THE New Year started in style at Skipton Auction Mart with a great show of rearing calves and a busy ringside.

Alan Middleton, of JP and KE Hartley, Beamsley, emerged as the champion with his first prize British Blue-cross bull calf, beating last year’s winners, the Sowrays, into second place, which sold for £540.

The champion sold for the top price of £570.

JP and KE Hartley also claimed second and third place in the native-cross bull class, selling for £308 and £238, while the class was won by JT and E Thomber, of Clitheroe, who sold for £258.

Reserve champion, a British Blue-cross heifer, was put forward by Sutton-in-Craven’s Richard Spence, of F Spence, another consistent frontrunner in the Skipton calf ring, beating Church Farm Enterprises, who took second in this class, and C and SB Whitelock who were third. The reserve champion was sold for £380.

F Spence also took first prize in the Black and White bull class, selling for a price of £250 with JT and E Thornber picking up second, selling for £220 and FA Holmes and Son third, selling for £190. Thornber and Holmes also finished second and third in the native-cross heifer class, which was won by J Rushton.

Father and son Fred and Mark Houseman, who trade as Church Farm Enterprises, Burton Leonard, won first and third prize in the continental-cross male stirk class, picking up £435 and £415, with JC Marshall coming in second and selling for £515. Church Farm went on to win first and second prize with their Continental-cross heifer stirks, which sold for £340 and £320 with GT Booth coming third and bringing in a price of £370.