Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held their annual Junior Farmers Club Show and Sale of Overwintered Cattle in conjunction with a normal weekly sale of Cast Cattle, Store and Breeding Stock on Monday 18th April 2022. Forward were 361 Cattle and 87 Sheep.
3 Cows & Calves sold to £2200
67 Young Bulls sold to £1460
74 Store Steers sold to £1540
154 Store Heifers sold to £2600
57 Cast Cows & OTM sold to 246ppk or £2043
3 Stock Bulls sold to 184ppk or £1470
21 Ewes & Lambs sold to £198
31 Feeding Sheep sold to £118
Cattle Show (Sunday) – For the first time this year the overwintering show was held on the Sunday afternoon, the change to proceedings proved to be a great success and very well supported by vendors, onlookers and indeed the wider public. Thanks go to our sponsors Dot’s Café, Carrs Billington and Brockhills of Yorkshire without whom the generous prize fund would not be available for our budding junior farmers. Having bought their cattle in the Autumn of last year this Easter weekend saw our young entrepreneurs return before our judge for the afternoon Mr. Mark Statton of Messrs Renton Highlaws, Morpeth; an expert within the industry whose time and expertise were most valuable and very much appreciated.
The Champion beast came from 14-year-old Charlie Askwith of Middle Mown Meadows, Crook with a sensational 15-month-old red roan Limousin heifer; under the expert guidance of older brother Harry with two further generations of the family watching on proudly the super sort was brought out to absolute perfection as she deservedly scooped not only the Championship but also the much-coveted showmanship prize. Congratulations at this point must also go to Matthew Lawson of Buddle House, Whashton who bred the heifer and sold her at our ‘Special Backend’ suckled calf show back in November.
Another lovely Limousin heifer took the Reserve Championship and further fantastic presentation and dedication was certainly apparent from 11-year-old Lily Williamson, Littleburn Farm, Hamsterley as the standard from our youngsters reached new heights. The astute purchase by Lily was made at our ‘Great Annual October’ suckled calf show and hailed from Chop Gate based Stuart Beeforth, High Crookleith.
Below are the full show results, congratulations must go to each and every exhibitor as the next generation put on a wonderful display, the future of Darlington Mart looks to be in extremely safe hands.
Class 1 – Steer (vendor 8-15 years)
1st Francesca Stobbs, Killerby Farm (originally purchased from P Dent, Moory Lea)
2nd Matthew Collin, Intake Farm (originally purchased from K O Stones, Nun Cote Nook)
Class 2 – Heifer (vendor 8-11 years)
1st Lily Williamson, Littleburn Farm (originally purchased from S Beeforth, Crookleith)
2nd John Carter, Hinedon Cottage (originally purchased from N Swinbank, Cold Comfort)
3rd Abigail Dent, Moory Lea (originally purchased from P Tindale, Paradise)
4th Jack Sewell, Knavesmire (originally purchased from A Wilson, Calf Close)
Class 3 – Heifer (vendor 12-15 years)
1st Charlie Askwith, Low Mown Meadows (originally purchased from B R Lawson, Buddle House)
2nd Harry Willey, Broomfield (originally purchased from Northfield Farms, South Thornberry)
3rd Sarah Willey, Broomfield (originally purchased from N Swinbank, Cold Comfort)
4th Matthew Collin, Intake Farm (originally purchased from T Smith, Thorsgill Farm)
Class 4 – Steer (vendor 16-29 years)
1st Oliver Dennis, Brook House (originally purchased from D L Brown, South View)
2nd Elliot Grieves, Oakdene (originally purchased from G Corner, Rye Close)
Class 5 – Heifer (vendor 16-21 years)
1st Elliot Grieves, Oakdene (originally purchased from C Walton, Barnard Castle)
2nd Harry Askwith, Low Mown Meadows (originally purchased from K O Stones, Nun Cote Nook)
3rd Abi Hill, Knavesmire (originally purchased from East Newbiggin Farms)
4th Abi Hill, Knavesmire (originally purchased from S Anderson, Dalton Grange)
Class 6 – Heifer (vendor 22-29 years)
1st Daniel Lynn, Northway (originally purchased from K O Stones, Nun Cote Nook)
2nd Rebecca Wilson, Throstlenest (originally purchased from A Newton, Gibbet Hills)
3rd Alex Wilson, Heugh Farm (originally purchased from D L Brown, South View)
4th Jonathan Fletcher, Edder Acres (originally purchased from B Watson, Baal Hill)
Showmanship & Presentation
1st Charlie Askwith, Low Mown Meadows
2nd Matthew Collin, Intake Farm
3rd Francesca Stobbs, Killerby Farm
Champion
Charlie Askwith, Low Mown Meadows (originally purchased from B R Lawson, Buddle House)
Reserve Champion
Lily Williamson, Littleburn Farm (originally purchased from S Beeforth, Crookleith)
Sale of Overwintered Cattle (Monday) – The business end of proceedings went very well for our next generation as the profit seeking youngsters came to sell their cattle; credit to them all as they returned some great results throughout, one or two of the higher echelon gaining absolutely breath-taking profits along the way. Thanks to all buyers and underbidders who ensured that these excellent young people were duly rewarded for their hard work and dedication.
