Brontemoor Limousins take Supreme Championship at Skipton Pedigree Event
Noted West Yorkshire Limousin breeder Steven Priestley added to his trophy cabinet yet again when presenting the Supreme Champion at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual show and sale of pedigree Limousin breeding cattle held in conjunction with the Northern Limousin Extravaganza on Wednesday May 13th 2009.
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| Steven Priestley prepares his 2009 Skipton pedigree Limousin champion for the show ring. The eventual champion is pictured left. |
Steven trades as JM & SM Priestley and runs the Brontemoor herd from Hill Top Farm, Denholme, Bradford, stepped up on his Reserve Championship success at last year’s popular Skipton fixture by sending out the 2009 victor, shown by 19-year-old son Richard. The August 2007 born pedigree bull, Brontemoor Carmen, is a product of Procters Subaru, bred locally by Procters Farms in Slaidburn, until being bought and successfully used as a sire by the Priestleys for nine years, having produced bulls to 12,000 guineas. He was sold on just a fortnight before the show to farmer J M Mackley, of Folkton, Scarborough, for further pedigree breeding.
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| The 2009 Skipton pedigree Limousin champion is pictured with, from left, exhibitor Richard Priestley, judge David Hill and sponsors’ representatives Ben Walton and James Porritt. |
Out of the home-bred dam, Brontemoor Uhu, the victor sold for the show’s top price of 4,200gns to brothers David and Richard Sandham who run Bradford Waste Traders in Yeadon. They also own Townend Farm in nearby Calton where they use Limousin bulls on their British Blue cows to produce premium quality suckler calves. Their new acquisition will be used for just such a purpose.
The Priestleys were also responsible for the first prize winner in the class for pedigree bulls born in the latter part of 2007. Brontemoor Custer, a son of Sultan out of the home-bred Brontemoor Rolypoly, secured the day’s second highest price of 3,300gns when acquired by David Preston, Sannat Hall, Stainforth. A third Priestley bull, Brontemoor Costin, another product of Sultan, made 2,750gns.
The Rocky son, Laverock Bracken, from Billy Richardson, of W Richardson & Sons of Laverock Bridge, Cumbria, was another high achiever when sold for 2,800gns to Neville Raine of Coach and Horses, Bowes Moor, Barnard Castle.
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| John Mason with his 2009 Skipton pedigree Limousin reserve champion. |
Local breeders John and Claire Mason, Oddacres Farm, Embsay, had a successful day, presenting the Reserve Champion Bull, Oddacres Cavalier, an April, 2007-born son of the noted French sire Titan. The runner-up was knocked down for 2,450gns to A & RA Middleton, Cowan Bridge. The Masons also sold two other pedigree bulls at 2,600gns and 2,300gns, along with a pedigree female at 2,000gns. The couple also took first and second prizes in the cow with calf class and first in the class for maiden heifers with the Victor Ben daughter, Oddacres Cusive, sold for 1,750gns.
Best of the yearlings came from James and Sarah Cooper, Dacre, Harrogate. Skipton’s 2008 pedigree Limousin Champion Paul Fletcher, whose Siddall herd is based at Top O’Th Hill Farm, Birch, Heywood, sold a bull for 2,500gns, also sending out the first prize winner in one of the classes for 2007-born bulls.
A total of 36 pedigree Limousins participated. Senior bulls averaged £2,554, with junior bulls selling to 2,500gns (ave £1,715), maiden heifers to 1,750gns (£1,234), pedigree cows with heifer calves to 2,000gns (£1,877) and pedigree cows with bull calves to 1,700gns.
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| Awaiting the judge’s verdict in one of the 2009 Skipton pedigree Limousin classes. |
Show judge was well-known Limousin breeder David Hill, who Raysonhall pedigree herd is based at Great Asby, Appleby. Sponsors were Pfizer Animal Health, represented by territory manager James Porritt, and Farmers Mart Magazine, represented by sales manager Ben Walton. The show formed part of Skipton’s annual “Red Pedigree Event” and was followed later in the day by the Northern Limousin Extravaganza – the opening two fixtures in the mart’s prestigious 2009 pedigree beef season.
Millington Grange youngster tops at Northern Limousin Extravaganza
A 14-month-old pedigree Limousin heifer from Millington Grange Estate, Millington, York, was top of a quality crop of youngsters at the 2009 Northern Limousin Extravaganza staged at Skipton Auction Mart on Wednesday May 13th 2009.
