Also noteworthy was the fact that all six prizewinners in the two show classes were snapped up by York area farmer and butcher Anthony Swales, who made a total of 22 acquisitions on the day.

His two red rosette-winning purchases, both Blues, were the first prize 10 to 12-month-old bull from William, Mark and Helen Keighley, of Manderlea, Farm, Leathley, Otley, at £1,300, and the first prize under ten-month bull shown by the Jeff Walker, of Brennand Farm, Dunsop Bridge, for £1,160.

The two principals will now be prepared for the local show circuit this summer, when they will be paraded by Mr Swales’ parents, Barbara and Stephen Swales, and his 19-year-old son Luke, a third generation butcher at the family-run Knavesmire Butchers in York.

All other Skipton buys will be further fattened at the Swales’s Haverland Farm in Melbourne, before returning to the food chain at their Albermarle Road butchers shop for this year’s Easter trade.

 “We only like to buy the very best premium quality beef cattle for our customers,” said Mr Swales.

His other prize-winning purchases were the two class runners-up from E Crosby, of Morley, at £1,380, also the day’s top price, and John, Gill and James Huck, of Hubberholme, at £1,200, along with the third prize winners from the Fawcett farming families - John, of Barden, at £1,320, and Stephen, Tracey and Samantha, from Drebley, at £1,240. Show judge was York’s Keith Bowes.

The 190 young feeding bulls sold to an overall Continental-cross average of £949, with a native average of £534. The Keighleys also stepped up with the top price pen of three British Blue bulls, each sold for £1,100.

In the store cattle section, buyers were once again out in force for the 318 bullocks and heifers on offer, producing another sharp trade, with father and son Matthew and Ted Mason, of Low Hall, Appletreewick, leading the way with a pen of six Charolais bullocks selling away at £1,425 per head.

There was a good show of bullocks, especially natives, with ten different breeds represented on the day. Younger cattle met with a very similar trade to the opening New Year sale, with nice yearling heifers receiving good attention from buyers. 

Store bullocks sold to a Continental-cross average of £1,157 and a native average of £884, with the Masons again to the fore in most sections, including the sale of six Limousin entries at £1,390 each, along with a Saler at the same price.

Store heifers achieved a Continental-cross average of £936, with another nice native average of £860. Leading the way at £1,335 was a Limousin-cross from Procters Farm in Slaidburn, who also presented the top price pen of three Limousin heifers, each selling at £1,230.

Of the four breeding cattle forward, the leading performer at £1,660 was an Aberdeen Angus-cross cow and her British Blue-cross bull calf from Stephen Breare, of Silsden Moor.

The next fortnightly sale on Wednesday, February 4, features the annual special sale of bulling heifers, then next up on February 18 is the high profile Craven Champions Day annual show and sale of steers and heifers with show potential, featuring annual consignments of high quality cross-bred cattle, many suitable for the 2015 commercial beef show circuit. Catalogue entries close a week earlier on February 11.