2010-10-14
The farming families Priestley went head-to-head in the quest for championship honours with two well-bred Limousin bulls at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual Autumn pedigree event for beef breeding cattle. (Wed, Oct 13)
Terry Priestley is pictured with his
Skipton pedigree beef Limousin champion, Prietec Elvis.
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Unrelated and from opposite ends of the region, Terry and Elaine Priestley, of Lane House Farm, Mewith, Bentham, were up against Steven and Ruth Priestley, of Hill Top Farm, Denholme, Bradford, whose Brontemoor Limousin herd has won multiple trophies at Skipton.
However, the title went to the North Craven couple, courtesy of show judge Alistair Lawn, of Skipton. It was a debut championship success at the fixture for Terry and Elaine, who have been trying to win it for the past 15 years, a figure that tallies with their current pedigree Limousin numbers.
The 18-month-old victor, Prietec Elvis, is a son of Gunnerfleet Unbeatable, based with Ian Handley at Ribblehead, out of a home-bred dam by the redoubtable Scottish sire Ronick Hawk.
For one so young, Elvis is a familiar face in the exhibition arena, having this year won many rosettes and three silver trophies at shows across the North of England in the hands of the couple’s eleven-year-old daughter Mya.
Unfortunately, Mya was unable to witness her charge’s finest hour, as she was following her studies at Ingleton Middle School. The victor went on to sell for top price in show at 2,050gns (£2,152) to Alf Townsend, of Southfield, Burnley.
On the other hand, Brontemoor Eastseventeen, the reserve champion from Steven and Ruth Priestley, was a show debutant. The 17-month-old is a home-bred son of the Prestleys’ Irish import Elite Benn – and the first of his offspring to make an appearance in the exhibition arena. He sold for 1,750gns (£1,837) to AR and J Alsop & Sons, of Dacre, Harrogate.
As in recent years, Limousins again dominated both the show classes and prices, averaging £1,701. Charolais bulls sold to £1,050, Blonde-x-British Blue to £1,200 and Aberdeen Angus to £800.
Best of the heifers was a Limousin cow with bull calf from John Brewer, of WP Brewer & Sons, Bleasdale, Preston, which sold for 1,520gns (£1,596) to William Naylor, Cononley. A 26-month-old in-calf Saler heifer from Beeston Hall Farms, Ripponden, Halifax, made £690.
The show was sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health, represented by regional account manager Jane Soulsby.
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