CHAMPION winning calf under ten weeks old was won at Gisburn by Craven’s Samantha and Stephen Fawcett of Barden, Skipton, with their seven-week-old British Blue bull sired by a Littlebank bull of Rathmell and selling at the top Blue price of £560 to J A Swann, York.

A Superman Stardale Simmental bull won Reserve Champion, presented by Barnoldswick family R and R J Parsons selling at £455 to the judge Chris Baxter.

Hot on the Champion’s tail was a £460 British Blue bull from the same family closely followed by regular calf vendor J and SA Lancaster, Horton-in-Craven

The Parson family went on to win 2nd place in the Continental bull class with another well turned out Simmental at £420 together with 1st place heifer at £330 and 2nd place in the Blue bull class £460.

Native breeders Neil Hanson won first prize with his Hereford x bull selling at £308 to R Rowling of Otley.

Prices: Angus bulls to £398 (av £231); B&W bulls to £252 (av £81); British Blue x to £560 (av £394); British Blue x heifers to £470 (av £344); Hereford x bulls to £308 (av £230; Limousin x to £392 (av £238); Simmental x bulls to £455 (av £372).

Meanwhile, chiefs at farm feeds business I’Anson Bros Limited, of Masham, say they have appointed a new member of staff to better support farmers in Ribblesdale.

Karen Winspear has joined the firm after previously working as a sales representative for a mineral company.

Born into several generations of farmers, Karen, who now lives in Hawes, grew up on a family farm in Wensleydale with Friesian cows and Swaledale sheep. She said: “We have a very strong customer base in the Ribblesdale area and I’m looking forward to working with them and helping to support them with their animal feed needs.”