British Blue-Cross Triumphs at Skipton Christmas Show & Sale

4th December 2013

Father and son Willie and Jonathan Timm, of TWH Farming, based at Olive Farm, Easingwold, had a field day in the prime cattle show classes at Skipton Auction Mart’s sixth annual Lingfield Christmas primestock show and sale when sending out both the male and female champion, with the latter going on to clinch supreme championship honours on Sunday December 1st.

The 570kg title winner was a British Blue-cross heifer bred in the Eden Valley by Richard Tiplady that won first prize in the young handlers show class in the hands of Jonathan Timm and was also female champion, sold for £2,907, or 510p/kg, top price of the day, to James Robertshaw, of Keelham Farm Shop in Thornton, Bradford.

Jonathan Timm with the 2013 Skipton Christmas prime beef supreme champion.

Jonathan Timm with the 2013 Skipton Christmas prime beef supreme champion

The Timm family also stepped up with two further first prize winners. Their red rosette-winning 645kg British Blue-cross heavy heifer sold for £1,870.50, or 290p/kg, Woolley Bros, of Sheffield, and their first prize 540kg Charolais-sired steer became another Keelham acquisition at £1,593, or 295p/kg.

Pictured with the 2013 Skipton Christmas prime beef supreme champion are, from left, Willie Timm, co-judges Paul Leadbeater and Michael Atkinson, Jonathan Timm and buyer James Roberthshaw, of Keelham Farm Shop.

Pictured with the 2013 Skipton Christmas prime beef supreme champion are, from left, Willie Timm, co-judges Paul Leadbeater and Michael Atkinson, Jonathan Timm and buyer James Roberthshaw, of Keelham Farm Shop.

The Brighouse & Denholme Road farm shop also snapped up the first and second prize British Blue-cross steers, paying for £1712.50, or 250p/kg, for the 685kg red rosette winner, also runner-up in the young handlers class for 17-year-old John Stephenson, of Bordley. The steer had performed with credit on this year’s regional show circuit, winning no less than six championships, including the title at this year’s Gargrave Show and local championship at Kilnsey.

John Stephenson and his son, also John, with their 2013 Skipton Christmas prime beef reserve supreme champion.

John Stephenson and his son, also John, with their 2013 Skipton Christmas prime beef reserve supreme champion

John Stephenson and his son were also responsible for the reserve supreme prime beef champion, the first prize British Blue-cross lightweight heifer, which weighed in at 490kg and was home-bred by their stock bull, fondly known as 'Tank,' out of a Blue-cross-Limousin cow. She sold for £1,764, or 360p/kg, to D&A Gregory & Son Butchers, of Bacup.

The same buyers also acquired the third prize 590kg British Blue-cross lightweight heifer from Dacre’s Ian Moorhouse for £1,770, or 300p/kg, and the third prize 610kg British Blue-cross heavy heifer from Phil Summers Agriculture in Clayton, Bradford, at £1,738.50, or 285p/kg.

The second prize 575kg British Blue-cross lightweight heifer from 2012 Skipton Christmas Show champion Hayley Baines, of Trawden, sold to regular buyer Anthony Swales for £2,012, or 350p/kg, and will be prepared for Christmas tables at his Knavesmire Butchers in Albermarle Road, York.

The second prize 685kg British Blue-cross heavy heifer from RH Critchley, of Hutton, Preston, made £2,055, or 300p/kg, when joining Jeff Boocock & Son Butchers in Fridaythorpe, near Driffield.

The second co-judge was Michael Atkinson, of ABP.