The Meonside herd of Dumfriesshire’s Tom Bradley Farmer claimed the top price of 6000gns with their prize-winning heifer at the North of England Beef Shorthorn Club’s 10th annual show and sale at Skipton Auction Mart.

Based at Wester Parkgate Farm, Parkgate, the Bradley Farmer led the way with a third prize intermediate junior heifer, Meonside Hyacinth Misty, a March, 2018-born by Elliot Salute, bred by John Elliot, Kelso and out of Meonside Hyacinth, one of the herd’s best breeding cows.

The heifer, a second prize winner at the Royal Highland Show and placed fourth at the National Shorthorn Show, found a new home on Ireland’s west coast with Tom Staunton, Caramba, Kinvara, Co. Galway.

The Meonside herd also stood overall reserve champion with their junior heifer, Meonside Lily May, another January 2018 born, daughter of Elliot Salute. The red rosette winner, a third prize winner at the RHS and breed champion at Dumfries, is out of Meonside Lily Jay, one of the herd’s best female lines, made 3200gns when joining Upper Swaledale hill farmers, Ravenseat’s Clive and Amanda Owen.

Stuart and Gail Currie, Beautry, Rathmell, Settle, stood both champion and reserve at last year’s sale, were right on the mark again when landing a second consecutive championship with their first prize April 2018, Beautry Tessa Melody. She is a daughter of Poyntington Himself, an 8000gns purchase, out of Beautry Tessa Flute. Beautry Tessa Melody took first prize junior heifer at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show. She sold for second top call of 4500gns to Gates Farming Partnership, Cold Overton, Oakham, Leicestershire.

The Curries also achieved a 4200gns bid for the March 2018 born heifer, Beautry Dewdrop Morgana. Another Poyntington Himself daughter, bred from the Excellent 93 4000gns Shawhill Dewdrop Fairlady found a new home in Scotland with Fintry’s R Taylor and Sons.

The third highest price of 3700gns fell to a second prize junior heifer from the Rt Hon Gerald Turton’s Upsall herd, The Grange, near Thirsk, and found a new home north of the border when joining Ayrshire’s W and J Mair.

The April 2018 born heifer, Ury Maid X1321 of Upsall is out of Ury Maid X328, and by Dingo of Upsall, the heifer was scanned in-calf to Lucca of Upsall.

The Upsall herd was also responsible for a third prize junior heifer, the February, 2018, Grenadier of Upsall daughter, Jilt X1297 of Upsall. She, too, was scanned in-calf to Lucca of Upsall and sold for 2400gns to M and J Mair of Cummock in East Ayrshire.

The final junior heifer show class for youngsters produced a first and second prize double for a brace of maidens from Scottish father and son, John and Matthew Thomson, who trade as Thomson, Roddick and Laurie, Shawhill, Newlands, Eaglescliffe, Lockerbie.

Sailing to the red rosette was Shawhill Mayflower, a May 2018 heifer, a daughter of Burnside Elite, a Northern Ireland-bred bull purchased for 8500gns. The dam, Fieldhouse Charmaine Flo 21, was bred by Willis Graham, Masham, North Yorkshire.

She sold for 3000gns to Clitheroe’s Lister Brown.

Stuart and Sue Hardcastle, who run the Marrgrange herd, Oxmardyke, Brough, East Yorkshire, sold their best the June 2018 bull, Marrgrange Marquis. He is a Chapeltown Clansman son and sold for 2300gns to Bingley’s Keith Downs.