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2009-08-04
Meat and milk producers again shared top billing at Skipton Auction Mart’s monthly prime shows and the early August Craven Dairy Auction. (Mon, Aug 3)
Paul Baines, second from right, is pictured with his father Jimmy’s Skipton prime beef champion and reserve champion, joined by judge Richard Binns
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Craven Cattle Marts’ 2008 Stockperson of the Year Jimmy Baines, who farms in both Gisburn and Trawden, earned further points in his quest to retain the title by turning out both the prime beef champion and reserve.
His 12-month-old 525kg Bazadaise-cross heifer, the only one of its type in the Baines holding, was chosen as victor. First imported from France in 1989, the breed is fast gaining in popularity among British butchers due to the flavour and consistency of its well-marbled, low fat meat.
The title winner, out of a British Blue, headed the selling prices at £1,115 (212.5p/kg) when acquired by Kendall’s Farm Butchers for it shop in Skipton Road, Harrogate, newly opened last year.
The runner-up, a 475kg Limousin-cross youngster, was also purchased by Kendall’s – this time for its established shop in High Street, Pateley Bridge – for £890 (187.5p/kg).
Robert Fielden, second from right, helps gather in his Skipton prime lamb champions. Show judge Richard Binns is on the left.
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Kendall’s continued its champions’ buying spree when also securing the title-winning pen of five 42kg Texel-cross-Beltex prime lambs from Robert Fielden, of Speke Edge Farm, Todmorden, who was landing his first-ever championship success at Skipton with his first consignment of the year to the mart.
Knocked down for £79 per head, again top price in the show, the lambs will also be on sale at Kendall’s Pateley Bridge outlet. Butcher Paul Kendall, who regularly snaps up Skipton champions for his two shops, says he remains committed to sourcing top quality locally produced prime beef and lamb.
Frankland Farms, of Rathmell, sent out the reserve prime lamb champions, the 41kg pen bought for £68 each by the show judge, West Yorkshire butcher Richard Binns for his shop in Bingley Road, Saltaire.
Jimmy Baines was also to the fore with his lambs, his third prize Texel-cross 46kg pen selling for £67.50 a head, while his first prize pen of 42kg Suffolks made £62 each. Best of the Mules was a 43kg pen from Ken Dickinson, Skipton, sold for £60 apiece.
Lawson success in dairy ring
Matt Lawson, 17, a pupil at Ashville College, Harrogate, is pictured right being congratulated on his father David’s Craven Dairy Auction championship success by judge Stephen Coates.
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In the dairy ring, the championship fell to the first prize newly calven Holstein Friesian cow from David Lawson, of Mill Farm, Arthington, Otley, acquired for £1,900 by Frank Wrathall, Gisburn.
The runner-up, the first prize newly calven heifer from R & CR Mitchell & Sons, Grange Farm, Oakworth, sold for £1,960 to frequent Cheshire buyer Wick Williams, of Nantwich, who also paid the show’s top price of £1,980 for the second prize newly calven heifer from RA & HE Simpson, Oulston, York, who have only recently started exhibiting at Skipton.
The first prize in-calf heifer from Leonard Akrigg, Oakworth, went on to achieve top price in class at £1,670, while another Oakworth exhibitor, Alan Thompson Farms, sold the first prize in-calf cow for £1,500. Judge was Stephen Coates, Baildon.
Newly calven heifers averaged £1,660 and newly calven cows 1st quality £1,792, 2nd quality to £1,010 (£883). In-calf heifers averaged £1,497 and in-calf cows £1,210. Maiden heifers sold to a top of £820 (£722).
 Mixed Emotions for Craven Dairy Auction Principals
Swires' Championship Double at Craven Dairy Auction
Dairy and Prime Shows Triple Header at Skipton
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