An increased entry on the year of 1022 store cattle were forward at Hexham and Northern marts' which included a special prize show and sale of Limousin cross-bred sucklers.

The group awards were dominated by father and son duo, Richard and Chris Thornton, Cornhills, Kirkwhelpington, who took first prize in both the steer and heifer classes with the male offering going on to take the champion pen of four. The quartet were a pen of red steers at fourteen-months.

The sole Scottish bred animal took the overall champion, this was the 11-month-old bullock from Tom and Blair Cockburn, Kingside, Leadburn, Peebleshire, which was presented by Allan Jackson. The bullock is out of a Simmental cross Blue mother and took the top price of the day at £1280 selling to the judges Roger and Robert Nicholson, Cannon Hall, Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

Reserve champion was the first prize heifer from Messrs Lee, Agars Hill, Whitfield, which later realised £1140 purchased by Walter Dandie, Learielaw.

Outwith the show cattle bullocks peaked at £1170 from Cornhills and heifers topped at £1160 from Messrs Lee, Agars Hill.

LEADING awards

Pen of Limousin cross steers – 1, Cornhills; 2, Cornhills.

Pen of Limousin cross heifers – 1, Cornhills.

Single Limousin cross steer – 1, Kingside; 2, Lands Farm; 3, Ricknall Grange.

Single Limousin cross heifer – 1, Agars Hill; 2, Agars Hill; 3, Lands Farm

LEADING prices

Cattle 23-30months – Steers – Lim X – £1050, £1025, £900 Dovecote. Char X – £1025 Broomfield.

Cattle 17-22months – Steers – Lim X – £1170 Cornhills; £1160 Low Ardley; £1155 (x2) Cornhills; £1150 Stone Stile; £1130 Steel Hall, Highwood and Cornhills; £1115 Little Swinburne and Highwood; £1100 (x2) Cornhills; £1095 Old Deanham; £1090 Blackburn, Highwood, Cornhills and Low Ardley; £1085 Featherwood; £1080 Little Swinburne and Highwood; £1075 Steel Hall and Cornhills; £1070 (x2) Highwood; £1065 Halton Red House; £1060 Highwood and Agars Hill; £1055 Highwood; £1050 Highwood and Cornhills; £1045 Highwood. BBX – £1080 Old Deanham. A-A X – £1070, £1015, £1000 Highwood; £3950 Barrasford Green. Heifers – Lim X –£1150 Old Deanham; £1140 Agars Hill; £1130 Low Middleton; £1120 Old Deanham and Cornhills; £1110 Low Ardley; £1100, £1095 Lunns House; £1090 Kirkhouse and Cornhills; £1085 The Granary; £1070 Cornhills; £1060 Wingates South; £1055 The Granary; £1050 Cornhills and Rawfoot; £1045 Greenshields, Low Middleton and Cornhills; £1040 Lunns House; £1035 Lunns House and Wingates South; £1030 Kirkhouse; £1020 Old Deanham; £1015 Rawfoot; £1010 Kirkhouse; £1000 Old Deanham; £990 Old Deanham and Kirkhouse; £980 Low Ardley; £975 Lands Farm; £960 China Hall; £955 Cornhills and Stone Stile; £950 Ricknall Grange; £945 Well House; £935 Wingates South; £930 Stone Stile; £925 Wingates South and Low Middleton; £920 Cornhills; £900 Woodhead. BBX – £1055, £945, £935 Old Deanham. A-A – £940 Hedley West.

Cattle 11-16months – Steers – Lim X – £1280 Kingside, £1140 & £1130 Lands Farm, £1125 Low Ardley & West Biggens (x2), £1110 Lands Farm, £1090 Low Ardley, £1085 Lands Farm & Low Ardley (x2), £1080 Cornhills, £1070 Little Swinburne, Low Ardley & Burntongues, £1055 Lands Farm & Agars Hill, £1050 Low Middleton & Low Ardley, £1045 Agars Hill, £1040 Low Ardley, £1030 (x2) Little Swinburne and Lands Farm. Char X – £920 China Hall. BBX – £950 Rawfoot; £945 Kingside; £930 Rawfoot; £925 Kingside; £920 Middle Horsleyhope. Sim – £900 Rogerley Hall. A-A – £1040 Kirkley Hall. Heifers – Lim X £1160 Agars Hill; £1150 Middle Horsleyhope; £1130 Cornhills; £1100 Cornhills and Lands Farm; £1095 Cornhills; £1065 Low Middleton; £1040 Agars Hill; £1035 Burntongues; £1030 Lands Farm, West Biggens and Low Ardley; £1025 Low Ardley; £1020 Lands Farm and Burntongues; £1010 Lands Farm and Rogerley Hall; £1005 Brandon Hall; £1000 Burntongues and Reavley; £995 Low Ardley and Brandon Hall; £990 Low Ardley. BBX – £1065 Rawfoot; £910 Middle Horsleyhope. A-A – £905 Barrasford Green; £895 Kirkley Hall

Cattle 10 months and under – Steers – Lim X – £1040, £1030 Ricknall Grange; £930 Haggate; £870 Woodhead; £860 Agars Hill. Heifers – Lim X – £800 Haggate.