A fine show of pedigree from duo

A NIDDERDALE father and son team once again proved their Masham sheep breeding credentials are among the best in North Yorkshire by notching up an unprecedented sixth consecutive title at Skipton Auction Mart this week.
John Croft took first in the class of three lambs weighing up to 42kg at OtleyJohn Croft took first in the class of three lambs weighing up to 42kg at Otley
John Croft took first in the class of three lambs weighing up to 42kg at Otley

More than, 4,350 entries were received at the mart’s annual ewe lamb show and sale, where Roland and David Verity, of Grange Farm, Bouthwaite, Ramsgill, landed title number six. Their pen of ten Mashams sold for £170 per head, achieving the top price in class and £20 per head more than their 2012 champions.

Their victors were snapped up by Keith Liddle, of JB Liddle & Son in Stainburn, Otley, who has bought the Verity victors for the past several years.

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There was a memorable double win for the Calton-based Crisp family this week too, clinching the championship and reserve championship crowns at the mart’s annual evening show and sale of Swaledale rams.

Robert Crisp, of Nelson House, secured the title with his first prize shearling ram, by a Lunesdale-based Martin Wilson Arngill House sire, out of an ewe by a Tennant Gill-sired ram bred by Malham Moor’s Bill Cowperthwaite.

The victor, shown by Mr Crisp’s nephew Anthony Crisp, sold for £2,100 to South Yorkshire hill farmer Harold Smith, of Home Farm, Carlecotes, Dunford Bridge.

Another prolific winner, the Fort sheep farming family from South Craven again took the spoils as supreme champion at the Lleyn Sheep Society’s annual registered show and sale at the mart. Husband and wife Graham and Mandy Fort, who run the Brightonhouse pedigree flock at the farm of the same name in Steeton, saw their first prize shearling ram judged overall champion at the society’s final show of the year.

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The Millington Limousin pedigree herd stole the show at Craven Cattle Mart’s Autumn Pedigree event for beef breeding cattle on Wednesday. Millington Grange Estate, near York, produced the show champion, Millington Hudson, a 20-month-old son of the highly regarded AI sire Wilodge Vantastic, out of Brockhurst Option, bred in Buckinghamshire by Doug Mash.

Show judge Ian Moorhouse, who runs Fouldshaw Blondes in Dacre, Harrogate, backed his judgement by purchasing the title winner for £3,045.

Skipton’s October prime shows saw a return to the fold after a short break by Matt and Ben Townsend, of Barnside Hall Farm, Laneshawbridge, who were the prime cattle champions, while Anthony Thompson, of Higher Broach Farm, Foulridge, secured the prime lamb championship.

On Monday, the Dalesbred Sheep Breeders Association’s annual show and sale of registered rams took place at Bentham Auction Mart where the champion shearling was won by JM & CJ Dawson and was sold for £1700 to Karl Oyston of Nat Farm Ltd.

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Elsewhere, at Wharfedale Farmers Auction Mart in Otley, the weekly sale of livestock involved 56 cattle and 1,533 sheep and the monthly show and sale of prime lambs, saw JT Croft of Beamsley take first prize in the class of three lambs weighing up to 42kg. In the over 42kg class, Steven Pepper of Oxenhope was the victor. Mr Pepper presented four topping gilts in the pig ring, selling at a top price of 159p/kg to Silsden Butchers.

Trade was particularly strong in the sheep pens, auctioneers said, with Keighley buyers Yorkshire Halal Meats Ltd among the top bidders, purchasing both the up to 42kg and over 42kg winning lambs.