NEW champions were crowned at CCM Skipton’s July dairy-bred rearing calf show on Monday, GP Pickersgill & Sons, Intake Side Farm, Hawksworth, clinching their first-ever title with a sweet Limousin-x bull calf.

Shown by Andrew Pickersgill, who farms with his father and uncle, David and Richard, the May 26-born youngster was tapped out as winner of its class, then overall champion by show judge Tony Binns, Clint, Harrogate.

By a well-utilised stock bull, Cornfield Ollie, out of a British Friesian dairy cow, the victor made second top £530 when claimed by Calderdale mart regular Brian Lund, Walshaw, Hebden Bridge, who will further rear the calf to beef before resale, likely back at Skipton again. He has been purchasing more quality calves of late with this policy in mind.

Top price of £555 fell to the reserve champion, the 1st prize British Blue-x bull calf from Paul and Janet Bolland, and son James, Dyklelands Farm, Airton, the six-week-old falling to Robert Falshaw, Gisburn, the same home also stepping up with the 2nd prize Blue-x bull calf, which made £500 to the Darley Housemans. Both were among the first crop of calves by the Cogent dairy sire, Kelowa Mojo.

The Bollands also headed the Blue-x heifer prizes at £395, 1st and 2nd prizes in their show class falling to Alan and Emily Middleton, Beamsley, the red rosette winner making £340.

Shaun Sowray, Sowray Bros, Bishop Thornton, again figured among the prizes with both Continental and native entries, among them section-topping Charollais-x bull and heifer calves at £450 and £390 respectively, and the 1st prize Aberdeen-Angus heifer calf at £230.

Angus bulls sold to £340 from S&PE Bowker & Sons, Barnoldswick, while the 1st prize Limousin-x heifer from S&JS Thompson, Gargrave, topped its section at £435. N&R Sutcliffe, Todmorden, stood 1st and 2nd with Blonde-x bull calves, selling well at £530 and £525 respectively, while Flasby Estates also picked up a red rosette with a black and white bull calf making £90.