2024-12-03 |
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Brown Beltex Take Double Top at CCM Christmas Lamb Carcase Showcase
Leyburn husband and wife, Martin and Val Brown, clinched a supreme and reserve championship double in the lamb carcase competition staged as part of CCM Skipton’s 17th annual Christmas primestock shows and sales. (Sun, Dec 1)
Returning after a break since also standing champion and reserve several years earlier, the couple again took principal honours with a brace of Continental class-winning Beltex-x carcases, the overwhelming choice of show judge Gerald Medcalf, of Halifax wholesale butchers J&E Medcalf & Sons.
Martin and Val Brown with their CCM Skipton Christmas lamb carcase supreme champion and reserve, joined by judge Gerald Medcalf and his grandson Henry Hitchen.
Both frontrunners were by a home-bred stock tup, out of ewes sired by Hallcrake Buccaneer, bred in Selside, Kendal, by Mark Jennings. The victor had a live weight of 45kg, dead weight 26.4kg, killing out percentage 58.7% and AHDB grading of E3-, the reserve LW 36kg, DW22.3kg, KO61.9%, E2.
They both made resounding prices, the title winner £620 top, or £23.48 per kilo, the overall reserve £500 second top, £22.42p/kg, both claimed by Long Preston husband and wife, John and Clare Mellin, on behalf of their young son Barney, with the duo again destined for Cropper Family Butchers & Deli in Accrington, which Clare runs with her father, George Cropper, and team.
It was the fourth year running that the Blackburn Road shop had purchased the title-winning carcase, also recipient of a £50 voucher presented by the Northern Beltex Club, taking home the reserve champion for the second consecutive year.
They also went to £219 to claim the second prize under-41kg Beltex carcase (38kg 21.9kg 57.6% E2) from Adrian Leach, Hebden Bridge, who picked up a third successive live prime lambs supreme championship the same day. Croppers also secured principal prize winners in the same day’s live prime lambs show classes.
Back with the carcases, the third prize under-41kg Beltex (35kg 21.1kg 60.2% E3-) from 2023 reserve champions, Tosside brothers Clive and Trevor Robinson, sold for £273, the same home also responsible for the second prize 41-44kg Continental carcase (41kg 24.1kg 58.8% U2 ), a £192 sale to Knavesmire Butchers, York, the runner-up, another Beltex (44kg 25kg 56.8% U3) from Brian Lund, Walshaw, making £205.
The horned show class was won by JH Ryder & Son, Ingleton, with a Swaledale carcase (45kg 21.5kg 47.8% O3+), the runner-up (19.9kg 47.4% O3+) from George Breare, Silsden Moor, knocked down to Ross Greenwood, Craven Farm Butchers, Gargrave, at £119.
Ruth Judson, Micklethwaite, Wetherby, stood first and third in the native breeds class, the victor (48kg 24.3kg 50.6% R4) making £189, the third prize winner (41kg 20.1kg 49% R4) £142, the runner-up from Ian and Mary Lancaster, Wiswell (46kg 24.6kg 53.5% R3) £182. Daniel Thackray, Fewston, claimed £189 with his overweight class winner (49kg 24.9kg 50.8% E3-).
A total of 29 carcases, the majority Beltex, sold to an overall average of £208.98, or £9.34p/kg. Alongside butcher buyers, other carcases were acquired by private purchasers for their own personal use.
The competition was again hosted and sponsored by Barkers Yorkshire Butchers, based in themeat production unit at CCM. As usual, all had first been delivered to the mart and weighed live, before slaughter at John Penny and Sons in Rawdon, who again donated the entry fees to charity.
Photos: Adrian Legge Photography
