THE Christmas show season at Skipton Auction Mart began with the festive Craven Dairy Auction, when championship honours once again fell to the Lawson family, from Mill Farm, Arthington.

David Lawson, joined by daughter Suzy, bagged the latest in a long line of title wins at the North Yorkshire venue – they also had the 2013 Christmas show champion - with another top-notch product of their prolific Newbirks Holstein herd, the first prize newly calven heifer from their renowned Jazz family.

With five generations of vg excellent behind her, Newbirks Jazz 1589, came to market giving 32 litres after calving 24 days before the show. She caught the eye of debut Skipton judge, Dewsbury dairy farmer Ian Collins.

The victor then progressed to prove the standout performer in the sales ring when selling for the day’s top call of £2,500 to father and son dairymen Stephen and Edward Jeanes, of Glusburn, who have also snapped up previous Lawson show champions.

Mr Collins awarded the reserve championship to the second prize newly calven heifer from the South Yorkshire Flashouse pedigree Holstein Friesian herd run by husband and wife John and Jenny Booth, and their son John David, who milk 280 cows in Penistone. Giving 36 litres, she sold locally for £2,100 to John Howard in Heslaker.

Skipton regulars and multiple past champions, father and son Malcolm and Robert Swires, who run the Whinhill Holstein Friesian commercial herd at Haverah Park, near Harrogate, stepped forward with the third prize newly calven heifer, sold for £1,920 to ringside regular Wick Williams in Nantwich.

Also selling at £1,920 was the red rosette-winning and top price cow from Tony Swires, of Beckwithshaw, which joined father and son Fred and Mike Longster in Fellbeck. The second and third in class were both shown by further vendors from Penistone.

The runner-up from T&DH Penrose made £1,520 when becoming a further Wick Williams acquisition, with the third prize winner from DE & MA Booth knocked down at £1,700 to CE Hancock, of Sandbach in Cheshire.

There was a clean sweep of prizes in the in-calf heifers show class for the Simpson family from Easingwold, with their top performing red rosette winner making £1,400 when joining Bishop Thornton’s Shaun Sowray.

While the latest renewal attracted one of the best shows of cattle of the entire year, trade was described as “slow and steady” again reflecting caution on the part of purchasers due to current milk price levels.

However, there was straight trade for the majority of the 42-strong entry, which saw 22 pedigree newly calven heifers average £1,755 per head overall, with their commercial counterparts, six in total, averaging £1,739. Newly calven cows averaged £1,590 and in-calf heifers £1,210.

The final Craven Dairy Auction on the year is scheduled for Monday, December 15.