CCM South Devon Harrison Female Supreme Champion Brafferton Juniper 10 and Judge
A day’s high of 2,050gns was achieved at the South Devon Herd Book Society’s third annual show and sale at Skipton Auction Mart. (Wed, Nov 5)
It fell to AI Galtres Homer Daisy 14, a June, 2012-born heifer from North Yorkshire breeder, Ms Alex Welch, who trades as JB Allison & Sons at Huby Grange, near York. By Edmeston Homer 1, out of the home-bred Galtres Winston Daisy 9, the top price achiever, a first calving heifer scanned in calf to the Cogent bull Hawkley SAS Javelin, joined CM Dean in Queensbury for 2,050gns.
Daisy was the third prize winner in her under three years non-halter broken heifer class, in which Ms Welch also scooped first and second prizes with two home-bred heifers, one by Welland Valley Warrior and one by Edmeston Homer 1.
The red rosette winner sold for 2,000gns to BB&K Hope, of Thirsk, with the runner-up making 1,400gns on joining EC Cockburn Crow Edge, Sheffield. The same vendor also stepped up with the first prize non-halter broken crossbred heifer under two years, which sold for 1,600gns to LJ Riley, of Longwood, Huddersfield.
The 2013 Skipton reserve champions, Northumberland husband and wife Robert and Sally Lee, who run the Lumbylaw herd at the farm of the same name in Edlingham, near Alnwick, again enjoyed good support for what was their second foray to the breed highlight.
Among them was the second prize halter-broken heifer under three years, Lumbylaw Snowdrop 145, a well-bred daughter of Lumbylaw Galahad 18 sold in-calf to Lumbylaw Halcyon 8. The buyers at 2,000gns were J W & C A Turner, of Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire.
The 2012 South Devon National Herd Competition winners followed up with a one-two in the halter-broken under two years show class with a brace of April, 2013-born, maiden heifers. The red rosette winner was Lumbylaw Snowdrop 151, by Z Sexton General 23, and the runner-up, Lumbylaw Avril 133, by their own Lumbylaw Halcyon 8. They sold for 1,250gns and 1,200 gns respectively to the same buyer TJ Carr, of Saltburn in North Yorkshire.
In an additional class for non-halter led heifers under two years, there was a clean sweep of the prizes for the Arncliffe Farms pedigree herd of Sir John Bell at Ingleby Cross, Northallerton. The first prize winner, Arncliffe Venn Amethyst 10 13, by Arncliffe Galileo, also joined EC Cockburn for 1,550gns, as did the third prize Arncliffe Daffodilby the same sire, for 1,600gns.
However, it was the runner-up, the Z Arncliffe Gairloch daughter Arncliffe Kisi, which performed best on price when selling for 1,700gns to R Pattison, of Brompton, Northallerton.
The leading honours fell to breed stalwarts and 2013 Skipton champions, Paul and Pam Harrison, who run the Brafferton herd in Tollerton, York, and this year stepped up with a notable championship and reserve championship double.
The title winner was their first prize halter-broken heifer under three years and female champion, Brafferton Juniper 10, by the home-bred and top performing Brafferton Hadrian, 1, out of Brafferton Juniper 8, one of the oldest bloodlines in the herd. Already a multiple championship winner this year, the Skipton victor returned home.
So too did the Harrisons’ reserve supreme champion, their first prize bull, the January, 2013-born Brafferton Trooper of 2013, home-bred by Trooper 15, described as one of their best breeding bulls and also out of the productive Juniper 8. The Harrisons have kept South Devons since the early 1970s and think they could well have been the first breeders in Yorkshire.
The breed highlight - in-calf heifers averaged £1,863 and maiden heifers £1,295 - was again staged alongside the preceding annual Beef Shorthorn sale and both saw good trade for females. The South Devon fixture continues to raise interest amongst commercial suckler breeders looking for low input, easily managed cattle, backed up by high growth rates.
This year’s show judge was breed president Robert Shinner, who runs the Stretchford pedigree herd in Buckfastleigh, Devon - the oldest in the UK since first being established way back in 1891.
He said: “The two principals stood out as very good representatives of the breed and are a great credit to their breeders, who really fly the South Devon flag in this part of the country. It has been a really good year for us and I am extremely proud to be president of the society and to see so many good South Devon cattle winning so many important prizes.”
CCM South Devon Harrison Male Reserve Champion Brafferton Trooper of 2013
Pictures by Adrian Legge Photography