CENTRE records were smashed at Leyburn Auction Mart's Spring Spectacular show and sale of calves last weekend, when a Limousin cross heifer from Garrowby Farms sold for £8000.

Surpassing the previous best of £7300 achieved in 2014 was the pre-sale champion, a 10-month-old heifer from the 150-suckler cow herd near York, which Clive Rowland manages alongside a 15-cow pedigree Limousin herd.

On just her first outing, she is by Gunnerfleet Hicks, a stock bull bought privately and which bred the reserve champion here in 2016 and the 22,000gns Gunnerfleet Lion at Carlisle, last year. Out of a Glenrock Ventura-sired home-bred cow, she sold north to Kinlochbervie with the judge, Donald Morrison, Cairn Nulla, Burnside.

The next top disclosed price at £3100 was the champion British Blue heifer from John Smith-Jackson of High Town, Haltwhistle, which sold to the Wilkinson and Marwood families, Leyburn, who purchased Mr Jackson's sale leader at £5400, last year.

Next best for Mr Jackson at £2400 was the reserve champion heifer, a Limousin cross purchased by RD Anderson, Middleham, while Jennifer Hyslop, Balluskie, Ayrshire, paid £2200 for another Limousin cross, this time Mr Jackson's reserve champion bullock. 

Julie Sedgwick from Aycliffe, Co Durham, then went to £2000 for the overall reserve champion and champion British Blue bullock from High Town.

The baby beef class was won by James Bailey of Bedale with a five-month-old British Blonde heifer which sold for £2050 to Mellin and Cropper, Accrington.

Overall averages saw heifers cash in at £1827 (-£245 on the year) and bullocks at £1383 (-£149).

Auctioneers: Leyburn Auction Mart