BENTHAM Auction Mart’s annual young farmers singles night proved another success.

Numbers have increased every year since started and, this year, the competition was judged by William Woodward, of Bowood Lamb, Thirsk.

Thirty prime hoggs were well presented by an enthusiastic bunch of young farmers, all keen to receive a prize.

In the short wooled prime hogg class, 14-year-old Richard Lancaster, of Clitheroe, was chosen from a very strong line-up as the winner, with his Beltex x hogg weighing in at 50kgs, which he had trimmed to a very high standard by himself.

Richard went on to claim the top price of the night of £175 or 350p/kg, selling to Ali Shan for Yorkshire Halal Meat Supplier Ltd.

A very proud Ellie Forster, six, of Stainforth, claimed victory in the long wooled section, with her 51kg Mule hogg achieving £101 when sold to Arthur Slack.

For the second year running, Ellie Jackson, five, of Bentham, claimed the top spot in the best presented class and scooped the Les Thackray Perpetual Trophy.

Her black Beltex 48kg hogg, which the judge praised highly, went on to sell for £165 to MN Alam, of Lancashire Direct Halal Meat Ltd.