Otley Show: Early barometer for region's farmers

AS the first agricultural show of the Yorkshire season, Otley acts as a barometer of farming.

Otley Show: Main report and picture gallery

Cattle entries were up, but mainly in beef categories. Dairy is still short of farmers with time to play out – and the winning Jersey breeder got out of milk some years ago.

Sheep numbers were slightly down – probably because of resistance to electronic tagging, which is required for movement licences for most sheep born this year.

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Ted Ogden, auctioneer at Skipton, and Ian Smith, of Wharfedale Mart at Otley, agreed over morning coffee that farmers had better get used to the idea. Untagged animals are beginning to get lower bids, now automatic readers are becoming part of the system, and Mr Ogden predicted the price gap would grow to 4 or 5.

Rising young showman Jonathan Timm, of Leeds, won the interbreed competition in beef with a Limousin-X heifer he got as a 21st birthday present in March.

Traditional breeds continue their comeback. Best dairy shorthorn came from Alex Wilkes, of Leyburn, and Deirdre Throup, of Bradley, near Skipton, who breed and show in partnership. They say the move away from Holsteins is still gathering pace.

The poultry and pigeons tent hosted the spring show of the Leghorn Club, won by J Crowther, of Halifax. Best bird in show overall was a male Old English Game from Richard Rowley, of Kirkby in Ashfield, Notts. In the rabbits tent, the big event of the day was the Northern Silver Fox Show, won by Jack Holdsworth of Leeds. Best In Show was a Blue Beveren from Peter Horsman, of Silsden.

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In the cattle tent, Jane Walker of Sigston Herefords, Northallerton, took a minute to answer the question all non-farming spectators ask. What are those hooked "show canes" for? The answer is to push a foot back or hook one forward, so the animal stands square for best effect – and in between, to give them a comforting scratch.

RESULTS

BEEF Supreme beef animal was the commercial beef winner, from Jonathan Timms, of TWH Farming, bred by John White of Middleton in Teesdale. Reserve – Limousin heifer shown by Richard Priestley, of Brontemoor Limousins, Denholme, Bradford. Best Hereford – bull from Heather Whittaker, of Norwood Green, Halifax, bought from Jack Henry. Best Dexter – Sheila Sykes, of Lindley, Huddersfield. Best Highland – Gary Braines, of Sunderland. Best Angus – Turnbull family, of York. Best any other breed – Blonde cow from David Craven, of Wilberfoss, near York.

DAIRY Supreme – Jersey cow from David and Janet Jones, of Ormskirk. Reserve – Holstein cow from Andrew Jennings, of Fountains, near Ripon. Shorthorn – cow from partnership herd of Alex Wilkes, of Leyburn, and Deirdre Throup, of Bradley, near Skipton.

SHEEP Supreme – Mule from Cecil and Stephen Hutchinson, of Kirkby Wiske, bred by CW Porter of Reeth. Reserve – Masham from M & B Allen, of Saltburn. Best fleece – Wensleydale from Yvonne Mudd, of Knaresborough. Butchers' lambs – AM & HV Brown, of Bedale. Charollais – G Allenby, of Horncastle, Lincs. Suffolk – gimmer lamb from Elaine and Barry Stonard, of Galphay. Dalesbred – ewe from Godfrey Haygarth, of Wigglesworth, near Skipton. Swaledale – five-shear ewe shown by Richard Ryder, of Haverah Park, near Harrogate. Texel – John North, of Sykehouse, near Goole. Wensleydale – A Tattersall, of Wigan. Jacob-shearling ewe from Betty Palmer, of Clitheroe. Teeswater – D & GC Newbould, of Ripon. Bluefaced Leicester – G Fairburn, of Apperley Bridge. Any Other Pure Breed – Blue Texel from AC & L Bailey, of Leyburn.

HORSES Champion heavy horse – Shire mare from Antony Gribbin, of Leventhorpe Hall, Bradford.

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