A FEATURE of Saturday's sale at Pateley Bridge was the Christmas Show and Sale of primestock which saw a quality entry of stock forward from local vendors.

The beef classes were kindly judged by Mr N Dolby who awarded the championship rosette to Mr L Rodney, Masham, showing a BB X heifer which later sold for a new market record of 395p purchased by the judge on behalf of Kendalls Butchers, Pateley Bridge. Reserve champion was a Blonde d'Aquitaine X steer from JA Stoney & Son, Pateley Bridge which sold at 300p to DD & E Bates, Penniment.

The prime lamb classes were kindly judged by Mr M Etherington who picked out a pen of five Beltex lambs from R Peel & A Bradley, Glasshouses as first prize winning pen and overall champions which later sold for £118. Top priced lambs were Beltex X from JA Stoney & Son, achieving £120. The young handler's class was won by John Peel who showed a Beltex lamb which later sold for £122.

The sale of store cattle saw an entry of predominantly younger cattle forward which found favour with purchasers keen to secure replacement stock for the winter months. The sale topped at £1,040 for BB X heifers from G Abbott & Sons, Heyshaw, with Lim X achieving £1,030 from D & JL Middlemiss, Ramsgill.

Cull cows averaged 119p for all sold to include over half the entry being dairy bred. Top price of the day was 198p and £1,455 for a Lim cow from D&D Prince, Greenhow. Dairy bred cows peaked at 130p.