FATHER and son "milk men" Malcolm and Robert Swires returned to the Craven Dairy Auction show arena after a long break and made an immediate impact when securing a virtual clean sweep of the leading spoils at the opening August show at Skipton Auction Mart on Monday.

Past multiple champions, the Swires, of Haverah Park, Beckwithshaw, won their last championship – their 23rd in total – at the October 2012 show and have had a quiet time of it since, although their newly calven milkers are again coming through in increasing numbers, with five entered at the latest renewal.

Their Whinhill Holstein Friesian commercial dairy herd bounced back in great style when taking both the championship and reserve championship, with further entries chosen as runners-up in each class.

The title winner was their first prize newly calven heifer, ten days calved and giving 34 litres, which sold for £2,000 to Alf and Andrew Townsend, of Burnley.

The father and son team also paid £2,100 for the Swires’ reserve champion, their first prize 18 days calved red rosette-winning second calver cow, giving 40 litres.

The Swires also presented the second prize heifer, 14 days calved and giving 34 litres, which sold for £2,050 to Shaun Sowray, of Bishop Thornton, along with the second prize eight days calved cow, giving 38 litres, which joined Robert Metcalfe, of Brearton, Harrogate, for £1,900.

Also assisting with the Swires’ milkers were Robert’s dairy farming sister Libby Simpson, of Red House Farm, Ripon, and her 11-year-old son John, who has now left Grewelthorpe Primary School and will be starting at Nidderdale High School after the summer holidays.

“It’s great to be back and to clinch a championship and reserve championship double on our return to the Craven Dairy Auction arena,” said Libby.

The Newbirks Holstein pedigree herd of A Lawson & Son in Arthington, which has itself clinched numerous Craven Dairy Auction championships of late, was responsible for the third prize newly calven heifer. She went on to achieve the day’s top price of £2,500 when falling to regular buyers Stephen and Edward Jeanes in Glusburn.

Bingley’s Keith Downs had one of the best days with a top-notch consignment of six fresh calved heifers, which averaged over £2,000 and sold to a high of £2,180, the top price commercial entry, to show judge Richard Crabtree, of Clifton, Otley.

With a robust 39-strong entry, pedigree newly calven heifers averaged £1,923, with 1st class newly calven commercial heifers averaging £1,987 and their second class counterparts £1,365. Newly calven cows averaged £1,625.