Christmas Dairy Cheer for Second Year for Jennings Farms
2012-11-29

Andrew Jennings, of Jennings Farms, based at Hill House, Fountains, Ripon, bagged the Christmas Craven Dairy Auction championship at Skipton Auction Mart for the second year in succession. (Mon, Nov 26)

Craven Dairy Auction Christmas Champion

He lifted the title with the first prize newly calven Holstein Friesian heifer, a true home-bred from his Abbeyhouse pedigree herd. Having calved eight days prior to the show and giving 27 litres, she sold for £2,000 to show judge Wilmot Blockley, of Tarvin, Chester.

Top price in both class and show at £2,250 fell to the second prize newly calven heifer and reserve champion from the Harehills pedigree herd of Eric and Sally Wellock at West End Farm, Oldfield, Keighley.

Home-bred by a Genus bull, Moet Melody, she too had calved eight days before the show and came to market giving 24 litres. The buyer was Alf Townsend, of Southfield, Burnley.

A good complement of buyers ensured a strong trade throughout, with plenty of good heifers consistently making £1,800 to £2,000. Notable at £2,220 and £2,020 were two entries from Geoff Booth, of Lothersdale, while David Lawson, of Arthington, and Brian Moorhouse, of Bell Busk, both sold heifers at £2,000. The latter also sold a 12-month-old stock bull from his Aireburn herd for 1,500gns to John Marshall, of Dacre.

Older cows were also easy to place. The first prize newly calven cow from Robert Crisp, of Calton, headed the class prices when joining Wick Williams in Nantwich, Cheshire, for £2,010, with the same buyer also snapping up the second and third prizewinners at £1,990 and £1,760 respectively.

The runner-up was presented by Malcolm and Robert Swires, of Haverah Park, Beckwithshaw, with Jennings Farms again responsible for the third prize winner.

In-calf heifers sold to a high of £1,440 for an entry from James Lawn, of Cullingworth, while D&P Brown, of Ramsgill, had the first and second prize Brown Swiss maiden heifers, which sold to a high of £720 to Richard Close, of Starbotton.

With a total entry of 44 dairy cattle, newly calven heifers averaged £1,810, newly calven cows £1,553 and in-calf heifers £1,270.

The Christmas show was sponsored by BOCM Pauls, NFU Mutual and PV Dobson & Sons. It was also the last Craven Dairy Auction conducted by auctioneer John Hanson, who has now fully retired.

Christmas Calf Cheer for Sowray Brothers at Skipton
Skipton Christmas Primestock Shows are Biggest and Best Yet
South Devons Make Debut at Skipton