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09/11/07
Belgian Blue heifers made the headlines at the annual autumn show
of suckled calves and store cattle with show potential at Skipton
Auction Mart. (Wed, Nov 7)
Neville and David Harrison, joined by judge Ian Townson, right,
with their Skipton Belgian Blue store champion.
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A debut championship success at Skipton was achieved by farming
brothers Neville and David Harrison, of Slaidburn.
The brothers, who trade as G&M Harrison at Harrop Hall, clinched
the title with a young, promising home-bred Belgian Blue-cross
heifer by their stock bull Tamhorn Unity, out of a South Devon-cross
cow.
Show judge Ian Townson, of Clitheroe, a well-known commercial beef
showman, commented: “I was looking for something that could
walk, had good, long, clean legs, with no waist or belly and a
clean brisket – an animal that will feed itself and go on.
The champion exhibited all these qualities and is a nice example
of a heifer.”
Ian then transferred his interest to the ringside when purchasing
the eight-month-old title winner for £740. The Harrisons
landed a clean sweep of the prizes in the 2007-born heifers class.
Reserve champion was another home-bred Belgian Blue-cross heifer
from Jimmy Baines, of Trawden, exhibited by son Paul. The 15-month-old
sold for £800 to Jeff Burrow, of Kirkby Malham.
John Stephenson, of Bordley, topped the selling prices with a heifer
at £870 and a bullock at £840, along with a further
heifer at £780. JV Fox, of Clitheroe, sold his third prize
bullock for £660, while the first prize Charolais from R
Green, of Bashall Eaves, made £640.
The show formed part of what was a major day for cattle at the
mart, with the 718 store animals forward, including 156 young feeding
bulls, 220 steers, 297 heifers and 45 suckler cattle.
There were two further Slaidburn successes when A Rigby presented
a Belgian Blue cow with Belgian Blue heifer calf to top the suckler
cattle classes at £1,090, while R & A Wallbank headed
the young bulls prices with a Belgian Blue that sold for £630
Belgian Blue young bulls averaged £443, Limousins sold to £610
(av £432) and Blondes to £590 (av £503).
Belgian Blue steers averaged £510, with Limousins selling
to a top of £680 (av £492) and Charolais averaging £584.
Blondes sold to £590 (£482), Aberdeen Angus to £552
(£482), Simmental to £540 (£479), Saler to £535
(£504) and Parthenais to £530 (£510).
In the heifer classes, Belgian Blues averaged £469, with
Limousins selling to £620 (£432), Blondes to £700
(£484) and Charolais to £682 (£511).
Also in the suckler cattle classes, a Belgium Blue cow with Belgian
Blue bull calf sold at £720, with a Limousin-cross heifer
with Limousin bull calf making £710 and a Limousin cow with
Belgian Blue calf £700.
Prize Awards:
Best Bullock (2007 born) - 1, 2, 3 Coverhead Farms,
Leyburn. Best Heifer (2007 born) - 1, 2, 3 G & M Harrison,
Slaidburn. Best Bullock - 1 R Green, Bashall Eaves, 2 J Stephenson,
Bordley, 3 JV Fox, Clitheroe. Best Heifer- 1 J Baines, Trawden,
2 &3 J Stephenson, Bordley. Best Charolais, sponsored by the
North-East Charolais Club - 1 R Green, 2, 3 Coverhead Farms
Selective Bidding for British Blues at Carlisle
Lambert Shearling Ram Again Champion at Skipton Dalesbred Show
TV Stars Steal Show at Skipton Working Dogs Highlight
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