51AVÊÓÆµ

The UK's Premier Agricultural Machinery and Technology Show

20–21 January 2027, NEC, Birmingham

Event Details

Young handlers out in force at Gisburn

A 10-month-old British Blue cross heifer shown by 16-year-old Lily Speakman, Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, won the championship at Gisburn’s Farmers Guardian-supported Young Handlers’ overwintering competition, which this year saw 43 forward

Angela Calvert
Head of Livestock, Shows and Sales
clock • 2 min read
Young handlers competition champion, a 10-month-old British Blue cross heifer, from Lily Speakman, Radcliffe, which sold for £2,500 to Robert Barker, Lincolnshire
Image:

Young handlers competition champion, a 10-month-old British Blue cross heifer, from Lily Speakman, Radcliffe, which sold for £2,500 to Robert Barker, Lincolnshire

The heifer had achieved a daily liveweight gain (DLWG) of 1.17kg since purchase and was first in the competitor age class and second in best-presented, under judges Matthew Brown, Bridlington, and last year's competition winner Rebecca Mountain. The heifer went on to sell to Robert Barker, Lincolnshire, for £2,500, which left a margin over purchase price of £200.

undefined
Young handlers reserve champion, a 10-month-old British Blue cross steer, from Isaac Sharpe, Paythorne, which sold for £2,700 to the judge, Matthew Brown, Bridlington

Winning the reserve championship was a local competitor, 16-year-oldÌýIsaac Sharpe, Paythorne,Ìýwith his 10-month-old British Blue cross steer, which showed a DLWG of 1.15kg. The steer had been best male and best presented in its class. However, when it went under the hammer at the event's top price of £2,700 to Mr Brown, it also left Isaac with the sale's winning margin of £1,150, which he donated to the charity Andy's Man Club in memory of his dad Matthew. Isaac also took the Gisburn Young Farmers Club (YFC) Trophy for the best member of a YFC.

Second for best gross margin was five-year-old Oliver Lambert, Long Preston, whose British Blue cross steer left £960 and achieved the third-highest DLWG of 1.55kg. The third-best margin of £670 was claimed by the youngest competitor, Valencia Stockdale, Swainby, Northallerton, with an INRA cross steer.

A nine-month-old British Blue cross steer shown by nine-year-old Poppy Parker, Rivington, Bolton, had shown the highest DLWG of 1.63kg and left a margin on £520, while Oscar Cammish, a five-year-old from Pickering, North Yorkshire, had a 1.59kg gain with his 11-month-old Limousin cross heifer.

The competition's best newcomer award for those aged 11 and under was won by 11-year-old Izzy Lambert, Giggleswick, with a Limousin cross steer, while leading the senior newcomers was 12-year-old Jack Taylor, Shelf, Halifax, also with a Limousin cross steer.

undefined
Show potential champion, a Limousin steer from D.M. and R.E. Capstick, Swindon Moor, which sold for £2,550

On the same day was the market's show potentials fixture where the championship – under judge James Crichton, Egremont – went to a Limousin steer from D.M. and R.E. Capstick, Swinden Moor, which sold for £2,550.

In reserve was a British Blue heifer from D. Broadbent, Hebden Bridge, which sold for £3,050. Store cattle topped at £3,200 for an 11-month-old Limousin heifer from J.T. Baines, Gisburn.

Auctioneers: Gisburn Auction Marts.

More on Shows & Sales

Limousin bull tops Jalex Select sale

Limousin bull tops Jalex Select sale

Averaging £4,903, the 164 in-calf heifers peaked at £12,000 at the Jalex Select autumn sale held on behalf of James Alexander, on-farm at Randalstown, Northern Ireland, but it was a pedigree Limousin bull that topped the entry at £12,500

clock 13 October 2026 • 1 min read
Skelfhill Southie sets new record

Skelfhill Southie sets new record

A new breed record of £34,000 was set at the sale of South Country Cheviots at Lockerbie when the champion from the Warden family’s Skelfhill flock, Hawick, hit that price as a total of 10 rams sold for five-figure prices

clock 13 October 2026 • 1 min read
Sales round up: North Country Cheviots to £20,000, Swaledale ewes to £900 at Kirkby Stephen and Longhorn record set online

Sales round up: North Country Cheviots to £20,000, Swaledale ewes to £900 at Kirkby Stephen and Longhorn record set online

Catch up with all the news from around the marts this week including sales at Lairg, Kirkby Stephen, Castle Douglas, Leyburn, Skipton and more

clock 07 October 2026 • 13 min read