Defending Christmas show champion Daniel Thackray was in title-winning form at Sunday's CCM Skipton’s festive fatstock highlight once again after picking up back-to-back top honours in the prime pig classes. 

Winning the crown in 2021 and again in 2023, Daniel, of Prospect House Pietrains, Fewston, was hopeful of bringing home the bacon again this year, although technically it was his trio of pure-bred Pietrain cutters which won the prime pigs cutters 88kg to 97kg section courtesy of judge Phil Parkin, of Parkin Family Butchers, Howden, Goole.

The 90kg homebred pigs were sired by championship-winning boar Prestcome Wadrif, bred by Alice Newth, and bought after the 2022 Great Yorkshire Show. Delighted in retaining his title, Daniel said he was the third generation of pig farmers and butchers which had been started by his grandfather.

The title-winning trio caught the eye of James Robertshaw, of Robertshaw’s Farm Shop, Thornton, Bradford, who happily trotted off with his purchase at 325p/kg, or £292.50 per head, making Daniel's charges top call on price on the day. Robertshaw’s also purchased the same day’s prime cattle and prime lamb supreme champions.

The reserve champion rosette went to D&A Livestock, of Prospect Farm, Haverah Park, Harrogate, for their 116kg Large White trio shown by David Walmsley. The trio was to a homebred Large White by AI semen and had picked up first prize in the 98kg to 115kg baconers class. They sold to specialist meat wholesaler Stephen Taylor, of W Taylor & Son, Bamber Bridge, Preston, for 232p/kg, £269 per head.

David also collected second and third prize rosettes in the same bacon class with Stephen Taylor again snapping these up for 198p/kg, £227.50, and 182p/kg, £205.50, respectively. The Red Rose buyer also successfully bid for David's second prize trio in the prime cutters section, taking them home for 325pkg, £292.

A total of 24 prime pigs with an average weight of106.37kg levelled at £224.91 per head, or 211.4p/kg.