Addingham & District Sheep Breeders Association’s 17th charity show and sale of lambs at CCM Skipton Auction Mart netted a resounding £3,560 in aid of annual beneficiary Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice, Oxenhope, which has now benefited from a windfall approaching £65,000 since the winter highlight’s inception.

In total, 21 lambs, again predominantly North of England Mule wethers, were donated for sale by ever-generous regional farmers, their show class co-judged by NEMSA’s Skipton Branch chairman Michael Burnop, and Barden’s David Pighills, a regular Skipton buyer of Mule gimmer lambs, selling them on a year later at the same venue as shearlings.

The Northern Farmer: The main prize winners, from left, Dick Ellis with the fourth prize, Manorlands community fundraiser Adam Brunskill, Thomas Walker with the third prize, Richard Mawson with the runner-up, co-judges David Pighills and Michael Burnop, and Kevin Wilson with

The duo awarded the championship to Craven Cattle Marts chairman and past NEMSA national chairman Kevin Wilson, who farms in Blubberhouses with wife Daphne and son James. The title-winning Mule wether lamb, by their Bluefaced Leicester tup Hewness P2, also responsible for Wilson family prize winners at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show and himself a son of the prolific F1 Bighead, went on to make £1,070 all told after, as in past years, being sold and returned to the ring several times by kind-hearted bidders.

The champion, recipient of the PFS Shield, was first knocked down to John and Pauline Turner, Draughton at £320 then, in turn, to repeat bidders Claire Radley, purchasing for the NFU Mutual team at Skipton, at £300, and Simon Spensley, Gargrave, £180, followed by the mart-based Keith Clay Coverall Clothing, £120, and finally once again to Craven Cattle Marts, £150, which as usual waved its commission on charity lamb sales and will return the victor to the sale ring at the New Year primestock sale on January 8, with all proceeds again going to Sue Ryder Manorlands.

Back in show, sponsored by Top Tags Animal ID, runner-up was Richard Mawson, Addingham, his lamb making £120, third the Walker family, Appletreewick, their charge away at £115, and fourth Ellis Bros, Addingham Moorside, whose lamb also sold for £120.

Other lambs were donated by Jack Berry, JC&N Throup, Stephen Maskill, Richard Appleton, KM&L Throup, JA&JC Throup, JW Stockdale & Son, N Houseman, Robin Booth, JW Sayer & Son, M Ryder & Son, A Lawn, FG Throup, Ashfield Farms, J Addyman, A&SL Throup and J Percival. Also going under the charity hammer were other items donated by Judy Lofthouse, Eileen Addyman, Jennifer Harsley and mart foreman Andrew Wright and wife Angie, plus a Manorlands hamper.

In addition, Manorlands, along with Brooklands Community Special School, Skipton, and national farming charity, the Addington Fund, share a further windfall of £4,000 raised at charity auctions staged alongside the mart’s 16th annual Christmas primestock shows last month.