CRAVEN district exhibitors with two pure-bred British Blue heifers took both top awards in Gisburn Auction Mart’s Christmas prime cattle show and sale.

Leading the championship line-up was a black, 18-month-old, 570kg heifer from JE and G Burrow, Skipton, and shown by Hayley Baines.

Bred by John Stephenson, Bordley, and having been a successful show beast this summer, it was bought by the judge, artisan butcher Tom Wood at 500p/kg. Mr Wood said the heifer was “packed with meat in all the right places, just the right size, and just a shade longer than the reserve champion.”

His reserve was a 558kg heifer from Clare Cropper, Long Preston, which was bought as a store and not previously shown. It was claimed by Luke Swales, of Knavesmire Butchers, York at 370p/kg or £2,064, who also took Ms Cropper’s 480kg first prize Blue steer at £1,584, and the first prize continental steer from Paul Taylor, Tarleton at £1,480.

Clare Cropper also won the traditional breed section with a 470kg Hereford cross heifer which made £1,293 to Countrystyle Meats Farm Shop, Lancaster, who also paid £1,518 for the winning native steer, and 506kg Angus, from AA and E Critchley and Son, Preston.

Mark Nelson, Lancaster, drew £1,788 for the family’s winning exhibitor-bred beast, a 550kg Blue-sired heifer bought by Hanson Quality Meats, Burnley.

Leyburn, North Yorkshire exhibitors K and A Woof had both first and second in the British Blue bull class selling at £1,651 and £1,622 to Ralph Pearson Butchers, Bradford, who also bought the best ‘other breed’ bull, a 640kg Limousin from R Turner, Goosnargh, at £1,541.

Averages were: heifers 229.4p/kg, steers 209.9p/kg, bulls 189.3p/kg.

The auctioneers were Richard Turner and Son.