A show heifer with previous form, bagged the reserve championship and top price of £5000 at a two-day show and sale of store and suckled calves at Hexham and Northern Marts' annual event at Hexham.

The calf, a 13-month-old Limousin by the AI sire Waindale UFO, from John Smith-Jackson, High Town, Haltwhistle, was bought by Messrs Anderson, Leyburn – the same buyers who bought Mr Smith-Jackson's centre record breaker here last year at £5600. This classy calf which is out of a home-bred British Blue cross cow by Littlebank Frisky, was champion at the Borderway Babes Show at Carlisle in December.

The entry of 35 potential show calves, was judged by Tim Bodily of Abergavenny, who found his champion in a black bullock from Messrs Rochester and Murray, Glebe Farm, Butsfield, Co Durham. Bred and brought out by three generations of the Murray family to include father Ashley, son John and grand-daughter Hannah, along with stockman Thomas Wilson, their champion is by the Limousin sire, Trueman Idol and out of a shapely British Blue cross-bred mother which had previously bred a show calf. The bullock sold for £2300 to Messrs Kitson, Yarm.

The reserve female champion, a black British Blue cross heifer from Messrs Lee, Harwoodshield, made £2800 selling to Messrs Dickinson, Derbyshire. Harwoodshield sold 12 steers and six heifers to average £1263.

Outwith the show cattle, prices peaked at £1275 for a 23-month-old Limousin cross steer from Messrs Thompson, Duddo Hill, Morpeth.

Leading prices;

Cattle 23-30months – Steers – Lim X – £1275 Duddo Hill; £1240, £1230 Lunns House; £1200 West Wharmley. A-A X – £1020, £1000 East Kildarroch.

Heifers – Lim X – £1200, £1190, £1180, £1170 West Grange; £1160 High House. Blonde X – £990 Ashbourne. BB X – £1000 High Warden. Sim X– £1070 Burnhill. A-A – £1170, £1000 Warden Law.

Cattle – 17-22months – Steers – Char X – £1105 Kildarroch. Lim X – £1210 Duddo Hill and Silloans; £1205 East Matfen; £1200 Lunns House. BB X – £1165, £1155, £1125, £1110 High Farm. A-A X – £1170 High Farm; £1100, £1020 Kildarroch. A-A X – £1170 High Farm; £1100, £1020 Kildarroch. Sals X – £1120 Duddo Hill. BF – £990 Snows Green.

Heifers – Lim X – £1200 Silloans; £1190 Dykehead; £1180 High House; £1150 West Grange; £1135 High House. BB X – £1020, £945 High Warden. Sim X – £1050, £950 Burnhill

Cattle 11-16months – Steers – Char X – £1080, £1075 East Wharmley; £1070 Wheat Hall and East Wharmley; £1060 Errington Red House. Lim X – £2300, £1600, £1380 Glebe Farm; £1260 High Highlaws; £1250 Quarry House; £1210 Lovelady Shield. BB X – £1380 Glebe Farm; £1170 East Unthank; £1100 Morley Hill; £1020 Kingside. Sim X – £1065 High Trewhitt; £1025 Wheat Hall; £995 East Wharmley, A-A X – £1030 Brackenthwaite.

Heifers – Lim X – £5000 High Town; £1250 Quarry House and Agars Hill; £1150 Quarry House. Blonde X – £970 Twizell Hall. BB X – £1195 Ashbourne; £1090 Kingside; £1085 Hard Riding; £1060 Harwood Shield; £1000 Kingside.

Cattle 10months and under – Steers – Char X – £1040 Errington Red House; £1030 Wheat Hall; £965, £955 Errington Red House. Lim X – £1550 Agars Hill; £1240 High Highlaws; £1135, £1120, £1110 Harwood Shield; £1105 East Unthank; £1100, Agars Hill. BB X – £1240, £1160 High Highlaws; £1120 Harwood Shield; £1100 Morley Hill; £1060 Ricknall Grange; £1040 East Unthank and Morley Hill. Sim X – £1090 Morley Hill; £1045 Wheat Hall; £1000 Wheat Hall and Morley Hill.

Heifers – £1650, £1500 Harwood Shield; £1055 Ricknall Grange; £1050 Whiteside; £1030 Morley Hill; £1020, £1005 Harlow Bower. BB X – £2800, £1600 Harwood Shield. Sim X – £940, Morley Hill.