Fawcett British Blues again dominate at Skipton store cattle show

A British Blue-cross youngster with a bright future landed supreme championship honours for Yorkshire Dales farmers Ken Fawcett & Sons – the second consecutive year they have lifted the title - at the Spring store cattle with show potential fixture at Skipton Auction Mart, on Wednesday 15th April 2009.

The 14-month-old heifer is, like the Fawcetts’ 2008 Skipton Spring store cattle champion, a product of the versatile British Blue Society-registered Brookfield Vaughan, acquired from Thirsk-based Stephen Potter and now in its fourth year as a sire on the Fawcett suckler herd at Dale Head Farm, Barden.

Pictured with the Skipton store cattle with show potential title winner are exhibitor John Fawcett, left, and co-judges, father-and-son Richard and Ben Winn. Richard is handing over the supreme champion’s rosette made by his wife Jayne following the launch of her new business.

Pictured with the show potential title winner are exhibitor John Fawcett, left, and co-judges, father-and-son Richard and Ben Winn

Exhibited by John Fawcett, the victor sold for the show-topping price of £1,110 to Humberside purchaser Graham Nutt, of Thirtleby, Hull. The Fawcetts also had the second prize heifer, one of three BB ‘young ladies’ sold by the family at an average of £1,013.

British Blues again dominated throughout. The reserve champion was the first prize BB bullock from J2 Farming, of Oswestry, Shropshire. The year-old runner-up was bred locally, being an up-and-coming son of the pedigree stock bull standing with Richard Frankland at New Hall Farm, Rathmell.

J2 Farming stockman David Maughan is pictured with the Skipton store cattle with show potential reserve champion.

J2 Farming stockman David Maughan is pictured with the reserve champion.

Joint next best price in show at £970 fell to the second prize British Blue heifer from David and Stephen Hollings, of Spinks Hill Farm, Pecket Well, Hebden Bridge, who earlier in the month were responsible for the champion at Skipton’s annual Spring show and sale of young feeding bulls.

The second prize British Blue bullock from Lisa Metcalfe, of Clayton, Bradford, also made £970 and remained in the area when joining John Mellin at Long Preston.

Show judges were Richard Winn, of Low Farm, Whixley, York, and his 15-year-old son Ben, a pupil at Boroughbridge High School. They happily handed over rosettes hand-made by Mr Winn’s wife Jayne, who recently launched a new business, L & J Rosettes, based at the family farm. Skipton Auction Mart is now a client.