Last updated 14:08, Wednesday, 10 December 2008

WINNER: Steven Beck (right) of Park House Farm, Barrow, receives one of the winning prizes for his Beltex cross lambs from judge Rhys Roberts from Anglesey. They were sold for £63.50 a head to Brown’s Quality Meats of Lindal Ulverston Auction Mart – Tuesday 2nd December 2008 Ulverston Auction held their annual Christmas prize shows and sales of Primestock with numbers of stock and prices being well above expectations. A very big thank you to the judge, the sponsors of the classes and the vendors and purchasers. Without these such traditional events in the market would not continue.

ULVERSTON Auction held it annual Christmas prize shows and sales of primestock with numbers of stock and prices being well above expectations.

A very big thank you to the judge, the sponsors of the classes and the vendors and purchasers. Without these such traditional events in the market would not continue.

Prime cattle: With 42 excellent quality prime steers and heifers forward for judging the judge Mr Geoff Riley, Skinburness, did a job well done in placing the awards as follows.

Class 1, best Limousin or Limousin cross bullock: 1st prize A Myerscough, Seaview; 2nd prize J Capstick and Sons, Whicham Hall; 3rd Prize M Towers, Colt Park. Sponsors – West Cumberland Farmers Ltd.

Class 2, Best Limousin or Limousin cross heifer: 1st P Bradley, Moorgreen; 2nd P Bradley, Moorgreen. Sponsors – Furness and South Cumberland Supply Association.

Class 3, best other continental cross bullock: 1st M Towers, Colt Park; 2nd P Bradley, Moorgreen; 3rd E Shuttleworth, Far Mountbarrow. Sponsors – Ribble Fuel Oils.

Class 5, best young bull: 1st J Phifer, Baystone Bank. Sponsors – Alan Thompson Haulage.

Class 7, best unhaltered native bred bullock: 1st E Shuttleworth, Far Mountbarrow; 2nd W and MM Case, Plumpton Cottage. Sponsors – Duerden Wholesale Meats Ltd.

Class 8, best unhaltered heifer: 1st M J Cleasby, High Ghyll; 2nd J Capstick and Sons, Whicham Hall; 3rd J Capstick and Sons, Whicham Hall. Sponsors – Ulverston NFU

Class 9, best unhaltered bullock: 1st M J Cleasby, High Ghyll; 2nd M J Cleasby, High Ghyll; 3rd M J Cleasby, High Ghyll, Sponsors – Williamson Bros Haulage.

Supreme Champion went to M Towers, Colt Park, for an outstanding quality Belgian Blue bullock reaching 290ppkg (£1780.60) being purchased by The Miners Arms, Silecroft. Sponsors – Ulverston NFU.

Reserve Champion went to A Myercough, Seaview, for an excellent Limousin cross bullock reaching 198ppkg (£1,283.04) being purchased by Browns Quality Meats, Lindal. Sponsors – Carrs Billington.

Best animal of opposite sex to champion went to P Bradley for an exceptional Limousin cross heifer reaching 184ppkg (£1,023.04) being purchased by A W Shepherd Butchers, Barrow. Sponsors – Ulverston NFU.

Best exhibitor bred animal from any class went to M J Cleasby, High Ghyll, for a superb Limousin bullock reaching 194ppkg (£880.76) being purchased by the judge Mr G Riley, Skinburness. Mr Cleasby also won a year’s free membership donated by ABM. The average price steer on the day was 165.38ppkg and the average heifer was 169.91ppkg.

Limousin heifer 186ppkg Moor Green; Belgian Blue steer 170ppkg Moor Green; Hereford steer 158ppkg Plumpton Cottage; Charolais steer 145.50ppkg Far Mountbarrow; Blonde D’Aquitaine steer 157.50ppkg Far Mountbarrow; South Devon steer 159ppkg Far Mountbarrow.

OTM Cattle: With 26 over 30-month cattle forward the judge placed the awards as follows.

Class 10 best cull cow/heifer (beef): 1st M J Cleasby, High Ghyll; 2nd J Capstick and Sons, Whicham Hall; 3rd J Capstick and Sons, Whicham Hall. Sponsors – IMEL Ltd.

Class 11 best cull cow / heifer (dairy): 1st R B and L J Satterthwaite, Church Farm; 2nd T W and C A Long, Old Hall Farm; 3rd F Philipson and Son, Canon Winder. The average price on the day was 97.92ppkg with the top price being 130ppkg for an excellent Limousin cow exhibited by M J Cleasby, High Ghyll, being purchased by L Fell, Settle. Top price Friesian was 87.50ppkg exhibited by J B Edmondson and Sons, Netherhouses, for a well fed cow which was purchased also by L Fell, Settle. 121.50ppkg Limousin cow P and T L Edmondson, Low Hall; 108.50ppkg Limousin cow J Capstick and Sons, Whicham Hall; 91.50ppkg Blonde cow M and G W Slater, High Haume. 115.50ppkg Limousin heifer W and M M Case, Plumpton Cottage.

