A BRITISH Blue cross steer from Whalton-based Cambo YFC member, James Grix, Hill Head Farm, was crowned overall champion at Hexham and Northern Marts' culmination of their annual Young Farmers Calf wintering competition.

The event, at Hexham Auction Mart, attracted 36 young farmers from Northumberland and County Durham, who had purchased calves in October and brought them through the winter to present to the judge, Miss Rachel Mudd, Kepwick, Thirsk.

The champion was purchased from Roly and Melanie Carr, Homilton Farm at the end of October, last year.

Reserve overall and best opposite sex was a Limousin cross heifer from Newton Rigg Agricultural College students. This was a smart blue and white mottled heifer from previous competition winner Mark Statton, a Tritlington YFC member from High Highlaws, Morpeth. Furthest travelled, it was purchased from The Cockburns from Kingside, Leadburn, Peebleshire.

Best turned out calf was a black heifer from Coquetdale YFC member, Grant Cummings.

Highest margin fell to local lad, James Mitchell, Thistlerigg, a Whitley Chapel YFC member, who bought a British Blue cross heifer at the Bellingham sale of suckled calves for £710, from Beamwham. This black heifer stood first in her class at the show and sold for £1210 to Les Bainbridge, Seamer, Stokesley, leaving a margin from purchase to re-sale of exactly £500.

In second place with a margin of £430 was last year’s winner, Mark Statton with his Limousin cross heifer. She went home with Willie Weatherson, Edges Green for the top price of £1600.

Third place fell to Alice Cheesebrough of Stamfordham Young Farmers who invested in a Blue cross heifer from Warksfieldhead which cost £845 and went on to sell Les Bainbridge, for £1210.

At the firm's weekly store cattle sale which included native breeds, a lead price of £1445 was achieved for a pen of four 27-month-old Charolais cross steers from JE Woodman and Son, Great Chesters, who sold 22 steers to average £1390.90.

Topping the heifer trade at £1265 was an Angus cross from E Metcalf, Fairley.