The top profit maker on the day was our Champion from Charlie Askwith as she attracted interest from far and wide with her obvious cow making credentials, she had cost the astute young Charlie £1090 in the Autumn and she went on to sell today for a Junior Calf Club Record price (and indeed record profit) of £2600, she will now settle near Settle as she was bought by a new customer to DFAM Caroline Brown of Brown & Mason, Kirkby Malham. Many of the smart heifers went on to sell as cow makers which is testament to the eagle eyes of our youngsters, the Reserve Champion heads away in to Scotland to another new customer and will hopefully do well for the renowned Moir Livestock, Aberdeenshire. The old head on young shoulders of Elliot Grieves, Whinney Hill turned impressive profits as did several others including Harry Willey, Francesca Stobbs, Alex Wilson and Isabella Jackson. Final mention goes to young Oliver Dennis who perfectly produced a Stabiliser steer which not only turned a tidy profit but will pleasingly go on to be shown this summer season as he heads away with the Facebook famous Parkin Family Butchers, Howden. See below the results for increased value.
Steers (all figures are less £20 commission)
1st Elliot Grieves, Oakdene increase in value of £600
2nd Oliver Dennis, Brook House increase in value of £530
3rd Francesca Stobbs, Killerby Farm increase in value of £410
4th Isabella Jackson, Carnaby House increase in value of £350
Heifers (all figures are less £20 commission)
1st Charlie Askwith, Low Mown Meadows increase in value of £1490
2nd Elliot Grieves, Oakdene increase in value of £560
3rd Harry Willey, Chopwell increase in value of £555
4th Alex Wilson, Heugh Farm increase in value of £550
Store Cattle – Away from the hullabaloo surrounding the show a fine turn out of stores assembled and enjoyed another absolutely magnificent trade, strong cattle remain easily sold and the younger beast destined for a summer at grass are quite simply ‘off the clock’. Early in the day a scattering of cows and calves were in demand and peaked at £2200 from J J M Lonsdale, Rookhope with a smart Limousin 2nd calver with her 4-month-old bull calf at foot. The young bulls followed and continued the exemplary high values we have witnessed of late, the best this week a strong 17-month-old Simmental from J J Sanders, Capheaton sold for £1460 with a host of 8- to 12-month-old bulls in the chasing pack all selling well in to 4 figures. The high-quality junior farmers dominated the top price columns for both steers and heifers, the Champion led the way whilst the youngsters Edward and Isabella Jackson of Carnaby House showed the top priced steers reaching £1540 and £1500 respectively. An excellent run from regular supporter W A Wardman, Yearby proved to be the closest challenger to the junior farmers cattle with sensational 14 month old heifers peaking at £1560 with another from the same pen to £1490.
Cows & Calves – £2200 £1700 J J M Lonsdale. £1800 J B & G E Hayward & Family.
Young Bulls – £1460 J J Sanders. £1190(x2) £1170 £1130 E Parsons. £1185 £1175 £1070 £980 £960 J J Horn. £1155 £1050 A & D Proctor. £1090 S C Barron. £1085 £995 A R White. £1060 A Hurn & Partners. £1040(x3) £970 £960(x2) R Simpson & Sons. £1000(x4) £960(x3) Starfitts Farm. £980 I Spedding.
Store Steers – £1540 £1340 Edward Jackson. £1500 Isabella Jackson. £1470 A P & E Procter. £1430 Oliver Dennis. £1430 Elliot Grieves. £1420 Francesca Stobbs. £1350 W A Wardman Ltd. £1340 G Beadle. £1320 Matthew Collin. £1210 N Wilson. £1190 W Denham. £1170 C & M Burnett. £1160(x4) P M Beveridge. £1155 S Linsley. £1150 L Van Geffin. £1150 £1095 W O Grix & Partners. £1150 D & B Harding. £1120 G Beadle. £1115 £1095(x2) I Newton & Son.
