Calderdale success at Skipton Winter Texel highlight The champion and reserve champion were also the top price achievers at the 23nd annual Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders Association’s winter show and sale of pedigree in-lamb females. (Sat, Dec 15) Victory went to the first prize shearling ewe from former Northern Area chairman Spiros Spyrou’s Gib Farm pedigree flock in Hebden Bridge, with his February, 2014-born daughter of the 4,500gns Deveronvale Superb, who was also responsible for Mr Spyrou’s supreme champion at the association’s annual two-day pedigree September highlight at Skipton two years ago.

Fortnightly Sale of Young Feeding Bulls, Store Bullocks & Heifers, Breeding Cattle inc Christmas Show Forward: 269 head of cattle Comprising: 122 Young Feeding Bulls, 137 Bullocks & Heifers, 10 Breeding Cattle CCM Auctions held their Christmas Prize Show & Sale of Store Cattle at Skipton Mart on Wednesday where a tidy entry was forward for sale. Trade was seen to be stronger than of late with a good company of buyers looking for cattle. There were some great cattle on show for the time of year and top price on the day was for a British Blue Heifer from Sheila Mason of Keasden that was first prize in its class and sold for £1,340.

Sheila Mason secures top price at Skipton festive store cattle showcase Skipton Auction Mart’s annual Christmas store cattle show and sale – the last of the festive fixtures - attracted a tidy and quality turnout of 269 head, comprising 122 young feeding bulls, 137 bullocks and heifers, and ten breeding cattle, with trade seen to be stronger than of late, as a good company of buyers sought goods. (Wed, Dec 9) Like last year, Sheila Mason, who runs the Keasden Head pedigree herd in Clapham, produced the first prize heifer, a British Blue by her well-regarded stock bull, Bringlee Campbell, who was also responsible for the 2014 victor.

MARKET REPORT – MONDAY 7TH December 2015. Forward: 14 Prime cattle comprising 8 Clean Cattle (under 30 mos), Clean Cattle (over 30 mos) & 6 Cast Cattle, 5,381 Prime Sheep comprising 4869 Spring Lambs, 512 Cast Ewes & Rams, 28 Rearing Calves.

Fortnightly Catalogue Sale of Store Lambs and Breeding Sheep Forward: 3,554 Head, Overall av £51.30 A good sale of store lambs today with a trade a toucher brisker helped by the recent hardening of the fat lamb trade and seasonal numbers in decline. Healthy mid to short term stores were a strong trade with still some big pens of lambs running into the ring even at this late time of year. 100 mule wethers from JW Hall, Darnbrook was a fine example and with the hammer falling at £56 and David White, Hebden selling 55 for £55. DB&E Greenwood of Threshfield sold the days top price lambs with a pen of Texels at £71.50.

The 8th Annual Craven Lingfield Christmas Primestock Show .... FORWARD – 52 Prime Cattle. 219 Butchers Lambs. 31 Lamb Carcasses. 27 Prime Pigs.

Rearing Calves to £660 (91) B&W av £81.42 Cont av £369.43 Native av £221.65 A superb show of calves met by a strong trade with a number of high prices right through the sale. The Christmas presale show was kindly judged by ringside regular Paul Drinkall and found a fine British Blue bull calf from Shaun and Peter Sowray to be champion and went on to be the day’s top price at £660 with another noted price of £600 for the first calf in the ring. With strong prices made by other regular vendors helping British Blue bulls to an average of £434.17 and Continental average of £369.43.

Forward: Prime cattle comprising Clean Cattle (under 30 mos), Clean Cattle (over 30 mos) & Cast Cattle. 4,421 Prime Sheep comprising 4,023 Spring Lambs, 398 Cast Ewes & Rams. 91 Rearing Calves. 4 Loads of produce.

Farmhouse Fare reigns supreme at Great Northern Pork Pie Competition Farmhouse Fare in Skipton confirmed their status as elite pie-makers after being crowned supreme champions in the seventh annual Great Northern Pork Pie Competition, which ran alongside the 2015 Christmas primestock shows at Skipton Auction Mart. Having won the prestigious title for four years running, they took a break from the competition last year to act as judges.

No 1 proves number one for Cropper & Mellin at Skipton Christmas showcase As Keelham Farm Shop snaps up supreme and reserve prime cattle champions A lot number of No 1 fully lived up to its billing when going on to be chosen as number one on landing supreme championship honours for Clare Cropper and John Mellin, of Mill House Farm, Long Preston, at Skipton Auction Mart’s high profile Christmas prime cattle show and sale. (Sun, Nov 29)

Fortnightly Sale of Young Feeding Bulls, Store Bullocks & Heifers, Breeding Cattle Forward: 368 head of cattle Comprising: 83 Young Feeding Bulls, 264 Bullocks & Heifers, 19 Breeding Cattle & 2 Feeding Cows At CCM Auctions fortnightly sale at Skipton Mart there was a mixed show of cattle with a wide variety of breeds and types that were all sold to better prices. Good bullocks and heifers still selling to strong trade with Donald Sunderland of Halton East taking the highest priced pen of three with a strong packet of Limousin Heifers at £1,115 with Peter Fox taking the highest overall with a fantastic Lim at £1340. Best dairy bred cattle were also strong with Keith Downs topping the Black and White bullocks with a pair at £965.

Forward: 67 Prime cattle comprising 23 Clean Cattle (under 30 mos), 4 Clean Cattle (over 30 mos) & 40 Cast Cattle. 4,251 Prime Sheep comprising 3,781 Prime Lambs, 470 Cast Ewes & Rams. 58 Rearing Calves. 56 Dairy Cattle. 6 Loads of produce.

Craven Dairy Auction (56 head) A handy show of dairy cattle for the Christmas Show with Peter Baul of Bishop Thornton taking the top honours with his Pedigree heifer that had been calved 28 days and giving 32 Litres. Judge Helen Herd found this to be her favourite and rightly so selling to the days top price of £2000. The Baul family also took Reserve Champion with his second heifer and reached joint second highest price of £1850 and joined Roger Naylor of Langbar.

Fortnightly Catalogue Sale of 2646 Store Lambs and 222 Breeding Sheep Forward: Head, Overall av £49.02 A healthy trade for the better end of the lambs today with growy sorts highly sought after. Robert Metcalfe, Brearton was on the receiving end of this with 64 Suffolks at £64 and JW Hall of Darnbrook with 100 mules at £57.20. Long keep and wintering lambs made a greater percentage of the entry and found seasonal buyers keen.

Forward: 61 Prime cattle comprising 16 Clean Cattle (under 30 mos), 1 Clean Cattle (over 30 mos) & 44 Cast Cattle 5,074 Prime Sheep comprising 4,380 Spring Lambs, 694 Cast Ewes & Rams 78 Rearing Calves. 7 Loads of produce