A NORTH Yorkshire-bred pedigree bull was the supreme champion at the 2017 Northern Limousin Extravaganza at Skipton mart.

Tomschoice Matador, from James and Sarah Cooper of Dacre, Harrogate, was born in January, 2016. He is by the Irish-bred Carwin Icaros, who was supreme champion at the Extravaganza several years ago, and is out of Tomschoice Gauche.

Matador also appeared at the following day’s Craven Limousin Day show and sale, where he was junior male, reserve male and overall reserve champion, before selling for 4,600gns.

The reserve supreme championship fell to the commercial champion. Rio, a Limousin-sired heifer, was bred by Neil Slack, of Newby, Penrith.

January-born, he is by Rossignol, owned by John Richardson of Appleby, who has done well for Mr Slack over many years of use, notably at the NLE, where the French-bred sire was also responsible for his 2015 supreme champion.

Rio was the champion calf at Smithfield last year, reserve calf at the Scottish Winter Fair and reserve female at the English Winter Fair.

The Coopers’ Tomschoice Mozart, second in class to Matador, was reserve bull and reserve pedigree champion. He is a March-born son of Kaprico Eravelle. Matador and Mozart also paired up to win the pedigree pairs class.

The pedigree female champion was the February, 2016, Barrons Maisey, from father and son, John and Ben Richardson of Appleby.

Maisey, who is by the 40,000gns Mereside Godlolphin, was acquired from breeder and North East Limousin Breeders Club stalwart Willie Barron earlier this year.

Reserve female champion was Norman Marcey from Ian and Angela Grisedale, of Crooklands, Kendal. They acquired the February-born heifer this Spring for 3,000gns from breeders Eric and Elaine Norman, of Carlisle.

The reserve female commercial champion was January-born Milly, shown by Colin and Alison Sutcliffe, of Wetwang, Driffield. She is home-bred out of a British Blue cow from the Hutchinson family of Barnard Castle.

Nine-year-old Matthew Bentley won a red rosette in one of the commercial heifer show classes with his March-born Bitsy, ahead of Itsy, shown by his father, Craig, who farms with his partner Rachel Mudd, Matthew’s mum, at Kepwick, near Thirsk.

A pupil at Knayton School, Matthew has been farming-mad since the age of four and is already accomplished in the show arena, having himself prepared Bitsy for the NLE. She was acquired from Messrs Rochester and Murray, of Bishop Auckland. Itsy, the April-born runner-up, is by Hexham-bred Telfers Jackflash.

The family won a second red rosette with Hammy, their April-born Limousin-sired commercial bullock by Lodge Hamlet, and again shown by Matthew.

The fixture attracted a record 97-strong entry, and offered prize money of £1,500.