Mason Mules Champions at Skipton
26/08/08

Local husband and wife farmers John and Claire Mason, of Oddacres Farm, Embsay, are no strangers to championship success at Skipton Auction Mart, but they landed one title that has so far eluded them at annual store lamb show and sale (Wed, Aug 20).

Annabel Mason receives the Skipton store lamb trophy
from judge Les Thackray.

The Masons received the Stephen Foster Memorial Trophy when their 50-strong pen of Bluetongue-vaccinated Mule wethers was judged the best of a strong entry by show judge Les Thackray, of Mickley, Ripon, who then went on to acquire the title winners in the ring at £40 a head.

Father and son farmers Alec and Nathan Wade, of Gill Bottom Farm, Bradley, narrowly missed out on what would have been an unprecedented fifth championship success at the fixture when presenting the reserve champion pen, the last of their current crop of store lambs. They sold for £35.80 each to a buyer who had travelled up from Worcestershire.

On a day when over 4,800 store lambs passed through the ring, the overall selling price per head was £38.57.

Prices: Suffolks to £50 (av £39.67), Texels to £49.20 (£40.46), Mules to £47.50 (£35.58), Swaledales to £24.20 (£21.52), Cheviots to £39.20 (£37.76)

Hall Mules Supreme at Skipton Shearlings Highlight
Title Number Six for Jeremy Taylor at Craven Dairy Auction
Top Holstein Bull Still Top After Proof Re-Rank