Auctions conducted by Bagshaws LLP of Uttoxeter, Bakewell, Ashbourne
Buxton, Leek and Penkridge

English Winter Fair 18th – 19th November 2023

“Largest crowds for many seasons with excellent cattle, sheep and pigs to sell and exceptional prices in several sections”
The 2023 English Winter Fair held at Stafford Showground saw a large footfall with very good entries in all sections for the sale held to finish the event on the Sunday afternoon.
The atmosphere in all sections after the judging had finished saw very spirited bidding and resulted in some record prices for live pigs and in other sections.
It would be fair to say that for the 2023 event, many long-time supporters of the Winter Fair in the purchasers as well as several new customers were all out to buy a few special goods and this resulted in excellent support throughout the various auction sections.

Cattle Section – Auctioneer – Mark Elliott
The championship went to Cor Blimey, a shapely 620 kg Limousin Heifer exhibited by the Wilodge team from Shropshire which after spirited bidding from four potential purchasers, achieved £6,400 and was purchased by J S Wholesale Butchers of Uttoxeter.
Reserve champion for the live cattle was a superbly shaped British Blue Cross Heifer weighing in at 655 kg, she was exhibited by the Davies family of Leicestershire and went on to sell for an excellent £4,600 to Mr Howell at The Village Butcher & Farm Shop of Bridgnorth.
There were numerous very well-bred Continental Steers and Heifers at 350p to 380p/kg with several plums up to 540p/kg.
The Hyslop family from Settle presented an excellent Limousin Heifer weighing 560 kg which was purchased by the Black family to go on to breed as a show potential dam and gross just over £3,000.
In the native breeds, long terms supporters the Livesey family of Normanton near Ashby de la Zouch saw their 695kg Hereford Steer achieve 368p/kg and gross over £2,500 to Mr L Machin of Manifold Valley Meats.
In the Baby Beef Section there were only a small selection forward however, a large contingent of buyers ensured that trade was very fast and definitely more cattle could have been sold on the afternoon.
Top price for the section was £1,980 for a 360 kg British Blue Steer, born April 2023 who was exhibited by the Johnson family of Breadsall near Derby and went on to join a show string for next season with the Parkin family in Yorkshire.
Local exhibitor, Mr James Hodgkinson of Earl Sterndale near Buxton brought forward a sweet Beef Short Horn Steer, born April 2023 which achieved £1,950 and went on to the Sale family at Uttoxeter.
Auctions conducted by Bagshaws LLP of Uttoxeter, Bakewell, Ashbourne
Buxton, Leek and Penkridge
John and Denise Davies of Clifton Mill in Warwickshire turned out a pair of well-presented Steers to top at £1,700 for an April 2023 born show calf which went into Yorkshire with the Parkin family.
Matlock exhibitor Tom Gratton sold a sweet Steer by the name of Trigger, born January 2023 achieving £1,880 and selling into Yorkshire.

Sheep Section – