Show & Sale of YFC Overwintered Cattle
Hexham Auction Mart
YFC Over Wintered Calf Sale – 06.03.2026
Hexham & Northern Marts were delighted with the culmination of the 2025/26 Young Farmers Calf Wintering Competition which took place over two days on the 5th & 6th of March at Hexham Auction Mart. The event was once again generously supported by Mainline sponsors I’Anson Quality Feeds and longstanding benefactors J S Hubbuck Ltd, Agricultural Merchants and The Carr Family, Highwood Farm, Hexham.
The event, now in its eighteenth year is the longest running competition of its type in The North of England open to any card holding YFC member from the Northumberland, County Durham or Cumbrian YFC Federations. October of last year saw no fewer than Forty-Seven calves purchased by members from one of five nominated sales at Hexham taking up the challenge to take the animal home and tend for it over the winter months with a view to competing in either one or both elements of the competition. The first is the ‘profit’ competition whereby each competitor buys their animal – which is financed by the auction company – and after the winter presents the calf for re-sale with a view to attaining the largest profit margin. The second facet of the event are the ‘show’ classes which is increasingly popular, particularly with the more senior members of each club and follows traditional pre-sale show format with the Overall Champion emerging triumphant.
SHOW REPORT
This year the Thursday evening show was expertly judged by Katrina Donaldson, Huby, North Yorkshire and with over half the competition calves put forward for the halter-led show the spectacle continues as the highlight of the calendar at Hexham.
With a wealth of cattle knowledge and due consideration for the finer points of each suckler bred calf Ms Donaldson carried out her remit to a high degree and worked diligently through each preliminary class taking the time to handle each individual animal and speak with each competitor. The results of these classes as follows;
Class 1 – Myerscough College Student Class.
1st – David Jenkinson, Limx Heifer bred at West Biggens.
2nd – Sarah Willey, LImx Heifer bred at Wood House.
3rd – Claudia Pattinson, Limx Heifer bred at Harlow Bower.
Class 3 – Simmental cross steer.
1st – Erin Savage, steer bred at Stoop Rigg.
Class 4 – Charolais cross steer.
1st – George Younger, steer bred at West Wharmley.
2nd – Alice Walton, steer bred at West Wharmley.
Class 5 – British Blue cross steer.
1st – Emily Robson, steer bred at West Biggens.
2nd – Harry Bertram, steer bred at West Biggens.
3rd – William Walker, steer bred at Wood House.
Class 6 – British Blue cross heifer.
1st – Molly Robson, heifer bred at Willimoteswick.
Class 7 – Limousin cross steer.
1st – Charlotte Longlands, steer bred at The Lands.
2nd – Lewis Stephenson, steer bred at West Biggens.
Class 8 – Limousin cross heifer (Div. 1).
1st – Edward Younger, heifer bred at Penpeugh.
2nd – Sarah Willey, heifer bred at Wood House.
3rd – Francesca Fenwick, heifer bred at Rawfoot.
Class 8 – Limousin cross heifer (Div. 2).
1st – Kaitlyn Wigham, heifer bred at Agars Hill.
2nd – Lucinda Hindmarsh, heifer bred at The Lands.
3rd – Thomas Wilson, heifer bred at Whiteside.
From a stellar line-up of seven class winners the lady judge tapped out the exceedingly correct Limousin heifer from Kaitlyn Wigham; a Haltwhistle YFC member as the Overall Champion on the night to scoop The David Carr Trophy and all the plaudits from the record crowd gathered around the show ring. The gleaming black heifer had been bred by Messrs Lee, Agars Hill and immediately caught many an eye as it was led impeccably in the preliminary breed class. With both length and shape in perfect proportions the heifer was also blessed with a super top-line that had been cultivated over the winter months to display full potential without excessive condition and, of course as a heifer the added attraction as one that may well in the fullness of time lead to a destiny as a breeder within a suckler herd.
Standing as a worthy Reserve Champion and in the same vein was the winner of the first Limousin cross heifer division of the class from Edward Younger; a Coquetdale Young Farmer. This one manifesting the Limousin sire was an upstanding red female and the first attempt at the competition for a delighted Master Younger following in his elder brother’s footsteps and those of his father that regularly consigns cattle for sale at the weekly store sales at this centre. Bred by The Waltons of Penpeugh, Bardon Mill the heifer had bags of character with an outlook to match and the effort that had been afforded the heifer over the winter was evident and just rewards for a keen young man.
The Dalkin Trophy for the Best Turned Out Calf was presented to a thoroughly deserving William Walker, a Butsfield Young Farmer and like Edward Younger on his first occasion competing at the event. William’s Blue cross bullock had been bought from Messrs Yeats, Wood House, Coanwood and had been nurtured to become one of the largest calves to be brought back to Tyne Green and was indeed a real credit to the lad from Satley that was dwarfed by the huge steer but remained determined and in-control throughout the entire show.
The last of the show night silverware to be presented was the John Gibb Trophy for the Best Calf of Opposite Sex to The Champion and with Limmy heifers taking both Champion and Reserve rosettes the judge awarded this honour to the mountainous Limousin cross steer from devotee to ‘big and beautiful beast’ Charlotte Longlands. A Bellingham Young Farmer Charlotte continued collecting prizes at this annual competition having won the Overall Championship last year to take home yet another trophy on the night for her replete red steer and undoubtedly the largest in the ranks which she had purchased from Messrs Read, The Lands, Weardale back in October.
It seems the auctioneers claim that the standard of calves improves year after year however this year the sentiment was echoed many times over within the gathered throng of onlookers stood four deep around the show ring and all presented were indeed a real credit to those that chose to exhibit.
SALE REPORT
At a suitable juncture within the sale of store cattle the next day the catalogue of Young Farmers calves were put before a packed ringside – packed with buyers old and new from all over the UK but also with parents, siblings and fellow YFC members keen to discover the outcome of the profit margin element of the competition. In the interests of fairness and therefore irrespective of show class accolades the sale order had been pre-determined and was drawn by Sarah Sparke of J S Hubbuck Ltd who looks forward to said ‘ordeal’ every year.
Back in October with suckled calf values lifting week after week to unprecedented levels and an easing in finished returns since the turn of the year many competitors were apprehensive before hitting the sale ring however this sale and the ‘feelgood factor’ that now surrounds it elevates the day to a different plain of trade, a ‘micro-climate’ that is only seen once a year.
This phenomenon is the result of four months of dedication, hard work and effort by the competitors coupled with a steadfastness and a will of encouragement from both regular, weekly buyers and occasional, seasonal purchasers that is palpable as each animal comes under the hammer. In the commotion of the cattle ring as purchase prices are speculated upon and re-sale values are secured tension builds as each animal is sold and the auctioneers swiftly calculate the margins – some substantial, some meagre and some that perhaps leave little room for error.
By the very nature of the competition the winner cannot be heralded until the last animal has been sold and with every animal this year leaving a profit the margins attained were varied in the extreme. Over the years heifer calves have consistently trumped their male counterparts in the competition for the obvious advantage of breeding potential – a heifer may well appeal to a finisher with butcher customers eager for their cattle each week although a stylish sort may just as easily catch the eye of a suckler herdmaster as a potential bulling replacement.
Bullocks on the other hand, whilst usually bigger and often more impressive can only ever end up on the butchers block.
To this end and after some frantic bidding it was the earlier show champion from Kaitlyn Wigham that took the top price of the competition at £3700 and achieved the greatest margin of £1530 having been purchased for the handsome figure of £2170 at the traditional Limousin suckled calf sale on 10th October last year from Steven Lee & Family, Agars Hill. Kaitlyn, of Hargill House, Coanwood is a keen member of Haltwhistle Young Farmers and was delighted to scoop not only the David Carr trophy for her triumph in the show classes but also the imposing JS Hubbuck Silver Trophy – the largest awarded at Hexham Auction Mart each year which was presented by Catherine Raine area representative for I’Anson Quality Feeds together with Geoff Hubbuck and Sarah Sparke of J S Hubbuck Ltd.
Second in the prize rankings was previous winner Sarah Willey, Broomfield Farm, Chopwell with her smart Limousin cross heifer that had been purchased for £1760 from John & Steven Yeats, Woodhouse back in October which sold on the day for £2600 leaving a healthy margin of £840 for a delighted Miss Willey.
Flying the flag for the male competitors was Jake English of Brownsleazes, Wark and a Bellingham Young Farmer who presented a sizeable black Limmy cross heifer and the sole Scottish bred animal in the competition that had been sold in October by brothers Tom & Blair Cockburn, Kingside, Peebleshire. Jake paid a hefty £2260 at the Limousin calf sale but was able to turn a useful profit of £740 selling the smart sort at a straight £3000 to a high end, niche finishing outfit.
Thomas Athey of High Lovelady Shield, Alston of ‘Halty’ YFC has figured highly in the competition for a number of years and this time brought out his smart red Limmy heifer in fine form alongside twenty of his own cattle sold on the day. Bred by Jonathan Craggs, Glower-Oer-Him, Sedgefield the flashy heifer sold at £2620 representing a rise of exactly £600 over the purchase price of £2020 paid in the autumn of last year.
Leading margins on the day were as follows;
Kaitlyn Wigham, Haltwhistle YFC £3700 (+£1530)
Sarah Willey, Whitley Chapel YFC £2600 (+£840)
Jake English, Bellingham YFC £3000 (+£740)
Thomas Athey, Haltwhistle YFC £2620 (+£600)
Sam Wilson, Bellingham YFC £2780 (+£560)
Robbie Soulsby, Whitley Chapel YFC £2460 (+£550)
William Walker, Butsfield YFC £2800 (+£520)
Thomas Wilson, Bellingham YFC £2900 (+£520)
Edward Younger, Coquetdale YFC £2480 (+£480)
Charlotte Longlands, Bellingham YFC £3020 (+£480)
As well as financing the purchase of the calves from October to March Hexham & Northern Marts also offer an Inter-Club prize for the club that attains the highest average profit margin with three or more members talking part in the competition. This year the £350 prize for the winning club was awarded as follows with runners up also highlighted;
Whitley Chapel YFC – four members with an average profit of £467 per head.
Haltwhistle YFC – seven members with an average profit of £394 per head.
Bellingham YFC – nine members with an average profit of £393 per head.
Once again the directors, auctioneers and staff of Hexham & Northern Marts were delighted with the outcome of this hugely beneficial event which – when then national suckler herd seems in freefall decline – encourages the stockmen and women of the future and in many cases gives them a taste of the livestock rearing industry in the hope that suckler cows remain a desirable and viable option on the upland fells across the region.
All at Hexham Mart would like to take the opportunity to thank those involved in this special competition – breeders, competitors, purchasers, sponsors and our judge for their involvement which ensures this event remains as the highlight on the Mart calendar each year. We look forward to October when it all begins again.