A TOP call of 4,200gns (£4,410) was seen at Skipton Auction Mart’s opening 2016 pedigree beef season highlight, the annual ‘Blue Wednesday’ show and sale of 14 pedigree British Blue bulls.

It fell to North Craven’s Graham Coates, who runs the Greystone pedigree herd at Rainscar Farm, Stainforth, with his only entry on the day, a fully home-bred July, 2014-born bull, Greystone Judge.

The Greystone herd was established in the early 1980s by Graham’s parents, Eric and Jane Coates and now comprises some 25 pedigree British Blue calving cows. Its latest headline grabber, bred from easy calving lines, found a new home locally with Gargrave dairy farmer Colin Whitelock, of Low Green Farm.

The same buyer made a second acquisition when paying 2,850gns (£2,992.50) for the all-white Edmonds Jasper, the third prize April, 2014-born bull from Gavin Boocock’s Edmonds herd at St Lois Farm, Full Sutton, York.

Second top price of 4,000gns (£4,200) was achieved by a well-bred third prize winner from Dylan Townend, who runs the Clifftown pedigree herd at Quarry Farm, Broughton, near Malton.

His February, 2014-born Clifftown Jock, junior interbreed champion at last year’s Newark and Notts County Show, found a new home with Jamie Loveridge, who has a cross-bred commercial beef herd at Great Bells Farm on the Isle of Sheppey off the Kent cost.

The day’s third top price sale, the 3,950gns (£4,147.50) was achieved by Keasden breeder Sheila Mason for her November, 2013-born bull. It joined D Beal, of Malton.

Judge Rob Walker awarded the supreme championship to the first prize winner in the show class for older 2013 or 2014-born bulls, the October, 2013, Littlebank Isaac, bred in North Craven by husband and wife Richard and Wendy Maudsley, who run their Littlebank pedigree herd, established in 2003, at Rathmell. It sold for 3,300gns (£3,465) to Pateley Bridge beef farmer Bernard Simpson.

Making an impact on only their second appearance at the Skipton showcase were Derbyshire breeders Mycock Agri Ltd, of Highfield Farm, Flagg, near Buxton.

They scooped first and second prizes in the show class for younger 2014-born bulls, with the June-born red rosette winner progressing to be chosen as overall reserve champion, before selling for £3,800gns (£3,490) to Daniel Wise, of New House Farm, Upper Heaton, Huddersfield.

Runner-up in the show class for older bulls was Richard Pedley, of JH Pedley, whose Oak Tree pedigree herd is based at Barbon, near Carnforth. Their August, 2013-born fully home-bred Oak Tree Impulsive, sold for 2,750gns (£2,887.50) to Jonathan Shorrock, of Cliviger, near Burnley.

The overall bull average was £3,465 per head, significantly up on the 2015 average of £3,255.

Craven Cattle Mart’s general manager Jeremy Eaton said: “The sale was the most successful to date and further established the venue as a centre for the breed.

“Demand from dairy farmers provided a good underlying trade, with further competition seen from premium suckled calf producers, many of whom had travelled considerable distances to attend the sale.”