Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a superb Christmas Show, in which the Champion sold at £2300.

Total stock was 1520 head.

130 PRIME & UNTESTED FORWARD CATTLE

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report that the 14th Annual South West Winter Fair took place behind closed doors, with no spectators but with no less pleasure amongst the exhibitors, who had a thoroughly enjoyable day.

Although entries were light in the haltered classes, the quality was exceptional, when the top five or six could have won a show anywhere.

Overall Champion and Exhibitor bred Champion was a very sweet, showy black Limousin heifer from Austen Lockyer of East Huntspill. Weighing 566kg, this heifer was not an extreme butty heifer but had real presence and caught the eye of judge Stuart Clatworthy as soon as she entered the ring. She later went on to sell to Stillmans (Somerset) Ltd of Taunton for £2300 (406.5ppk).

Standing in Reserve and only beaten by the finest of margins was a near perfect red roan Limousin heifer from Steve & Archie Stamp of Mark. This heifer displayed a tremendous top and the final deliberations were no easy task. This heifer weighed 608kg and was bought by Stuart for his shop, Court Farm Butchers at £1900 (312.5ppk).

A very flashy Blue heifer, which stood second to the Reserve in its class came forward from Jason & Sarah Wareham of East Sussex. This heifer weighed 558kg and sold at 319.5ppk (£1,782.81) to J Robertson & Co of Pitlochry, Scotland.

A further very well balanced red Limousin heifer, displaying tremendous width came forward from Gwin Edwards of Denbighshire, Wales. This heifer won the Limousin sired heifer class, weighed 605kg and sold at 294.5ppk (£1,781.73) to Puxton Park Butchers, Weston Super Mare.

Amongst the haltered steers it was lovely to see Dickie Wright of Somerton showing, with Paul Walker on the halter. Dickie took first prize in class 8 with an extremely shapely black Blue, which weighed 600kg and sold for 259.5ppk (£1557) to EA & DA Ellis of St Ives.

A Blue steer was the winner of class 11. This steer weighed 665kg and met a call of 249.5ppk (£1,659.18) to Mark Rowe of RJ Trevarthen Ltd, Penryn, Cornwall. This was well received as Dickie reminded us he has numerous grand children and many great grand children and Christmas is coming.

Standing second to Dickie’s Blue steer was a very smart homebred Blue steer from Lin Calcraft, Payhembury, which weighed 560kg and sold for 254.5ppk (£1,425.20) also to Mark Rowe of RJ Trevarthen Ltd.

249.5ppk (£1,297.40) was bid by Puxton Park Butchers for a second prize Limousin steer (520kg) from Gwin Edwards again.

Three steers then achieved 244.5ppk. Firstly for a 626kg Limousin steer (£1,530.57) from Steve & Rachel Stamp, first in class 6 and sold to RJ Trevarthen Ltd. Again from Dan Cox, Stawell, second in the home bred steer class, which weighed 587kg (£1,435.22) and sold to Puxton Park Butchers and again from Jason & Sarah Wareham, first in class 9, 623kg (£1,523.24) and sold to EA & DA Ellis.

Pure Devon steers from first time exhibitor Derek White of Axminster met calls of 234.5ppk (555kg, £1,301.48, 3rd home bred steer class) to RJ Trevarthen Ltd and 227.5ppk (585kg, £1,330.88, 2nd native steer class).

A further first time exhibitor was David Norman of Sigwells, Sherborne. His Hereford cross steer weighed 625kg and met a call of 209.5ppk (£1,309.38).

Winner of the young handler award was Hannah Payne of Priddy with her 769kg Limousin, which sold at 194.5ppk (£1,495.71).

In the unhaltered classes the Championship was won by Lin Calcraft, Payhembury. This homebred Limousin heifer weighed 631kg and sold for 304.5ppk (£1,921.40) to The Meat Men, Ilminster.

Reserve was a Limousin heifer from Mike & Di Hine, Northay, 600kg at 287.5ppk to Palmers Quality Butchers Ltd, Weston Super Mare.

Further Limousin heifers from the Hine family saw second in the homebred heifer class, 625kg at 239.5ppk (£1,496.88) to Palmers Quality Butchers Ltd again.

Charlie took second in the YFC class at 222.5ppk (577kg, £1,283.83) to PJ King & Son, Gloucester.

Third in the homebred heifer class at 215.5ppk (608kg, £1,310.24) to Alec Jarrett Ltd, Bristol.

Oliver took third in the YFC class at 214.5ppk (568kg, £1,218.36) to Stillmans (Somerset) Ltd and Tom took first in the YFC class at 212.5ppk (591kg, £1,255.88) to PJ King & Son.

207.5ppk (545kg, £1,130.88) was bid for a third prize Charolais heifer from Jenny Tuckett, Exeter.

Amongst the unhaltered steers, winner of the regular market supporter class was John Bown of Catcott and his 621kg Limousin steer sold at 230.5ppk (£1,431.41) to RJ Trevarthen Ltd.

John also took second in the continental steer class with another Limousin, which weighed 714kg and met a call of 219.5ppk (£1,567.23) to Alec Jarrett Ltd.

Jeremy & Simon Walker made a clean sweep of the homebred steer class, taking first, second and third.

612kg at 219.5ppk (£1,343.34) 541kg at 219.5ppk again (£1,187.50) and 561kg at 217.5ppk (£1,220.18).

