JAMES and Sarah Cooper, based at Hill Top Farm, Dacre, secured top price honours at 5,400gns (£5,670) on Craven Limousin Day - Skipton Auction Mart’s spring show and sale of pedigree Limousin bulls and females.

Their December, 2011, senior bull, second in its show class and also senior reserve male champion, was bred by the Coopers’ 29-year-old daughter, Laura.

The Skipton top price performer, which exactly matched last year’s leading price, was knocked down to commercial Limousin breeder Chris Metcalfe, of Healey, Masham.

On its first-ever appearance at Skipton’s premier breed highlight of the year, the Redland pedigree Limousin herd of Mark and Helen Lewis made an immediate impact, securing the supreme championship with their first prize older intermediate bull, intermediate male and overall male champion.

The couple, who have moved from Shropshire to Northlands Farm, Hunsingore, sold their August, 2013-born title winner for 4,440gns to father and son Clive and Richard Booth, who run Walton Cross Limousins in Liversedge.

The reserve supreme championship fell to the first prize senior bull, senior male champion and reserve male champion from the Overthwaite pedigree herd of David Harker in Holme, near Carnforth. The two-year-old home-bred bull joined P Nelson, of Shap, for 4,300gns.

Mr Harker also did well with his second prize intermediate bull, which sold to the Lund bothers in Litton for 3,400gns.

Ian Handley’s Gunnerfleet herd in Chapel-le-Dale, first established 28 years ago, made a welcome return to the breed highlight, with a strong hand of young home-bred bulls.

Junior male champion was January 2014-born Gunnerfleet Jamie, which sold to PM and FM Hill, of Ugthorpe, Whitby, for 3,900gns. The other red rosette winner, Gunnerfleet Intruce, landed the younger intermediate bull class and progressed to become reserve intermediate male champion. It sold for 3,700gns to Francis Caton, of Weston, Otley.

The second show class for 2014-born junior bulls was won by the Priestley family, of Cracrop Farm, Kirkcambeck, with an animal that progressed to become junior reserve male champion. It made 4,500gns, second top price in show, when selling to AR and J Alsop and Son, of Dacre.

Also catching the eye was a second prize junior bull from Ian Wilson and Carol Wood, who run their Lowflan pedigree herd in Ulverston. He sold for 3,700gns to WH Marston, of Crossgates, Leeds.

The show class for the youngest of the junior bulls was won by the Shuttleworth family, of Fell House, Barbon, with a 12-month-old, which sold for 1,350gns to Frank Stubbs, of Rathmell.

Also staging their annual production sale at the fixture were John and Claire Mason, who run the Oddacres pedigree Limousin herd in Embsay.

Their third prize junior bull joined D Wallbank, of Oakworth, for 3,400gns while their top price female, at 2,800gns, sold to Janet Sheard from Low Common Farm, Almondbury.

Maiden heifers got away well, with Oddacres again leading the way with a 13-month-old, which, after winning third prize in her class, became top price in the section at 1,700gns when selling to William Rathmell, of Tong, Bradford.

The Coopers also dominated the female show classes, sending out both the champion and reserve champion. Their title-winning sold at 2,500gns, joining Lincolnshire-based Blackfriar Limousins, while the 11-month-old reserve female champion sold for 1,550gns to George Cropper in Haslingden, Rossendale.