JUST shy of 30 prime cattle were forward for Hexham and Northern Marts' annual Christmas show and sale at Hexham, judged this year by John Mellin and Clare Cropper, Skipton, who found their champion in a red Limousin cross steer from Philip Robson, Middle Horsleyhope, Waskerley.

A show winner at Northumberland County, earlier in the year, it went on to sell for £3 per per kg to the judges on behalf of C and G Croppers, Butchers, Accrington, Lancashire.

Reserve was a Limousin cross heifer from Messrs Rochester and Murray, Glebe Farm, Tow Law, that made 233.5p per kg selling to J Higginson, Castle Bank Butchers.

Outwith the show cattle, prime cattle sold to 236.5p for a Blue cross steer also from Glebe Farm, purchased by B and T Kitson Butchers, Northallerton.

Miss Gemma Common, Low Ardley, won the young farmers section with a Limousin cross heifer that again sold to Castle Bank Butchers at 237.5p.

Champion cast cow was a black female from JW Smith-Jackson, High Town, that went on to top the section at 167.5p per kg, selling to AS and SM Kemp and So, Co Durham.

Berwick-based Jamie Curle, Bowsden, selected the top animals in the prime sheep section and found his Christmas champion winners in a pen of five Beltex cross lambs from the Beveridge Family, Low West House, Tow Law. They passed the weighbridge at an average of 37kg and sold for £120 per head of 324.3p per kg to the judge, buying on behalf of Vivers ScotLamb, Annan.

The judge also bought his choice of reserve winner, a pen of five Dutch Texel lambs from WR Sparke and Son, Little Swinburne, at £94 per head or 235p per kg.

LEADING prices

Prime cattle – Steers – Lim – £1887 Middle Horsleyhope; £1528.23 Flotterton; £1431.50 Rising Sun; £1428.68, £1396.35, £1387.82 Claywalls. Per kg – 300p Middle Horsleyhope; 222.5p Rising Sun (x2); 221.5p, 217.5p Claywalls; 215.5p Claywalls, Rising Sun and Low Leam. Char – £1532.44, £1490.81, £1388.18, £1347.25 Flotterton. Per kg – 212.5p, 210.5p Flotterton; 208.5p Tone Hall. A-A – £1378.51 Flotterton; £1234.96, £1131.57, £1078.41, £1068.78 Manor Farm. Per kg – 209.5p Flotterton. BB – £1456.84 Glebe Farm; £1259.02. Rising Sun. Per kg – 236.5p Glebe Farm. Blonde – £1195.11, 220.5p, Low Leam.

Heifers – Limousin – £1490.41 High Town; £1349 Low Ardley; £1321.61 Glebe Farm; £1300.65 Steeley Farm. Per kg – 245.5p Lough Green; 237.5p Low Ardley; 233.5p Glebe Farm; 229.5p Steeley Farm. Char – £1352.72, £1218.25, £1090.12, £1005 Flotterton. Per kg – 228.5p, 221.5p, 201.5p, Flotterton. A-A – £1107.14, £1087.30 Barker House. Per kg – 208.5p, 207.5p Barker House. BB – £1503.50, 242.5p Low Leam. Blonde – £1388.63, £1383.08, 243.5p, 241.5p, Low Leam.

Prime lambs – Tex – £100 Quarry House; £91 Halton Red House; 223.1p St Oswalds; 221.1p, 212.8p Quarry House. Dut Tex – £94 Little Swinburne; £85.50 Low West House; 235p Little Swinburne; 206.6p St Oswalds. Suff X – £90 Low West House; £87.50 Black Hedley; 180p Old Town; 176.5p Low West House. Belt X – £120 Low West House; £89 Little Swinburne; 324.3p, 237.5p Low West House; 211.9p Little Swinburne. Chev X – £74, £68.50 Flotterton; £68 Bingfield Combe; 173.7p Flotterton; 170p Bingfield Combe. Mule – £78.80, £73 Quarry House; 165.9p, 164.2p Quarry House. BF – £73, £67 Sewingshields; 171.8p, 165.9p Sewingshields.