The North Craven-based Gallaber pedigree herd of the Sedgwick farming family achieved top price honours for the second consecutive year at Skipton Auction Mart’s premier ‘Craven Limousin Day,’ the annual Spring show and sale of pedigree bulls and females. (Wed, May 9)
Tommy and Jennifer Sedgwick and their son Ian, of Gallaber Farm, Burton-in-Lonsdale, saw their second prize senior bull Gallaber Freddie knocked down for a show-topping 4,800 guineas (£5,040) to brothers David and Martin Wilson, of Crimple Head Farm, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate.
It was yet another high profile success for the Sedgwicks, who established their pedigree Limousin herd in 1987. Their latest Skipton top price, a two-year-old son of Melbreak Charriot, out of the Ronick Parachute-sired Gallaber Umist, is also a half brother to the family’s Rocky-bred Gallaber Empire, who headed the prices at 5,000gns (£5,250) at last year’s corresponding Limousin fixture. The same dam also produced another recent Skipton Limousin supreme champion, Gallaber Blocky.
The Wilsons said their new acquisition would be put to good use on Limousin-cross cows in their commercial suckler herd, with some of Freddie’s future progeny likely to return to the Skipton sale ring.
It proved to be one of the best shows of cattle seen at the Craven Limousin Day since the event first began. Supreme champion was the first prize intermediate bull and male champion from the Copperhurst herd of Red Rose pedigree breeder Andrew Howarth, based at Hurst Farm, Whitefield, near Bury. Copperhurst Fuller is an August, 2010, son of the Genus bull Chytodden Conan, out of the Ronick Hawk daughter Greavepark Vester, bred by Harold Isherwood in Bacup.
Making only his second appearance at the Limousin highlight, Mr Howarth, whose current Limousin holding comprises almost 40 cows, heifers and calves, described his success as “fantastic.” His title winner sold for 3,400gns (£3,570) to AR and J Alsop & Sons, of Dacre, Harrogate.
The reserve supreme championship fell to one of the junior bull class winners and reserve male champion, the 15-month-old Tomschoice Galahad from the prolific North Yorkshire pedigree herd of James and Sarah Cooper at Dacre, Harrogate.
A son of Sympa, out of the Ronick Member daughter Tomschoice Diva, the herd’s top breeding line on the dam’s side – two of Diva’s brothers, Tomschoice Tom and Tomschoice Usurper, had previously sold for 9,500gns and 7,000gns respectively – the 2012 runner-up joined RC Robinson & Partners, of Newton Kyme, Selby, for 3,200gns (£3,360).The Coopers were winning their second reserve supreme championship in as many days, achieved by another quality Tomschoice youngster at the previous day’s annual Northern Limousin Extravaganza.
NLE judge Stephen Illingworth, who runs the Glenrock pedigree Limousin herd at Eaglesfield, Lockerbie, returned to adjudicate again at the highlight of CCM Skipton’s annual two-day Limousin showpiece, staged in conjunction with the North East Limousin Breeders Club.
He noted: “There were some good strong bulls in the show. The champion stood out as a hard muscled bull, very correct and ready to go straight into the field, where he will do a very good job. The reserve is younger, but showed real sweetness and style.”
Mr Illingworth’s observations were reflected at the ringside, which attracted a strong contingent of buyers seeking bulls ready for work.
The first prize senior bull, Coach House Fairfax, an April, 2010, son of Coach House Amos, out of the Haltcliffe Hercules cow Coach House Aylla – both the sire and dam have bred bulls to 6,500gns and 6,000gns respectively – was presented by Nottinghamshire breeders Barry and Gill Heald, of Home Farm, Grove, Retford.
The Healds, who were also responsible for the 2011 Skipton reserve male and overall reserve supreme champion, sold their latest offering locally for 4,500gns (£4,725) to Mark Throup, of Malham.
This price was matched by the second prize intermediate bull, Boldventure Frederick, from W&A Holden, of Higher Bold Venture Farm, Oswaldtwistle, Accrington. The well-bred son of the 10,000gns world record sire Haltcliffe Vermount, out of the consistent Ronick Hawk daughter Tophill Ursula, joined A Kaye & Son, of Dunford Bridge in the Peak District.
Local exhibitors John and Claire Mason, who run the Oddacres herd at Embsay, came forward with the second prize junior bull, the 14-month-old Oddacres Grizzly, by the herd’s stock bull Homebyres Dixon, acquired for 10,500gns in 2009 and winner of the stock bull and progeny class in the North East Limousin Breeders Club’s 2011 herd competition.
Grizzly’s dam is Oddacres Dazzler, whose breeding lines stretch back to the renowned Champerval herd in France. With great potential for the future, he found a new home in Calderdale with regular Skipton buyers D & S Hollings, of Pecket Well, Hebden Bridge, for 3,100gns (£3,225).
The Oddacres herd, whose annual production sale is fast becoming an established highlight in the breed calendar, was this year represented by four bulls, six heifers and two cows with calves at foot.
The Masons dominated the female section, landing both championship and reserve honours with top-class youngsters both among the first crop of calves by Homebryes Dixon.
Top call at 3,100gns (£3,225) fell to their first prize senior maiden heifer and female champion, Oddacres Figurine, the first calf of Oddacres Dot, a daughter of Usant, who was full brother to the legendary French bull Nenuphar. The buyer was Bill Cowperthwaite, of Malham Moor.
The Masons’ first prize junior maiden heifer and reserve female champion, Oddacres Golden, out of the Plaisant daughter Uracile, sold for 1,700gns (£1,785) to RH & C Ayrton, of Abbeystead in the Forest of Bowland.
Senior bulls averaged £3,948, intermediate bulls £3,315 and junior bulls £2,746, an overall average of £3,091. Averages in the female section were senior maiden heifers £1,899, junior maiden heifers £1,317, in-calf heifers £1,85, and heifers with bull calves £2,573. Cows with bull calves sold to 1,850gns and cows with heifer calves to 2,800gns. Full results, prices and averages are at www.ccmauctions.com
