SETTLE College pupil Robert Capstick, a member of Coniston Cold Young Farmers Club, was among the winners at Gisburn Auction Marts' cattle over wintering competition on Friday evening.

The 15-year-old impressed the judges with his knowledge, stockmanship and presentation of his Limousin heifer and was awarded the Young Farmers Club members trophy, sponsored by Gisburn Young Farmers Club, whose members ACTED as show stewards.

Another local winner was Rathmell Young Farmers Club member Charlotte Mellin, of Long Preston, who won the reserve champion award with her nine-month-old British Blue heifer which sold for £1,120, leaving her a gross margin profit of £280. She also picked up the first prize rosette for the best female animal shown by a competitor aged 11 and under.

However, the supreme champion award went to Jack Pickup, a Clitheroe Young Farmers Club member.

Sixteen-year-old Jack, a student at Myerscough College, had earlier picked up first prize for the best male animal shown by a competitor aged 12 to 16 years. The steer, purchased last autumn for £1,020, sold for £1,405, leaving him a gross margin profit of £385. It was purchased by Richard Critchley, of Hutton, Preston.

Other students of Myerscough College to excel at the show and sale were Jack Briggs, a member of Clitheroe Young Farmers Club, who was awarded first prize in the daily live weight gain class for the competitor whose animal gains the most weight per day.

Twenty-year-old Georgie Holroyd, studying for a foundation degree in agriculture at the college, used the competition as part of a project on weight gains and profit margins between beef and dairy bred calves. She picked up the first prize rosette with her Limousin bull for the best male animal shown by a competitor aged 17 to 27 and fifth prize in the highest average daily live weight gain class.

But it was 15-year-old Beth Taylor, of Tarleton Young Farmers Club, who was in the money when she sold her British Blue steer for £950. She had previously bought the animal in the autumn for £490, leaving her with a very impressive £460 profit and first prize for the highest gross margin.

Bolton-by-Bowland Young Farmers Club member, 12-year-old Katie Dakin had the best presented and handled animal shown by a competitor 12 to16 years old with her six-month-old, Aberdeen Angus cross bull.

Mart spokesman Jane Chapman said “Now in its third year, Gisburn Auction Marts Cattle Over Wintering competition saw young farmers from Lancashire and Yorkshire compete against each other.

"This year’s competitors have definitely learnt from last year and greatly improved in the standard of showing and presentation, which was just great to see.

"The competition allows young people the opportunity to purchase cattle at Gisburn Auction Marts in the autumn, feed them through the winter and then offer them for show and sale. It is certainly a hit with the farmers of the future – it introduces them to the business side of livestock farming."