Robert Cloughton has been appointed as part-time auctioneer at Craven Cattle Marts in Skipton – following in the footsteps of both his grandfather and great grandfather, who were auctioneers of great renown in Wensleydale.

Robert, 28, works on the family’s Browna Paddocks Farm near Hawes, which runs Swaledale and Bluefaced Leicester breeding sheep and their North of England Mule progeny, alongside dairy cattle.

“I started farming straight from school, always with an aspiration of having a go at auctioneering,” said Robert.

Robert has also developed a knowledge of Swaledale and Bluefaced Leicester sheep, regularly showing and selling with marked success. One of many highlights is selling a home-bred Swaledale tup two years ago for £12,500.

He is currently in his first year of a four-year Livestock Auctioneers course at Harper Adams University in Shropshire.

CCM’s junior auctioneer Kyle Hawksworth is also undertaking the same course, with the Skipton selling team also including general manager Jeremy Eaton and livestock sales manager Ted Ogden.

Jeremy said: “Robert is a welcome addition to the auctioneering team.

"We were looking for more resources to assist with selling, sales organisation and servicing our customers who are increasingly drawn from a much wider area to Skipton.”