Prime lambs: A large number of 1,161 prime lambs were forward, with a good quantity of these being of excellent quality.

A big thank you to the judge Mr Rhys Robert, Anglesey, as he placed the awards as follows.

Class 1, best pen of 10 Suffolk lambs or their crosses: 1st E Bilsborough, Moor Green; 2nd E Bilsborough, Moor Green; 3rd G G Long, Rathvale. Sponsors – Hicksies, Auction Mart Café.

Class 2, best pen of 10 mule or h/b lambs from herdwick or blackfaced ewes: 1st E Shuttleworth, Far Mountbarrow; 2nd G G Long, Rathvale; 3rd G G Long, Rathvale. Sponsors – Ribble Fuel Oils.

Class 3, best pen of 10 continental cross lambs: 1st S Beck, Parkhouse Farm; 2nd E Bilsborough, Moor Green; 3rd T Edmondson and Son, Crakeside. Sponsors – S Sharp, Lakeland Aggregates.

Class 4, best pen of 10 cheviot lambs: 1st P Bradley, Moorgreen. Sponsors – E Sharp, J Hatton Agriculture.

The champion pen of lambs, which was sponsored by Ulverston NFU, was awarded to S Beck, Parkhouse Farm, for an outstanding pen of Texel cross lambs and achieved £63.50 per head and were purchased by Browns Quality Meats Butchers, Lindal. Mr S Beck also received a Rose Bowl donated by FABBL.

The reserve champion pen of lambs, which was sponsored by Furness and South Cumberland Association Ltd, went to E Bilsborough, Moor Green, for a pen of quality Suffolk cross lambs, which achieved £60 and were purchased by Woodhead Bros, Colne. The average lamb on the day was 121.88ppkg and £50.93. Top was £66 for a pen of prize Suffolks exhibited by G G Long, Rathvale, being purchased by M Lomax Ltd, Milnthorpe.

£63.80 (suf) High Mansriggs; £63.50 (sufandtex) Parkhouse Farm/High Mansriggs; £63 (suf) Hollowmire; £62 (tex) Blenkett; £60.50 (tex) Moor Green; £57 (mule) Netherhouses.

Cull Ewes: An entry of 185 were forward on the day with many of these being in the show. The judge awarded the prizes as follows.

Class 5, best pen of 10 lowland ewes: 1st T Edmondson and Son, Crakeside. Sponsors – Alan Thompson Haulage.

Class 6, best pen of 10 hill ewes: 1st L Tyson and Son, Gatehouse; 2nd L Tyson and Son, Gatehouse; 3rd G G Long, Rathvale. Sponsors – F Bayram and Sons.

The average price on the day was £23.41 with 1st prize mule ewes realising £43 and 1st prize hill ewes reaching £25.

Texels £41 Baldmire; Suffolks £20 Bandrake Head; Mules £43 Crakeside; Swales £27 Stable Harvey; Herdwicks £21 Gatehouse.

Calves: A small show of calves were forward with thanks to the judge Mr G Case as he placed the awards as follows.

Class 12, best bull calf: 1st P M/S Kirkby and Longworth, Sella Farm; 2nd M/S Kirkby and Longworth, Sella Farm.

Class 12A, best heifer calf: 1st H and J E Watson, Newclose; 2nd I F Sweeting, Beckside. Sponsors – both were sponsored by Willman Farm Supplies.

Champion calf was awarded to H and J E Watson, New Close, for a strong Limousin heifer calf reaching £135 and beingpurchased by S and M Cooper, Tarnside Farm.

Reserve Champion calf went to M/S Kirkby and Longworth, Sella Farm, for a strapping Limousin bull calf reaching £150 being purchased by W and M and R Tyson, Fellside.

Belgian Blue bull (6mth) £308 Kendal Farm; Belgian Blue heifer £165 Wraysholme Tower; Charolais heifer £155 Beckside (Ulv).

Dairy and Store Cattle: A small entry of dairy and store cattle were forward with prices still holding firm. A dairy heifer exhibited by JA and JM Fell, Kendal Farm, realised £1,080, being purchased by M and R Nelson, Toppinrays. The average price store on the day was £535.03 with top price being £658 for an excellent Limousin steer, exhibited by Addison Bros, Seatle Hall.

Limousin heifer £592 Pit Farm; Limousin steer £652 Pit Farm; Aberdeen Angus steer £590 Fellside; Belgian Blue steer £632 High Farm; Friesian steer £475 Pit Farm; Belgian Blue heifer £550 High Farm; Friesian heifer £505 Seatle Hall; Simmental steer £625 Fellside.