Cockersdale duo cock-a-hoop with Craven Feather Auctions championship coup
West Yorkshire father and son poultry breeders Paul and Joe Heeley, from Cockersdale, near Drighlington, ruled the roost when winning their first-ever Craven Feather Auction championship at Skipton Auction Mart.
The Heeleys clinched the title with their first prize small fowl pen, a trio of 2021 exhibition quality Light Sussex Bantams – a cockerel and pair of pullets – one of the latter a hatch sister to a dual championship-winning pullet at Garstang and Wensleydale Shows this year. They sold for £80, second top price in sale.
The Heeleys have been breeding poultry since 2006, also rearing Black Leghorn and Rhode Island Red Bantams, as well as Large White Sussex. Joe Heeley is also a highly respected poultry show judge, having adjudicated up to national level.
Young Skipton show judge Henry Bailey, of Long Lee, above Keighley – he stood Craven Feather Auctions champion as a 17-year-old with Rhode Island Reds at last year’s Spring show and sale – awarded the reserve championship to the first prize pen of waterfowl, a pair of exhibited 24-month-old Silver Apricot Call Ducks from G Seedall, of Billington, Clitheroe. They made £55.
The first prize pen of large fowl, a pair of Black Leghorn pullets from D&L Clapham, of Brough, Kirkby Stephen – they had started laying ten days before show day – made £45.
Top of the pecking order on price at £100 was a trio of 2021 Runner Ducks from Paul Barwood, of Potter Heigham, Great Yarmouth, who held a strong entry in the poultry sale and was doubly represented on the day when also winning rosettes with his and Anita Padfield’s Blue Diamond pedigree Blue Texel flock at Skipton’s inaugural Blue Texel Society show and sale.
Back with the birds, also catching the eye on price were a trio of Copper Black Marans at £65, with Cayuga Ducks, other Runner Ducks and Fawn & White Ducks all achieving £62. The next Craven Feather Auctions fixture is the Christmas show and sale scheduled for Saturday, December 11. Entries close on December 3.