THE South Devon Herd Book held their annual sale of pedigree females at Skipton Auction Mart, where nine maiden heifers met with total clearance and a solid overall selling average of £1,230.83.

Leading the sale at 1,400gns was a 2016-born heifer from the Galtres herd of Ms Alex Welch, of Huby Grange, York. Galtres Javlin Orchid 54, by the Brafferton Stardust son, Hawkley Javlin, out of Galtres Stardust Orchid 2, was sold scanned in calf to Brafferton Trooper. She joined EM&BJ Stonehouse in Staxton, Scarborough.

Ms Welch sold a second 2016 heifer, also in-calf to Brafferton Trooper, at 1,300gns, again to the Stonehouses, plus two further home-breds at 1,050gns, one also to the Stonehouse family, the other to Keith and Jeanette Marshall, of Skipton. Between them, both purchasers accounted for all the entries.

Paul and Pam Harrison, who run the Brafferton herd in Tollerton, York, sold three heifers to a top of 1,250gns, this for the April, 2017, Brafferton Warrior 5 daughter, Brafferton Stella 74, along with four other 2017-born heifers.

The fixture formed part of Skipton’s fortnightly Wednesday cattle, when 452 head were sold.