A FLYING  start was achieved as CCM Skipton Auction Mart welcomed the return of its first Craven Feather Auction show and sale of poultry and waterfowl since the removal of restrictions. 

Game birds were top of the game and taking principal honours on his first-ever appearance at a poultry show was Calderdale’s Ethan Healey, High Lees Farm, Halifax, with the first prize pen of large fowl, a trio of Welsummer, a cockerel and two females.

Ethan, who has been breeding poultry for some 15 years and now maintains a 30-strong flock of differing breeds, saw his victors – they are a Dutch breed of domestic chicken - go on to sell for £80 to D Deakin, Harrogate.

Show judge, William Gregson, Lytham, remained with the game birds for his chosen reserve champions, the first prize small fowl pen, a trio of 2023 Wheaten Modern Game bantams from Andrew Addison, Mickleton, Barnard Castle, again a cockerel and two females. They are a British breed of ornamental chicken which originated in England between 1850 and 1900.

Andrew is an accomplished showman. As well as being a former Skipton poultry champion, then with White Wyandottes, he has also won the Carlisle Game Show with Old English Bantams, along with other show successes across the UK and Ireland.

The reserve champions made £115, the same vendor also standing third in same show class with a pair of 2024 Old English Game bantams sold at £60, another at £55, all going to AJ Coates, Garstang, one of the principal purchasers on the day.

Top of the pecking order on price at £170 was a brace of six-month-old peahens, though a non-breeding pair, from AJ&HC Clark, Sedbergh, again plucked out by D Deakin, while also hitting three figures were two Light Sussex trios at £145 from J Falshaw, Gisburn, and £120 from Richard Shepherd, Bewerley, Pateley Bridge, both claimed by AP Percival, Haworth.

Back in show, the third prize pen of large fowl, a Leghorn Lavender trio also from J Falshaw made £108 to R Miller, Arncliffe, the second prize winners, a pair of Carlisle OEG Greys from David Pownall, Glossop, selling at £95, again to AJ Coates, who also paid £45 for the second prize pen of bantams, a pair of game birds from Hillside Barn Poultry, Newton-with-Scales, Preston.

JT&TA Wigham, Irthington, Carlisle, who sold White Galloway cattle at the same day’s Belted Galloway Cattle Society show and sale, also took advantage of the opportunity to enter a pen of 2023 Black Welsummer with chicks, these making £100 when selling locally to young Barney Mellin, Long Preston, whose parents John and Clare are familiar faces as both vendors and buyers at CCM.

A Brinsea Incubator realised £60, with hatching eggs selling to £22 for a dozen Light Sussex. Together with eggs and equipment, the opening entry of near 50 lots was deemed a promising renewal following the suspension of poultry sale in late October, 2021. Future Craven Feather Auctions are scheduled for Saturdays, August 31 and December 14.