HEXHAM & Northern Marts conducted their Seventh Annual Young Farmers' Calf Wintering Competition, which culminated with the prize show and sale of the overwintered calves, all of which had been purchased at Hexham Mart during October, with 58 YFC members taking part.

The standard of quality and stockmanship on show was even better than the previous year’s efforts and firmly cements this fixture as the highlight of the show and sales diary at this centre.

The show attracted a crowd of more than 400, with Ian Grainger, of Glasson, Wigton, as the master judge.

He gave the overall championship and the David Carr Trophy to a first-prize Limousin crossbred heifer, from Mark Statton, of High Highlaws, Morpeth – a member of Tritlington YFC.

The 17-month-old red heifer, 620kgs, was bred by Messrs Lee at Agars Hill by a Keskadale sire and purchased by Mark on October 17. She led exceptionally well on the halter and was presented to perfection.

The victory for Mark was particularly sweet as he triumphed with only his second attempt in the competition and did so with resounding success.

It was a great evening for the Limousin breed at Hexham as the reserve champion award, The John Gibb Trophy for the best beast of opposite sex to the champion and The Dalkin Trophy for the best turned out calf, went to last year’s winner, Nicola Chappelhow, of High Grounds Farm, Penrith, a member of Eden Valley YFC in Cumbria for her Limousin crossbred steer.

Nicola bought her calf from Michael Cousins, of The Laws. While her steer was narrowly pipped at the post by the heifer as champion this year, Nicola will certainly need space on the sideboard at home for her Hexham silverware once again.

On March 27, the profit aspect of the competition that took centre stage. Following a pre-determined sale ballot, all 58 calves were brought forward to the sale ring in front of a full crowd of regular buyers.

A superb steer and the second-prize British Blue cross bullock from Michelle Athey, of High Lovelady Shield, Alston, from a member of Haltwhistle YFC, took the JS Hubbuck Trophy for the largest margin of £520. The bullock had been purchased from Messrs Storrow, of Willimoteswick, at the Bellingham sale of suckled calves in October for £880 and went for £1,400 to Tommy Barton, of Ashton, Makerfield.

There was an average return on each beast of £258 per head profit.