedigree heifers in total, said to be from some of the best Scottish traditional bloodlines. All found new homes.

The second prize senior heifer came from local breeders Jeremy and Michael Daggett, who run the Hartlington pedigree herd at Wharfe House Farm in the Yorkshire Dales. Their May, 2013, Hartlington Gloria, by Croxtonpark Orville, out of Lucombe Annie, was sold in calf to Ballylinney Hurcules and made 2,200gns on joining SJ Davies, of Mortimer, Reading.

Of the brace of Shorthorn bulls on parade, the first prize winner and male champion, recipient of the Wm Morrisons Perpetual Trophy, was the October, 2013, Hallsford Parade, from Cumbrian breeders Andrew and Helen Tomkins, who farm near Haggbeck, Carlisle. The son of the AI bull, Dunsyre Cavalier, out of the home-bred Hallsford Carnation Briar, was withdrawn.

The second prize bull came from the Gonder pedigree herd of Red Rose breeders J&P Miller, of Claughton on Brook, Preston. The May, 2014, Gonder Hamish, by Loch Awe Lysander, out of the easy calving Gonder Tazmin, returned to Lancashire when joining Jonathan Shorrock, of Cliviger, Burnley, for 1,900gns.

The 59 Beef Shorthorn cattle on parade met a solid trade with a 99% clearance rate, which saw plentiful commercial demand, as well as breeders seeking to take advantage of the high quality cattle on offer at this continually improving fixture. Heifers averaged £1,930, in-calf heifers £2,432 and heifers either in-calf or with calves £1,575.

Beef Shorthorn Society secretary Frank Milnes commented: “We had the best ever entry of cattle for this sale at Skipton and the high quality of the heifers on show was evident from the excellent prices achieved.  A top price of 4,400gns and an average of £1,930 for all the heifers, which included all the maiden heifers, reflected the continuing demand for top quality Beef Shorthorn females.”

As usual and to create enhanced appeal, the Beef Shorthorn showcase was staged alongside the fourth annual show and sale of cattle on behalf of the South Devon Herd Book Society.