Skipton Auction Mart's festive charity highlight nets £4,000

It was in aid of the usual three main beneficiaries - Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice, in Oxenhope, Brooklands Community Special School in Skipton and national farming charity, the Addington Fund.

Going under the charity hammer were both food and non-food related items in the 15 indoor show classes for both adults and children, along with the annual fodder hay competition, judged by the same day’s supreme prime cattle champion, Bordley’s John Stephenson.

He awarded the championship to the first prize June-baled old meadow hay from Andrew Fisher, of Low Laithe, Harrogate, also a familiar face both as a stockman and show steward at CCM, with reserve honours falling to regular participants, Coniston Cold’s David and Jacqui Coates, who picked up three tickets across the two show classes, standing runners-up in both.

Indoor class entries were again boosted by other prizes and donations from ever-generous local businesses and individuals, all auctioned off towards the end of the day by CCM’s sales manager and auctioneer Ted Ogden to equally kind hearted bidders, who again dipped deep in aid of the three worthy causes - all have benefited to the tune of many thousands of pounds since the event’s inception.

Manorlands itself received an additional £450 windfall when the mart-based Skipton NFU, keynote festive primestock sponsor among many, raffled off hampers; the entire team donating items.

A brand-new initiative which proved extremely popular was a mini tractor run organised by Lothersdale Discussion Group, in which no less than 35 children decorated their toy tractors in true festive fashion and paraded them following a route round the auction.

Bolton Abbey judge Chris Heseltine had a hard task picking out the three best tractors, but eventually nominated his overall winners as Coniston Cold brother and sister, William and Olivia Coates - the fact that their mini tractor was equipped with a towering real Christmas may just have clinched it! Runner-up was young Penny Walker, from Laycock, and third Arthur Bradley, aged five, of Addingham.

There were a number of memorable performances in the indoor section, with 12-year-old Settle High School pupil Rosie Garth clinching a hat-trick when winning the decorated cake – it sold for £50 - jar of fruit curd and photograph competitions, while three-year-old Hetty Holgate, from Halton West, claimed a decorated gingerbread people and farm collage double. Of the adult entrants, Easingwold’s Hazel Gamble again shone, doubling up with 1st prize wins with her Christmas fruit cake and lemon drizzle.

Indoor classes were judged by Cathy Cromarty and Dorothy Dean, with prizes awarded to individual class winners as follows: Sausage Rolls–Jackie Dalby, Pair of Scotch Eggs-John Bamforth, Christmas Fruit Cake and Lemon Drizzle-Hazel Gamble, Victoria Sandwich Cake - Gaynor Scholefield, Jar of Chutney-Susan Wallbank, Jar of Fruit Curd and Photograph-Rosie Garth, Sloe Gin/Whiskey/Vodka- Eileen Addyman, Flapjack-Isobel Perrings.

Results in the children’s section, judged by Tim and Liz Palmer, were: Festive Christmas Decoration-John North, Decorated Gingerbread People and Farm Collage-Hetty Holgate, Decorated Cake-Rosie Garth, Decorated Stone-Maisie Moore.