Young handlers competition champion, a 10-month-old British Blue cross heifer, from Lily Speakman, Radcliffe, which sold for £2,500 to Robert Barker, Lincolnshire
The heifer had achieved a daily liveweight gain (DLWG) of 1.17kg since purchase and was first in the competitor age class and second in best-presented, under judges Matthew Brown, Bridlington, and last year's competition winner Rebecca Mountain. The heifer went on to sell to Robert Barker, Lincolnshire, for £2,500, which left a margin over purchase price of £200.
Winning the reserve championship was a local competitor, 16-year-old Isaac Sharpe, Paythorne, with his 10-month-old British Blue cross steer, which showed a DLWG of 1.15kg. The steer had been best male and best presented in its class. However, when it went under the hammer at the event's top price of £2,700 to Mr Brown, it also left Isaac with the sale's winning margin of £1,150, which he donated to the charity Andy's Man Club in memory of his dad Matthew. Isaac also took the Gisburn Young Farmers Club (YFC) Trophy for the best member of a YFC.
Second for best gross margin was five-year-old Oliver Lambert, Long Preston, whose British Blue cross steer left £960 and achieved the third-highest DLWG of 1.55kg. The third-best margin of £670 was claimed by the youngest competitor, Valencia Stockdale, Swainby, Northallerton, with an INRA cross steer.
A nine-month-old British Blue cross steer shown by nine-year-old Poppy Parker, Rivington, Bolton, had shown the highest DLWG of 1.63kg and left a margin on £520, while Oscar Cammish, a five-year-old from Pickering, North Yorkshire, had a 1.59kg gain with his 11-month-old Limousin cross heifer.
The competition's best newcomer award for those aged 11 and under was won by 11-year-old Izzy Lambert, Giggleswick, with a Limousin cross steer, while leading the senior newcomers was 12-year-old Jack Taylor, Shelf, Halifax, also with a Limousin cross steer.
On the same day was the market's show potentials fixture where the championship – under judge James Crichton, Egremont – went to a Limousin steer from D.M. and R.E. Capstick, Swinden Moor, which sold for £2,550.
In reserve was a British Blue heifer from D. Broadbent, Hebden Bridge, which sold for £3,050. Store cattle topped at £3,200 for an 11-month-old Limousin heifer from J.T. Baines, Gisburn.
Auctioneers: Gisburn Auction Marts.
