South Devon cattle returned to Skipton Auction Mart for the second annual show and sale held under the auspices of the South Devon Herd Book Society. (Wed, Nov 6)
Paul and Pam Harrison, who run the Brafferton herd in Tollerton, York, and sent out last year’s female champion, stepped up their performance to land the 2013 supreme championship with their first prize bull, the fully home-bred 18-month-old Brafferton Hadrian 21, by the prolific Brafferton Hadrian 1.
The Harrisons have won numerous breed championships – this year alone they have sent out title winners at both Lincoln and Newark, along with the Great Yorkshire Show reserve champion. They also won this year’s South Devon National Herd Competition, with their Skipton victor among the prize-winning herd.
Praised for its “lovely line and good width” by Leicestershire show judge Richard Ford, from Thorpe Langton, the victor found favour with a number of bidders from around the UK and sold for a show-topping 5,000gns to Scottish buyers Douganhill Farms, of Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway.
The Harrisons netted a second rosette in the show class for 2012-born heifers with the Welland Valley Warrior daughter, Brafferton Stella 24, who also stood among their National Herd Competition winners and is out of a multiple show-winning home-bred dam.
Standing reserve champion was the first prize 2011-born heifer from the Northumbrian Lumbylaw herd of 2012 South Devon National Herd Competition winners Robert and Sally Lee, from Edlingham, near Alnwick, who were showing for the first time at Skipton.
Lumbylaw Pride 21, by their own Enterprise Condor, who has also produced several breed champions and is still performing well at the age of ten, has been scanned in-calf to Lumbylaw Halcyon 8. She headed the female prices when sold for 2,300gns to Welsh breeder Arwyn Davies, who farms in Powys.
Mr and Mrs Lee were also responsible for the third prize bull, the18-month-old Lumbylaw Zulu 10, by Edmeston Zodiac 2.
The second prize bull, the March, 2012, born Welland Valley Sherman, by Upper Norton Duncan, came from South Devon chairman Malcolm Broome, who farms at Thorpe Langton, near Market Harborough in Leicestershire’s Welland Valley, from which the herd takes its name.
A trio of 2011-born senior heifers from Ms Alex Welch, who runs the Galtres herd at Huby, near York, under the trading name of JB Allison & Sons, also caught the eye. Galtres Trooper Kay 50 and Galtres Trooper Suffragette 16, both home-bred sons of Portman Burtley Trooper, sold at 1,800gns and 1,500gns respectively, while the third, Galtres Winston Orchid 21, by Ewefields Winston, went under the hammer at 1,600gns. All three fell to the same buyer, Mrs G Cockburn, of Keswick.
Three junior in-calf heifers from Sir John Bell, of Arncliffe Farms, Ingleby Cross, Northallerton, also proved popular at the ringside. All born last March and expecting calves to Z Glebe Torr Down 2, the leading performer on price at 1,750gns was the Northwick General daughter Arncliffe Aconite 08, who joined Nidderdale buyer John Graham, of Lofthouse.
Next best at 1,650gns was Arncliffe Maple 05, by X Brettles SAS Fusilier, acquired by HS Halder & Son, of Whitby, with Z Arncliffe Bargain, a home-bred daughter of X Arncliffe Bailey, completing the trio at 1,600gns when joining BB&K Hope, of Thirsk.