Field day for Bland Herefords at CCM Skipton Grass Day highlight

Six individual show classes for both singles and pens of three or more were judged by Roger Penny, Thornton, Bradford, with Will Wildman, trading as W&M Bland, Kirkby Malham, picking up several tickets, notably first prize in the native bullock class with a tremendous pen of 11-month-old Hereford, which went on to top the day’s trade at £1,090 per head.

Making £1,080 was the best single suckler-bred bullock, a Limousin-x from Richard Lea, Lea Partners, Barnsley, who also run Meadow Meats, a wholesale butchery business supplying butchers, farm shops, restaurants and pubs - the majority of lamb and beef raised on their own Manor Farm, Hood Green.

Richard Lea with his 1st prize single Limousin-x bullock (Image: Moule Media)

Multiple past prize winner, David Mitchell, Wilsden, returned to claim further tickets, including two red rosettes.

His first prize pen of four black and white bullocks made £750 each, his class-winning native heifers, a Hereford trio, away at £830. He also sold a Montbéliarde steer at £810.

The first prize pen of Continental heifers, three Limousin-x from Howard Barker, Fewston, each made £1,005, with the red rosette-winning pen of Continental bullocks, five Limousin-x from Thomas Atkins, Oldfield, knocked down at £770 per head.

The show formed part of the latest monthly Saturday collective sale of stirks, weaned calves, and young store cattle.

Dairy Blue bullocks sold to £890 from R Falshaw & Son, Gisburn, Blue heifers to £940 from RI Turner, Oxenhope.

Of the natives, Aberdeen-Angus bullocks traded to £980 from Frank Throup, Silsden, while Angus heifers sold to £960 from JL Millin & Son, Ashton-Under-Lyne.

The mart says more entries are required for the next Saturday collective on May 11 - the second grass turnout day - with buyers keen to secure cattle for just that purpose.