BRIAN Moorhouse took the Christmas Dairy Championship for the second year running at Skipton mart on December 3.

The Moorhouses are regular winners at the mart with their Aireburn pedigree Holstein herd of Hesper Farm, Bell Busk, and were reserve champions at Christmas 2016. Judge Allan Throup, of Silsden, nominated their first-prize Grafeeti-sired heifer as the overall champion and awarded Mr Moorhouse the Craven Cattle Marts Perpetual Trophy.

The 19-day calved heifer, giving 31 litres, sold for £2,220 to John Howard, of Heslaker.

Reserve champion was a pedigree heifer from David Lawson, of Arthington, 21 days calved, giving 32 litres, sired by Lynncrest Zebra and boasting five generations of VG or EX, which sold for £1,800 to Brian Blezard, of Ribchester.

The Lawsons also took third prize in the newly-calven heifers class, selling for £1,780 to John Howard, and first prize in the newly calven cows class, selling the winner for £1,650 to Stephen Coates & Son, of Baildon.

Second in the newly-calven cows was MD Parkinson, of Barden, who sold for £1,650 to P&RM Sutcliffe, of Queensbury, and third was GB Jennings, of Harrogate, selling for £1,080 to the same buyer.