GERALD Turton's Upsall herd swept the board and achieved the top prices at the fifth North of England Beef Shorthorn Club show and sale of pedigree beef breeding cattle at Skipton on November 5.

Tessa X902 of Upsall, the first prize 2013-born junior heifer shown by herdsman Ian Park took the female championship and went on to sell for the 5,200gns top price - and breed centre record for a female - when bought by Highland Wagyu, Dunblane, Perthshire.

A roan April-born daughter of the triple interbreed champion AI sire, Trojan of Craigeassie, she is out of Tessa X505 and is scanned in-calf to Festival of Upsall.

Mr Turton, whose famous Upsall Shorthorn Herd is the oldest in Britain and based near Thirsk, took the reserve female title with the red rosette-winning 2013-born junior heifer, Nonpareil X942 of Upsall.

The dark roan June maiden heifer, by Elijah of Upsall and out of Nonpareil X731, sold for the day’s second top call of 4,500gns to Tim Riley, Hebden Bridge.

The Upsall herd, which this year won the northern region club’s silver salver for the best calves, also produced the second prized junior heifer, Marigold X947 of Upsall, by the noted Atilla of Upsall, out of a Vortrekker cow. This joined the champion at Highland Waghu when sold for 3,500gns.

With 100 per cent clearance of females, the senior heifer class was won by Tracy Severn, Halifax, with her June, 2012-born red with a little white Highlee Duchess Fantasia, by Vulcan of Upsall, which was acquired from Mr Turton seven years ago.

She is the first daughter of Sandwick Duchess, bred by the Ivinsons of Penrith and a former Great Yorkshire Show champion, to be sold by Mrs Severn. Carrying a service to Podehole Elite, Fantasia joined AC Farms,Rutland, for 2,900gns. Mrs Severn also sold her third prize junior heifer, by Astrix of Upsall, for 2,000gns to G Williams & Son, Flintshire.

The same price was also achieved for two further females from the Albion herd of Paul Braithwaite, Stokesley, and the Lancashire-based Pikelowe herd of Andrew Thompson, Higher Wheelton.

Bulls proved hard to clear, with both the male champion from Rosanna James, Fadmoor, York, and reserve from Jim Frame, Biggar, returning home.

With 36 Beef Shorthorn forward, heifers averaged £1,967 overall, in-calf heifers £1,963 and cows in-calf or with calves at foot £1,732.