MARK Smith, of Winterburn, August’s Craven Dairy Auction championship winner, returned to claim top prize again at the Monday show.

The commercial dairy farmer, of Rookery Farm, bagged a championship and reserve double in the summer and took the pre-sale championship on Monday with a sweet heifer, picked out by show judge Shaun Sowray, of Bishop Thornton.

Calved 21 days and giving a solid 28kg, she was highly sought after and sold to John Howard, of Heslaker, for £2,080. The next top price went to the heifer from DA and SA Fort, of Glusburn, who sold their 26kg heifer to regular supporter Mark Goodall, of Tong, for £1,880. A handy show of milkers, with 26 put forward, and a useful ringside of buyers, meant a straight trade. The healthy bidding was reflected in the averages, with newly calved heifers averaging £1,615. Cows saw a good average as well, at £1,606 with the section topped by the reserve champion, a tank-filling 54kg cow at £1,700, from A Lawson and Son, of Mill Farm, Arthington, selling to Brian Blezard, of Ribchester. There was a good number of youngstock on offer, with a run of 17-month bulling heifers from the Dickinson family, of Penistone, which topped at £820 for hard, wearing types of heifers.

Younger stirks from Paul and Janet Bolland, of Airton, averaged £380 and topped at £440 for a pair of heifers.