South Devons at Skipton top 2,150gns

The inaugural Skipton show and sale of South Devon cattle, held under the auspices of the South Devon Herd Book Society, was held at Skipton Auction Mart in North Yorkshire, and provided added interest and solid trade in all sections.

 

The supreme male champion, Sowerton Charlemagne 1, from David Coning, of Fleetbank Lodge, Tollerton, York, was by Portman Burtley Charlemagne 1, a noted easy calving bull responsible for many prizewinners in the 2012 show season.

 

The May, 2011-born victor, whose dam was bred by South Devon chairman Malcolm Broome at Market Harborough in Leicestershire’s Welland Valley, progressed to achieve top price in show when joining W Garbutt, of RJ Arden Farms in Hawnby, Helmsley, for 2,150gns (ÂŁ2,257.50).

 

Mr Coning was also responsible for the second prize bull, Sowerton Charlemagne 2, by the same sire as the title winner, out of another Welland Valley dam. He made 1,950gns (ÂŁ2,047.50) when finding a new home with CJ Turner in Broadways, Worcester.

 

A further highlight was the 1,900gns (ÂŁ1,995) paid by T E, M and R Powley, of Green Hammerton, York, for Galtres Trooper 19, a two-year-old in-calf heifer by Portman Burtley Trooper, bred in nearby Huby by Ms A Welch, who trades as J B Allison and Sons.

 

The Galtres herd sold further entries at 1,550gns and 1,350gns, the latter the first prize non halter-broken heifer, Galtres Trooper Kay 40, also by Portman Burtley Trooper, which became a further acquisition by the Powley family.

 

Second and third prizes in the same class both fell to entries from Sir John Bell, of Arncliffe Farms, Ingleby Cross, Northallerton. The runner-up, Arncliffe Maple 05 11, by X Brettles SAS Fusilier, sold for 1,450gns to IO Jones, of Abergele, North Wales, with the third placed Z Arncliffe Holly 7 11, a home-bred daughter of X Arncliffe Bailey, joining G&S Halder in Robin Hood’s Bay, Whitby, for 1,000gns.

 

The female champion was a two-year-old halter-broken heifer from Paul and Pam Harrison, who run the Brafferton herd in Tollerton. She will get another opportunity in the sale ring. The Harrisons achieved 1,500gns for the second prize halter-broken heifer, Brafferton Griselda 6, another product of Portman Burtley Charlemagne 1, who joined CM Dean, of Queensbury, Bradford.

 

The Kislingbury herd of R G Elliott and Son in Northampton also achieved 1,450gns with a non halter-broken heifer. South Devon bulls averaged ÂŁ2,152, heifers ÂŁ1,120 and in-calf heifers ÂŁ1,550.

 

Show judge was South Devon Herd Book Society president Mervyn Rowe, of Tregondale, Menheniot, Cornwall. Society chairman Mr Broome said: “We go nicely alongside beef Shorthorns at the Great Yorkshire Show and thought we would try the same format for our first show at Skipton, as we were keen to locate a sales centre for our clients in this part of the world.