Budding bovine stars of the future are set to line up on “Craven Champions Day,” the first major cattle show of the year at Craven Cattle Marts’ Skipton Auction Mart next Wednesday, February 14.

Crowds pack into the cattle ring at Skipton at last year's Craven Champions Day.

Already, a 50-strong entry bodes well for the success of the annual show and sale of cross-bred and pure-bred cattle with commercial show potential, a well-established fixture on the North of England show circuit.

Among the contenders are some classy Limousin, Belgian Blue and Parthenais animals, with notable consignments expected from both regular cattle vendors at Skipton, along with a number of new faces.

The show will be held alongside the fortnightly sale of up to 800 store and breeding cattle, making it a major day in the calendar for both vendors and purchasers, but in particular for buyers looking for quality animals for the 2007 show circuits.

Past fixtures have seen many Skipton-bought cattle go on to bigger and better things in exhibition arenas across the length and breadth of the country.

A highly experienced showman from Devon will judge this year’s event, which will offer prize money to the value of £800, donated by six sponsors - the North East Limousin Breeders Club, the Lancashire and Yorkshire Charolais Breeders Club, BOCM Pauls, KW Alternative Feeds, Pfizer Animal Health and agricultural merchant’s agent Janet Sheard.

At last year’s Craven Champions Day, the biggest public turnout in years at Skipton saw excellent trading levels achieved and confidence is high that the show will once again make a major impact.

Belgian Blues ruled the roost in 2006, when JC Walker & Son, of Brennand Farm, Dunsop Bridge, took championship honours for the second year in succession. The family will be back again this year in a bid to make it an unprecedented hat-trick of title wins.

The fortnightly sale of cattle begins at 9.45am with young bulls, followed by store bullocks and heifers. Show judging commences at 10.30am in the courtyard, with the champion and other prizewinners offered for sale at 1.30pm. Breeding cattle will sold at 12noon through the main ring

Calderdale cattle coup at Craven Champions Day
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