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| Millington Davina, the 2009 Northern Limousin Extravaganza supreme champion, with handler Mark Phillips, show manager for Millington Grange Estate, and judge Mac Murphy. |
First chosen as Female Champion by judge Mr Mac Murphy of S Ireland, Millington Davina, a daughter of Mas du Clo, went on to take the Supreme Championship to register another high profile success for the noted Millington herd. Millington Davina is full sister to Millington Choice, Junior breed & Interbreed Champion at the 2008 Great Yorkshire Show who went on to sell for the top price of 10,000 guineas at the Red Ladies Sale in November 2008. The Millington herd also won the pairs class with Millington Davina teaming up with Millington Dazzler, both sired by Mas du Clo.
Organised jointly by Craven Cattle Marts and the North East Limousin Breeders’ Club, the Northern Limousin Extravaganza provided an opportunity for breeders to exhibit 2008-born juvenile Limousins in a safe and secure environment, with most entering the show ring for the first time.
“It’s a perfect opportunity for both young cattle and breeders new to the exhibition arena to gain valuable experience. We saw several new faces this year, which augurs well for the future of the event,” said the organisers. Over 40 up-and-coming Limousins competed for a total prize fund of over £2,000.
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| Ruth Stevenson with her 2009 Northern Limousin Extravaganza commercial champion and reserve supreme champion, joined by judge Mac Murphy. |
The Reserve Supreme Champion was the first prize Limousin-sired heifer and Commercial Champion from Ruth Stevenson of Howgill Foot Farm, Kaber, Kirkby Stephen. Born last September, Skididdledaddle is a son of Gunnerfleet Volvo, out of a British Blue-x-Limousin cow.
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| Christine Thompson with her 2009 Northern Limousin Extravaganza pedigree bull champion, joined by judge Mac Murphy. |
Christine Thompson of Reagarth Farm, Helmsley, was responsible for the Pedigree Bull Champion, the January 2008-born Reagarth Dom, by Rombalds Rapier. The sire was bred locally in Sutton on the Forest by Geoff Rowson, later joining Paul Byas at Middledale, Driffield, before being acquired by Christine to act as her stock bull.
The Reserve Champion Bull, the April 2008-born Tomschoice Dacre, came from James and Sarah Cooper of Tomschoice Limousins, Dacre, Harrogate and is a product of Brontemoor Aceofspades from noted Limousin breeder Steven Priestley, Hill Top Farm, Denholme, Bradford.
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| Ian Townson with the 2009 Northern Limousin Extravaganza reserve commercial champion. |
Steven himself landed the Reserve Pedigree and Reserve Female Championship with his April born heifer, Brontemoor Damson, by Procters Subaru, the same sire that landed Supreme Championship honours for the Priestleys earlier in the day at Skipton’s annual show and sale of pedigree Limousin breeding cattle. Reserve Commercial Champion was the first prize Limousin-sired bullock, Big Dave, from Ian Townson of Lower Thorneyholme, Dunsop Bridge. The sire is Broomfield Regency.
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| 2009 Northern Limousin Extravaganza judge Mac Murphy, third from right, takes stock in one of the show classes. |
Class sponsors were Ripon Select Foods, Zintec Feed Supplements, Ripon Farm Services, the National Beef Association, David H. Cox & Son, and the British Limousin Cattle Society. Further sponsorship was provided by Bishopton Veterinary Group, Carrs Billington, Elite Beef Semen, Hacs Construction, I’Anson Bros, LEBC Group, North East Limousin Breeders’ Club, Redcliffe Computers, Tomschoice Limousins, Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Yorkshire Post Newspapers, Pfizer Animal Health, Natural Stockcare and Intervet/Schering Plough.
Results
Class 1A Pedigree Heifer
1 Millington Davina
2 Tomschoice Amulet
3 Millington Dazzling
Class 1B Pedigree Heifer
1 Brontemoor Damson
2 Tomschoice Desire
3 Oddacres Dazzler
Class 2A Pedigree Bull
1 Reagarth Dom
2 Gallaber Dazzler
3 Siddall Drew
Class 2B Pedigree Bull
1 Tomschoice Dacre
2 Brontemoor Dallaglio
3 Carlospride Delboy
Class 3 Pair of Pedigree Animals
1 Millington
2 Tomschoice
3 Hollingreave
Class 4 Commercial Heifers
1 R Stevenson Skididdledaddle
2 E Hird Eclipse
3 AJ Mason Dazzler
Class 5 Commercial Steer
1 I Townson Big Dave
2 E Hird Jimper
3 T&H Slowen Bouncer
Pedigree Female Champion
Millington Davina
Reserve
Brontemoor Damson
Pedigree Male Champion
Reagarth Dom
Reserve
Tomschoice Dacre
Pedigree Champion
Millington Davina
Reserve
Brontemoor Damson
Commercial Champion
R Stevenson Skididdledaddle
Reserve
I Townson Big Dave
Show Champion
Millington Davina
Reserve
R Stevenson Skididdledaddle
