Charity was again high on the agenda at CCM Skipton Auction Mart’s 18th annual Christmas primestock highlight when over £6,000 was raised, further adding to the total running into many, many thousands of pounds across the 18-year history of the high profile event.
The proceeds are again being split three ways between regular beneficiaries Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice, Oxenhope, and Yorkshire Air Ambulance, joined this year by a new recipient, The Field Nurses, a charity which aims to support the mental and physical health of those in rural communities and to signpost to other services if appropriate. Its representatives regularly attend the market at Skipton on sale days.
In addition, Sue Ryder Manorlands benefits from two further windfalls, a £330 bonus from John Penny & Sons in Rawdon, which prepares and delivers the lamb carcases to the mart for their annual Christmas competition and again donated its fees, plus an additional £420 from keynote sponsor, mart-based Skipton & Clitheroe NFU, which again held a hamper raffle on the day, with two more to be raffled in the office in the hope of raising over £800 in total. The entire NFU team again donated hamper items.
In addition, there was another charity element in the sale ring when a prime lamb generously donated by the Udall family, Shelf, in aid of Prostate Cancer raised £1,270 after being bought and re-auctioned several times over thanks to equally generous bidders.
Again going under the charity hammer were food and non-food related items across 15 indoor show classes for adults and children, supplemented by many other prizes and donations from kind-hearted local businesses and individuals.
Also boosting the kitty were proceeds from the sale of entries in the annual fodder hay competition, judged by Geoff Dunn and Gemma Harrison, who awarded the championship to the first prize bale of seed hay from Nigel Pepper, Laneshawbridge, the reserve to defending champion JR Douglas, Blackburn, with his red rosette-winning bale of old meadow hay.
Returning for the third year was a mini tractor run for children again organised by Lothersdale Agricultural Discussion Group, in which no less than 44 toy tractors decked out in true festive fashion, along with their eager young handlers, followed a route around the auction mart alleyways.
Lothersdale Agricultural Discussion Group organises the annual, popular Rudolph's Tractor Run that has raised thousands of pounds for charity over the years. This year's event will take place on Sunday, December 21 and will start in Otley and finish in Skipton. Festively decorated tractors will set off from Otley at 6pm and finish in Skipton High Street at around 8pm. The event will raise money for Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
There was also a competition element and results were: Best dressed tractor pre-school - 1 Harold Capstick, 2 Finley Myerscough, 3 Jack Throup. Best dressed tractor school-aged – 1 Chloe & Faith Smith, 2 Chloe Walker, 3 Tommy Dykes. The group’s main tractor day – ‘Rudolph’s Run’ - again takes place in Skipton High Street on Sunday, December 21, with over 200 expected and charity again keynote.
Back at the mart, all charity items in the indoor section were auctioned off towards the end of another hectic and highly successful day by CCM sales manager Ted Ogden, joined by trainee auctioneer Max Robinson.
Indoor section judges were Jackie Dalby, Ros Lawson, Christine Ryder and Hazel Gamble, with some themselves picking up prizes, though obviously not in the sections in which they were adjudicating!
Results, both adults and children: Christmas Fruit Cake 1&2 Cathy Cromarty, 3 Margaret Lawn; Victoria Sandwich Cake 1 Sue Heseltine, 2 Hazel Gamble, 3 Gaynor Schofield; Sloe Gin/Whiskey/Vodka 1 Lucy Hanson, 2 Paul Bolland, 3 Angus Dean; Bakewell Tart 1 Kathryn Leach, 2 Trisha Lattimore, 3 Hazel Gamble; Sausage Rolls 1 Hannah Easton, 2&3 Ted Ogden; Scotch Eggs 1 Millie Heseltine, 2 Chris Heseltine, 3 Rose Foster; Jar of Chutney 1 Susan Wallbank, 2 Kelly Jowett, Christine Stoney; Jar of Fruit Curd 1Thomas Marshall, 2 Rosie Garth, 3 Eileen Addyman; Buns/Muffins 1 Cathy Cromarty, 2 Sue Marshall, 3 Fiona Jowett.
Photograph 1 Susan Wallbank, 2 Layla Parkinson, 3 Rosie Garth; Festive Christmas Decoration 1 Julie Jenkinson, 2 Jill Perrings, Daphnie Wilson; Decorated Mini Rolls 1 James Swinson, 2 Rory Burrows, 3 Sophie Swinson; Decorated Paper Plate 1 James Swinson, 2 Iris Holmes, 3 Rory Burrows; Decorated Cupcakes 1 Rosie Garth, 2 Thomas Marshall, 3 Neive Ireland; Celebration Card 1 Lola Breare, 2 Isobel Thompson, 3 Iris Holmes.
The mart warmly thanked all who had supported and participated in the annual festive showcase – both vendors and buyers of livestock, multiple sponsors of show classes, all other exhibitors, those who donated charity auction items and ever-generous buyers of the bounty on offer, which produced yet another magnificent result, again raising much-needed for three extremely worthwhile charities.
The festive highlight again attracted multiple sponsors, led by the mart-based Skipton & Clitheroe NFU, with individual show classes sponsored by Craven Farm Vets, Barkers Yorkshire Butchers, Hartlington Fencing Supplies, Jameson Feeds, ASE Agriculture and WBW Chartered Surveyors. Eight trophies were up for grabs, with those in the flagship prime cattle and prime lamb show classes again presented in the main show ring by CCM chairman Kevin Wilson, who farms in Blubberhouses. Reports on the prime cattle and lamb carcase competitions appear on this week’s Herald farming pages and online.
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