Judge Ted Neal of Kings Lynn had a tremendous show of cattle in front of him at this year’s Colchester Prime Stock Show and Sale.

Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk vendors were all represented at the 3 December show, which featured 36 show animals amongst an overall entry of 74 cattle.

After due deliberation, Mr Neal awarded the Olivers Perpetual Trophy for the overall champion to W A Ketley and Sons, Fingringhoe, Colchester for a 565kg Limousin Heifer. The heifer was also awarded the Arthur Chalke Perpetual Trophy and sold to Allman Fowler of Fowler Brothers, Brook Farm at Burnham for their shop at Burnham at 435p/kg (£2,457.75).

The Reserve Overall Championship went to Richard Criddle of Kenninghall, Suffolk, for a home-bred British Blue Cross Steer weighing 523kg which was also awarded the Broad Oak Farm Perpetual Trophy for best butcher’s beast under 550kg and the Derek Abra Trophy for best butcher’s steer under 550kg. It sold to H G Blake of Felthorp, Norwich, at 405p/kg (£2,118.15).

The trade for all show prize winners apart from those two animals was consistent at between 342p/kg and 386p/kg.

The Roy Brazier Memorial Trophy for the best steer over 551kg was awarded to W A Ketley and Sons and purchased by C Humphreys & Sons of Fairstead at 367p/kg (£2,341.46). The reserve in that class went to David Alpe of Halvergate for an animal that sold at 374p/kg (£2,475.88) to John Coleman of Boxted for his shop.

The Eric Stanion Memorial Trophy for best home-bred beast in show was awarded to Richard Criddle, selling to Allman Fowler of Fowler Brothers at 382p/kg (£1810.68). The animal was also announced as the best home-bred steer in the show.

The best home-bred heifer in the show was entered by W A Ketley and Sons and was again sold to Allman Fowler at 378p/kg (£1,935.36).

The Joe Papworth Memorial Trophy for best unhaltered beast in show was awarded to Tony Evans of Bures, trading as P A Evans, who sold his homebred Limousin heifer at 368p/kg (£2,156.48) to H G Blake of Felthorp, Norwich.

The best unhaltered steer, shown by Josh Bates, trading as J B Farms, Leavenheath, sold to Romford Meats at 356p/kg (£2,278.40).

All steers in the show, including non-prize winners, averaged 357p/kg and all heifers, again including non-prize winners, averaged 370.56p/kg, showing consistent, if not high flying, top prices.

Non show cattle were short of what was required throughout, with trade at previous weeks’ levels. David Black, of Great Bentley, showed three Limousin heifers at 347.5p/kg for two and 335p/kg (£2,085) for the third.

Non-show cattle from Tony Evans made to 353p/kg (£1990.21) and from J B Farms to 327.5p/kg (£2,073.08). A Heath & Sons’ usual run of dairy-bred Continental heifers made to 317.5p/kg from 299.5p/kg. There were no cattle below 269.5p/kg. Non-show steers averaged 295.8p/kg, with heifers
312.3p/kg. Two young bulls made 291.5p/kg from Turf in Essex at £1,597.42.

Top price per head this week in both steers and heifers went to regular supporter Geoff Freeman and his family. Their normal quality saw them fetch to £2,552.40 for steers and to £2,552.54 for heifers.

A total of 777 sheep, including 72 show sheep, came before the Judge, John Coleman of Boxted, who again commented on the quality. The overall Champion Pair of Lambs went to Benn Lugsden of Thwaite for a pair of Texel crossed lambs weighing 43.5kg and selling to the judge at £230 a head (529p/kg).

They were also awarded the William Gray Perpetual Trophy for best lambs in show and the Wiston Trophy for best Texel cross-bred lambs in show. The overall reserve pen of lambs was awarded to Tim Pratt, Woodbridge, for a pair of Blue Texel lambs weighing 40kg and selling to C Humphreys from Fairstead at £160 per head (400p/kg). This pen was also reserve in the Texel class.

The George Debman Perpetual Trophy for best Continental-sired lambs other than Texel was awarded to Scott Horton, trading as Chess Valley Livestock, Amersham, and purchased by George Debman for his shop in Ipswich at £200 per head (413p/kg).

The Colchester District Meat Traders Perpetual Trophy was awarded again to Benn Lugsden for a pair of Polled Dorset lambs, selling at £180 a head (327p/kg).

Non-show winning sheep again found a strong trade again throughout, with lean lambs still coming forward and trading around 300p/kg in the main. Meated lambs generally 330p/kg to 360p/kg with weight no issue. Non-prize winning sheep fetched to £180 from Jack Peacock and to £175 from W J Griffin. Medium lambs fetched to £157 from W J Griffin and standard lambs reached to £133 from Becky Byam and £130 from Jack Peacock and Tom Biela.