PRIME CATTLE

The Christmas show of prime cattle had a small but an outstanding line up of cattle, which was put before our judge Alan Beecroft of Country Style Meats, Lancaster. After much time and deliberation, he awarded the champion rosette to a British Blue steer from JA Barnett, Shap with this steer previously being purchased from Junction 36. After spirited bidding the champion went of to sell for 470p/kg or £3022 and was purchased by Browns Quality Meats. The reserve champion rosette was awarded to the second prize heifer from Masie Beresford, this smart heifer went on to sell for £2803, also being purchased by Browns Quality Meats. An overall averaged of 360p/kg was achieved.

Class 1 – Prime Heifer 550kg or Over
1st J A Barnett, Brinns Farm, 643kg, 470p/kg
2nd M Beresford, Angerton Hall Farm, 584kg, 480p/kg
3rd J A Barnett, Brinns Farm, 611kg, 330p/kg

Class 2 – Prime Heifer Under 550kg
1st F & A Smith, The View, 526kg, 350p/kg
2nd Thrimby Farms Ltd, Thrimby Hall, 539kg, 325p/kg

Class 3 – Prime Bullocks 550kg or Over
1st HR & KA Hodgson, Howriggs, 637kg, 265p/kg
2nd Thrimby Farms Ltd, Thrimby Hall, 503kg, 298p/kg

Champion: J A Barnett, Brinns Farm,
Reserve Champion: M Beresford, Angerton Hall Farm,

PRIME LAMBS

An outstanding show of 100 lambs was put before our judge Mr Gary Watkinson, who we thank for his time and expertise, he awarded the results as followed:

Class 1 – Pair of Beltex Lambs
1st A Prickett, Farleton House, 37kg, £180
2nd JG & PH Thompson & Sons, Poppy Farm, 47kg, £230.00
3rd J Twigge, Holmelands, 52kg, £141.00

Class 2 – Lowland Sired Lambs
1st JG & PH Thompson & Sons, Poppy Farm, 46kg, £168.00
2nd LE & A Ridding, Steel Croft, 48kg, £140.00
3rd J H Atkinson & Partners, Mosergh Farm, 48kg, £150.00

Class 3 – Mule/Masham Lambs
1st Low Moor Howe, High House Farm, 56kg, £124.00
2nd WI & AM Atkinson, Holme House, 58kg, £133.00
3rd AW & AM Clarke, Low Longmire, 52kg, £121.00

Class 4 – Horned/Herdwick Lambs
1st Drinkall Bros, Catshaw Hall Farm, 49kg, £112.00
2nd M Todd, Saddlers Croft, 43kg, £97.00
3rd JW Hodgson, Dale End, 42kg, £100.00

Champion: A Prickett, Farleton House
Reserve Champion: JG & PH Thompson & Sons, Poppy Farm

The sale topped at £230 for a pair of Beltex’s from JG&PH Thompson & Sons, Selside selling to Browns Quality Meats with the next down selling to £180 for a pair of Beltex’s from A Prickett, Farleton purchased by Country Style Meats, Lancaster. £170 was achieved for a pair of Texels from JH Atkinson & Partners, Selside with a pen of five Texels selling to £168 from JG&PH Thompson & Son, Selside.
Away from the show there was at top of £163 for heavy Texels from TMW&H Hodgson, Ulverston with heavy’s regularly selling at £135 to £140. A sharper trade was seen for all medium export type lambs, with these selling at 270p/kg to 280p/kg. A pen of 44kg Texels sold to £141 from J Twigge, Lindale. The best bred lambs were regularly 300p/kg plus, with twenty pens selling over this. A top price of 490p/kg was achieved for Beltex’s from JG&PH Thomspon & Sons, Selside with others to 460p/kg from A Prickett, Farleton. Out of the show Texels sold to 365p/kg from JG&PH Thompson & Son, Selside and JH Atkinson & Partners, Selside. More Mule lambs forward with trade a little sharper for these, with a top of £135 from WI&A Atkinson & Son, Bleasdale who sold other pens to £133. More pens sold to £130 from Low Moor Howe, Winster. Cheviot Mules sold to £132 from P Whitton & Son, Burneside. Hill lambs saw pure Cheviots to £122 from BR Harrison, Staveley with Jacobs to £120 from James Longworth, Kentmere. Swaledales sold to £112 from Drinkall Bros, Over Wyresdale with Rough Fells to £110 from AEA Harrison, Kentmere. Light lambs full of meat were in plenty of demand with these regularly selling at 240p/kg to 255 p/kg, depending on meat.

CAST SHEEP

The Christmas prize show and sale of cull ewes was kindly judged by Mr Andrew Dawson, who awarded the prizes as followed:

Hill Ewes
1st Drinkall Bros, Catshaw Hall Farm
2nd T & H Drinkall, Calderside Farm
3rd JA Bennett, Middale Farm

Mule Ewes
1st T & H Drinkall, Calderside Farm
2nd RE & A Gardner, Barrowfield
3rd DM & D Cook, Smithy Green Farm

Continental Ewes
1st E Dodgson, Spital Farm

The sale peaked at £142 for a prize pen of Continental ewes from E Dodgson, Kendal with others from the
same good home achieving £140. A large number of medium pure bred ewes forward today were generally selling at £118 to £130, with the next draw down £88 to £105, depending on quality and type. Mules sold to £104 for the first prize pen from T&H Drinkall, Oakenclough with other heavier Mules generally £92 to £102. Meated mediums were £82 to £90 and leaner sorts £70 to £80. Hill bred ewes sold to a top price of £92 for the first prize pen of Swaledales from Drinkall Bros, Over Wyresdale. Other heavy well finished Swaledales were £72 to £85, with mediums £65 to £70. A large entry of leaner hard worn ewe were £36 to £45. Other hill ewes sold to £82 for Cheviots, with Rough Fells to £78, Scotch Black Face to £72 and Herdwicks to £58.

Cull rams sold to £138 for Lleyns from JA&R Geldard & Sons, Levens. A large number of medium types were generally £115 to £130, to include the top price hill bred ram at £118 for a Rough Fell from I&J Mallinson, Selside.

PIGS

The Christmas prize show and sale of pigs saw a top price of £260 achieved for the champion pair being Pietrain cross Large White gilts from loyal supporter W Stamper, Chipping. Other heavy weight gilts sold to £245 from E Spedding, Egremont and £235 from J Stott Jnr, Crosscrake and JM Navesey, Darwen. Other well finished pigs were regularly £180 to £210. A top of 267p/kg was achieved for the first prize light weight and reserve champions, being a pair of Large White x gilts with others regularly selling at 200p/kg to 240p/kg.
Cull sows sold to £180 from C Woodhouse, Nateby who sold others at £175. Cull boars sold to £125.
We would like to thank our judge Mr john Geldard, Levens.

Class 1 – Pair of Prime Pigs 90kg or Over
1st W Stamper, Coldcotes Farm, £260.00
2nd T Wilson, Scales Farm, £210.00
3rd J Stott, Kingsland, £235.00

Class 2 – Pair of Prime Pigs Under 90kg
1st J M Navesey, Silkhall Farm, £235.00
2nd B R Harrison, Old Vicarage, £160.00
3rd W Stamper, Coldcotes Farm, £175.00

Champion: W Stamper, Coldcotes Farm
Reserve Champion: J M Navesey, Silk Hall