One of the most eagerly anticipated events at Skipton Auction Mart’s Christmas primestock shows and sales this year was the inaugural lamb carcase competition.

It attracted 43 entries and created keen interest among regular prime lamb vendors and butcher buyers, producing an overall average price of £104.50 per lamb.

Butcher George Cropper, whose shop is in Accrington Market, made six acquisitions, including the champion pure-bred Beltex carcase from Stephen Pepper, of Oxenhope, which had a 43kg live weight and a dead weight of 24.8kg. It sold for the top price of £272, or a dead weight of £10.97 per kg.

Martin and Val Brown, of Newton-le-Willows, had the second prize and reserve champion 40kg Beltex-cross carcase, which sold for the second top price of £160, or a dead weight of £6.93/kg, to Anthony Swales, of Knavesmire Butchers in York.

Mr Cropper also paid £102, £113 and £118 respectively for the first and second prize under-35kg and second prize 35-40kg Continental carcases, all Beltex-cross, from the Caton family in Stainforth.

He also bought the third prize 35-40kg Beltex-cross carcase from Robert Garth, of Bentham, for £126, plus the third prize 41-44kg Beltex carcase from David Asquith, of Otley, for £112.

Knavesmire Butchers was another multiple buyer, including all three prize-winning carcases in the heavy Continental class – the first prize Beltex from John and Judy Garnett, of Draughton, £105, the runner-up, a Texel, from R&M Ireland, of Whalley, at £115, and the third prize-winner, another Texel, from Les Grange, of Follifoot, at £108.

Skipton-based Stanforth Butchers bought six prize winners, among them the three principals in the 41-44kg Swaledale class at £78, £69 and £77 respectively.

Stanforth’s also acquired Mr Nelson’s heavy hill Swaledale second prize winner at £77, the first prize 41-44kg hill carcase, a Masham from Kevin Wilson, of Blubberhouses, at £86, and the third prize heavy native breed Suffolk from Geoff Lawn, of Skipton, for £90.

Granville Fairburn, of Apperley Bridge, presented the first prize heavy hill Mule carcase, which sold for £77 to James Middleton, of The Old Hall Inn at Threshfield.