North Craven father and son clinch first prime cattle title at CCM Skipton Skipton Auction Mart’s first monthly prime cattle show of 2019 produced a first-ever title win at the venue for North Craven father and son, Francis and Andrew Smith, of Lodge Farm, Masongill, above Ingleton close to the Yorkshire-Lancashire border. (Monday, Jan 7) The hill farming duo also picked up the reserve championship for good measure, both with Limousin-cross entries, bought in as sucklers and further improved and finished on the farm.

CCM Skipton New Year primestock trade opens on a high note The opening primestock shows and sales of 2019 at Skipton Auction Mart produced strong entries and solid trade across all classes. (Monday, Jan 7) There was a local championship success in the prime lamb exhibition arena for the Ellis Bros farming partnership from Cragg House Farm, Addingham Moorside.

Forward: 15 Prime cattle comprising 14 Clean Cattle (under 30mos) & 1 Cast Cow 3,592 Prime Sheep comprising 3281 Prime Lambs & 311 Cast Ewes & Rams 2 Loads of produce

Christmas birds fly away at CCM Skipton annual plucked poultry sale! Almost 600 birds, once again an overwhelming oven-ready feast for Christmas tables comprising turkeys, geese, chickens and ducks, went under the hammer at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual sale of dressed and plucked poultry. Many of the buyers were members of the general public snapping up birds for their yearly festive feasts. (Wed, Dec 19)

Forward: 31 Prime cattle comprising 25 Clean Cattle (under 30 mos) & 6 Cast Cattle. 3,977 Prime Sheep comprising 3,593 Prime Lambs & 384 Cast Ewes & Rams. 52 Rearing Calves. 6 Dairy Cattle. 3 Loads of produce.

Cropper Family Butchers serves up award-winning Christmas prime lambs Award-winning prime lambs are again on the menu from this weekend at G&C Cropper Family Butchers in Accrington Market. The reserve supreme champion lambs at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual Christmas primestock shows late last month – a Beltex-cross trio bred by the Brown family in Leyburn, North Yorkshire – were bought by butcher George Cropper purposely for the keynote festive trade

Supreme champion prime lambs on Christmas menu at Sanderson’s Butchers A Baxenden butcher is this year offering supreme championship-winning prime lambs especially for his customers’ Christmas tables. George Cropper Jnr, who owns and runs Sandersons Butchers in Manchester Road, paid a heady £500 each, top price in show, for the title-winning trio of Beltex-cross lambs at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual Christmas primestock shows late last month.

K&J Green Butchers hosts visit from champion festive beef farmer A local butcher has hosted a visit from a championship-winning local farmer who has helped beef up his Christmas festive meat feast this year. David Green, who owns K&J Green Butchers, in Heskin, Chorley, welcomed beef producer Robert Critchley, whose family farms ten miles away in Hutton, near Preston, to the Withington Lane shop. The Critchleys bred the overall champion in the un-haltered show classes at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual high profile Christmas primestock shows and sales last month and it was purchased by K&J Green Butchers for top price in show of £2,160.

‘Good to meat you!’ Kitson & Sons hosts visit from champion farmer Kitson & Sons Butchers has hosted a visit from one of the championship-winning farmers who has helped beef up its Christmas festive meat feast this year. Boss Anthony Kitson welcomed Yorkshire Dales beef farmer John Stephenson to Five Houses Farm Shop and Kitchen in Crathorne. He bred the supreme prime cattle champion Mr Kitson purchased at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual Christmas primestock highlight last month and was accompanied by auctioneers from the North Yorkshire mart.

Forward: 32 Prime cattle comprising 18 Clean Cattle (under 30 mos), 3 Clean Cattle (over 30 mos) & 11 Cast Cattle 3,257 Prime Sheep comprising 2,947 Prime Lambs & 310 Cast Ewes & Rams 84 Rearing Calves 1 Loads of produce

Forward: 39 Prime cattle comprising 20 Clean Cattle (under 30 mos) & 19 Cast Cattle 3,280 Prime Sheep comprising 2956 Prime Lambs & 324 Cast Ewes & Rams 42 Rearing Calves 58 Dairy Cattle 4 Loads of produce

Forward: 34 Prime cattle comprising 3 Clean Cattle (under 30 mos) & 31 Cast Cattle. 3,609 Prime Sheep comprising 3176 Prime Lambs & 433 Cast Ewes & Rams. 111 Rearing Calves.

Lancaster Skipton Christmas prime lamb champions sell at heady £500 each For the second consecutive year, there was a Ribble Valley supreme champion at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual Christmas prime lambs show when Ian Lancaster, of Coldcotes Farm, Wiswell, near Clitheroe, landed the prestigious title for the first time. (Sun, Nov 25) Mart regular Mr Lancaster, joined by son Richard and his wife Mary, had been reserve supreme champion in the past, this time clinching overall top spot – and the bragging rights to go with it - with the first prize and champion Continental trimmed trio of lowland lambs, home-bred 41kg Beltex-cross lambs all by a ram from Andrew John Wood, who runs the Withy Trees Beltex flock near Preston.

North family success at CCM Skipton Christmas carcase showcase Giggleswick husband and wife, John and Alison North, of Brackenber Fold, were supreme champions in the annual lamb carcase competition staged as part of Skipton Auction Mart’s 11th annual Christmas primestock shows and sales. (Sun, Nov 25) With their parents away for the weekend, the title winner was shown by the Norths’ two children, Isobel and John, aged nine and seven respectively, who were accompanied by their aunt, Jill Perrings. She runs the Pergill pedigree Texel flock in Rathmell and it was one of her rams, Pergill Yipee, that had sired the victor, bred out of a three-quarters Texel ewe.

Thackray porkers champions at CCM Skipton Christmas highlight Daniel Thackray, of Prospect House Farm, Fewston, won the prime pigs championship for the first time at Skipton Auction Mart’s 11th annual Christmas primestock shows and sales. (Sun, Nov 25) He secured the title with his first prize trio of 87.3kg home-bred Pietrain-cross gilts, the pick of a litter of ten from a Large White sow. The victors were claimed for £5 per kilo, or £436.50 head, a total outlay £1,039.50, by retail butcher Anthony Kitson. It was a new record high price for pigs at the Christmas highlight, also believed to be the most paid for prime porkers anywhere in the UK this year.