Store Heifers – £2600 Charlie Askwith. £1560 £1490 £1460 £1385(x2) £1300 £1270 £1230 W A Wardman Ltd. £1540 Daniel Lynn. £1510 Elliot Grieves. £1450 Lily Williamson. £1440 Rebecca Wilson. £1420 Sarah Willey. £1400 Alex Wilson. £1390 Harry Willey. £1370 £1340 £1245(x2) A P & E Procter. £1320 W O Grix & Partners. £1280 N Wilson. £1275 C Dennis. £1270 Harry Askwith. £1270 James Gilson. £1260 £1240 W B Rutter & Sons. £1250 Matthew Collin. £1230 J J Horn. £1230 G E Raw. £1230 Francesca Stobbs. £1220 Jonathan Fletcher. £1210 C & M Burnett. £1200 J G Wall & Sons. £1200 Jack Sewell.
Cast Cows – A light show due to the Bank Holiday with the fast trade continuing, it is no secret that input cost are rising fast, good news then that at least some solace can be found in the wonderful prices achieved by the old girls which have reached the end of the road, another sensational sale average this week of 186 pence per kilo. Top price went to an absolutely brilliant 7-year-old British Blue cow from J B & J A Fenwick, Eastholme Farm, Marwood when she weighed 881kg and returned a wonderful gross value of £2043. The football team in Norwich may be struggling but the cows from that part of the world certainly weren’t today as our top price per kilo went to A Hurn & Partners, Calthorpe with a smart Simmental OTM selling for 246 pence. Also impressing this week were the Stabiliser’s of Skelton Farming peaking at £1700 and 236ppk whilst the best of the prices for the indigenous breeds both went to the Aberdeen Angus as ABP Wilson’s, Langleydale sold OTM’s to 230ppk and W Chrystal & Partners, Wingate’s 7-year-old reached £1645. Final mention goes to a phenomenal Friesian trade, take a bow Little Newsham Farms as they sold a 752kg 33-month-old for a staggering 200ppk and £1504.
Cast Cows & OTM Leading PPK – 246 192 190 A Hurn & Partners. 236 212 198 188(x2) Skelton Farming Ltd. 232 J B & J A Fenwick. 230 210 202 184 Northfield Farms. 230 226 A B P Wilsons. 202 194 186 184 A J Gibson. 202 192 190(x3) Raby Home Farm. 200 198(x2) Little Newsham Farms. 198 R A Patterson & Son. 196 194(x2) W Chrystal & Partners. 194 R N Armstrong. 192 G C & K J White & Son. 192 188 M S Foord. 190 F Bainbridge. 190 D E Stones.
Cast Bulls Leading PPK – 184 164 Raby Home Farm. 170 M & P Willcox.
Cast Cows & OTM Leading Gross – £2043 J B & J A Fenwick. £1700 £1400 £1342 £1261 Skelton Farming Ltd. £1645 £1315 £1255 W Chrystal & Partners. £1639 £1359 £1293 Northfield Farms. £1504 £1376 £1354 Little Newsham Farms. £1478 F Bainbridge. £1429 £1381 £1363 £1231 A J Gibson. £1414 £1297 R N Armstrong. £1397 £1280 A Hurn & Partners. £1368 R A Patterson & Son. £1344 £1292 M S Foord. £1304 A B P Wilsons. £1292 D E Stones. £1272 J D Brannen. £1205 G H & R G Stobbs. £1195 S C Barron. £1187 Raby Home Farm.
Cast Bulls Leading Gross – £1470 M & P Willcox. £1150 £939 Raby Home Farm.
Store & Breeding Sheep – As the Spring grass grows the ewes and lambs slowly begin to appear, numbers will increase dramatically from here on and the signs are promising for vendors as plenty of interested parties appear waiting to pounce. This week’s best price of £198 went to J & S Thompson of Morton Grange with a pen of 6 Masham ewes with 11 strong Charollais lambs at their feet. The remaining store and feeding sheep are still in demand however the end is surely now in sight.
Ewes & Lambs – £198 J & S Thompson. £178 £170 £168 £150 £140 £138 £135 £132 £128 D & J A Teasdale.
Store Sheep – £118 P & K Summerbell. £88 G H & R G Stobbs. £82 A F Smith. £79 T Smith & C Mason.
Feeding Ewes – £99 £98 £84 £78 T Smith & C Mason. £86 C Longstaff. £76 £72 £70 G H & R G Stobbs.
