Calderdale family stands champion and reserve in Skipton prime lambs show

Brian Lund, right, joined by son Richard, granddaughter Chrissie and her boyfriend Sam Whiteley, left, with the February prime lamb champions at Skipton.

The Lund family, from Walshaw Farm, Hebden Bridge, clinched a championship and reserve championship double with a brace of home-bred Beltex-cross pens of five at Skipton Auction Mart’s February prime lambs show and sale.

The three quarters-bred lambs were primarily by tups from fellow Calderdale sheep breeders Adrian Leach and Jon Midgley, with the 45kg victors heading the day’s per head and by-weight prices at £190 each, or 422.5p/kg, the 53kg reserve champions selling at £182, or 343.5p/kg, both claimed by show judge Anthony Swales, a regular buyer for Knavesmire Butchers in York.

The Lunds – dad Brian, son Richard and 16-year-old granddaughter Chrissie – consigned 27 Beltex-cross lambs in total, their run averaging £162 per head, of 350.6p/kg.

Mr Midgley, who runs his Upper Calder Valley Beltex flock at Dean House Farm, Luddenden Foot, stood supreme champion for the second year running at the annual Christmas prime lambs showcase last November – himself finished third in the Continental show class, his 41kg lambs knocked down for £178, or 414.6p/kg, again to Knavesmire Butchers to make it a clean sweep of prize winners in the Continental show class.

Over 3,000 prime hoggs were penned for sale, almost half of them scaling 46kg or more. The overall selling average was £123.65 per head, or 271.6p/kg.