LANCASHIRE’S John Hindle won his first-ever Craven Feather Auctions championship at the Spring show and sale of poultry and waterfowl at Skipton Auction Mart on Saturday.

Mr Hindle, from Oswaldtwistle, has picked up first prizes in the past and was reserve champion at the show last September, but went one better this time. His trio of White Wyandottes was plucked out by judge Andrew Fisher, of Pateley Bridge, and went on to sell for £35.

Reserve champion was a trio of White Bantam Silkies presented by another Lancashire poultry breeder, E Waite, of Darwen, the first prize winners in the bantam category, which sold for £55.

Joint top price in show of £60 went to a pair of Silver Laced Wyandottes and a pair of German Pekin Ducks, the second prize-winners in the waterfowl class, both put forward by local breeder, J Long, of Airton.

Mr Long also picked up first prize in the class with his pair of exhibition Aylesbury ducks, sold for £40.

Making £55 was a pen of Light Sussex pullets, with three further pens each selling at £50 – a trio of Light Sussex, pair of India Pea Fowl and a Muscovy duck and ducklings. Accessories sold to £95 for an incubator, while a hen hut made £55.

The fixture attracted 203 lots of poultry, while also on the same day’s agenda were the first Agri-Trader Auctions of 2019.

This again produced another solid entry comprising 453 lots of reclaim, 450 lots of machinery and 64 furniture items.

Machinery was once highly sought after, with top price of £13,500 falling to a Ford tractor. Other four-figure prices were £1,900 for a grass rake, £1,800 for a flat trailer and £1,400 for a Frazer spreader. A Polaris quad made £920, with an ATV trailer also catching the eye at £620.

A good entry of stonework and builders’ supply materials found a solid trade, with stone gate posts selling at £600, £400 and £220 per pair. Large stone troughs topped at £500.

Pallets of stone slabs found a very strong following, with prices of £310, £290 twice, £240 and £220 twice per pallet for quality thick slabs. Of the other widely diversifying items, a bench made £160, a lamp post £120 and bollards £115. Top price of £160 in the reclaim section fell to a generator, with a donkey cart following closely behind at £150.

Agri-Trader Auctions continue to attract huge interest from both the regional agricultural communities and members of the general public – vendors and buyers alike. The next fixture is on Saturday, May 4.

CCM Auctions also conducted their monthly Saturday sale of stirks, weaned calves and young store cattle, when 172 head of cattle, comprising 22 bulls and 150 bullocks and heifers, along with 30 sheep and goats, plus a brace of equine entries, went under the hammer.

Bulls sold to £590 for a Charolais, while steers topped at £840 for a Limousin, followed by a British Blue at £805, with a strong Blue average of £634. Heifers sold to £870 for another Limousin, again followed by a Blue at £640 and another good section average of £534.

Goats sold to £195 for a Pigmy billy and kid, with a Togg nanny and kid achieving £110 and a British Saanen £105. Of the sheep, Jacob hoggs sold to £59, while a single donkey made £180 and a Shetland pony £160.

The next monthly sale is on Saturday, April 6.