217.5ppk was bid again for a first prize Blonde steer (545kg, £1,185.38) from Jenny Tuckett again, which sold to Tim Potter, Son & Daughter Ltd of Wellington.

Jenny sold another Blonde at 209.5ppk (548kg, £1,148.06).

209.5ppk was also bid for a Limousin cross Charolais steer (733kg, £1,535.64) from Mike & Di Hine again, who also sold a Hereford steer, first in the native class at 205.5ppk (£1,309.04).

Further notable unhaltered entrants were Terry & Ben Payne, Wellington at 206.5ppk (611kg, Limousin steer, 3rd) 200.5ppk (612kg, Blue steer) 198.5ppk (714kg, £1,417.29, Angus steer, 2nd) and 196.5ppk (585kg Limousin steer). Also 194.5ppk for a 733kg (£1,425.69) Charolais steer from Nicki Cottrell, who sold another, 750kg at £1,413.75.

Amongst the commercial pens S & C Fry of Wareham sold Limousin steers at 206.5 and 203.5ppk and Limousin heifers at 209.5 and 207.5ppk and Simmental heifers at 204.5 and 201ppk (£1,201.98).

ML & EE Edwards, Wick St Lawrence sold Limousin steers at 204.5, 204 and 195ppk and heifers at 203.5 and 201.5ppk.

Further Limousin heifers at 211ppk (£1,249.12) and 203.5ppk (£1,237.28) DRJ & KF Laramy, Honiton and 202.5ppk, RE Webber, Stringston.

Further pounds per head prices of note were £1,487.07 (OTM 806kg, Limousin steer) and £1,391.25 (OTM 750kg, AA steer) from F & M House & Son.

£1,459.34 (813kg, Blue steer) £1,456.13 (825kg Angus) £1,406.09 (758kg Limousin) and £1,389.04 (733kg Angus) all from HJ & HB Case, Highbridge.

Also £1,401.41 for a 794kg Charolais from CG, GR & MS Spiller, Upottery.

Heifers at £1,236.95 (OTM 715kg, AA) from F & M House & Son.

Others £1,203.96 (619kg Charolais) from MP & DM Hine and £1,179.68 for a 735kg Angus from DRJ & KF Laramy.

73 BARREN COWS & CULL STOCK BULLS

Auctioneer’s Comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a good entry of 73 cull cattle met a brighter trade, when some better fleshed types were on offer.

Top was 144.5ppk for a Simmental cow from RE Webber, Stringston, which took first prize in the suckler bred cow class.

Further empty steaking Simmental at 120.5ppk from RE Webber again. Well fleshed Blue at 122.5ppk from M Jeffery, Muchelney Ham.

Native cows rose to 129.5ppk for a good meat Hereford from LGW Bagg & Partners, Huntworth.

Angus cows at 127.5ppk from PA Kingston, Hewish and 122.5ppk from P & J House & Sons, Kingston St Mary, which took second in its class.

Sucklers sold to £1,132.88 for a Simmental from RE Webber. Hereford at £1,012.69 from LGW Bagg & Partners.

Dairy breeds rose to 119.5ppk for a well fleshed Friesian from FS Cross & Sons, Cossington, who sold others similar at 117.5 and 115.5ppk.

Good bodied Holsteins at 118.5 and 114.5ppk, R & S Turner Ltd, Puncknowle; 116.5 (2nd) 115.5 (1st) 114.5 (3rd) and 114.5ppk, making a clean sweep of the dairy bred class from MM & EH Lucas, Puckington; 116.5ppk twice from W Read Partnership, Taunton; 113.5 and 112.5ppk from NF & CO Ellis, Rampisham and 113.5ppk again from J Read & Co, Taunton.

Dairy breeds sold to £1,032.57 (894kg, 1st) from MM & EH Lucas, who sold others at £1,023.63 (894kg) £940.05 (821kg & 3rd) and £900.55 (773kg, 2nd).

Others to £958.80 (823kg) W Read Partnership.

1317 FINISHED LAMBS

Auctioneer’s Comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a much larger entry of 1317 lambs for the Christmas Show week, sold to a very similar strong trade for all presented.

174 Show Lambs

The overall championship was won by P & C Houldey whose 43kg sold at £160 (372ppk) to Stillmans of Taunton.

The Reserve Champions were from RB & JM Carter and sold at £120, also to Stillmans of Taunton.

Other quality show lambs sold to 295 (£121) and 260ppk (£104) from RJ Slade; 263ppk (£121) from AGF Lockyer; 262 and 255ppk (£118 & £102) from P & C Houldey and 254 and 250ppk (£94 & £90) from P & L Calfraft.

1143 Non Show Lambs

The best handyweights sold to 232, 226 (3x) and 223ppk from SG Harraway.

Others 228ppk from AE Toogood; 224ppk from SG Stacey and RS Lovell; 222ppk from R Stevens & Co and 221ppk from PC Franklin.

Heavier lambs sold to £115 from PC Franklin.

Others £108 and £102 from C Peach; £105 from LM Baker & ME Goodall and CD Byrne; £104 from R & K Dorpman; £103 from RH Hill; £102.50 from MB & CJN Ayre and £102 from CHJ Atwell & Sons, RH Groves & Sons and RS Lovell.

Overall average £93.31.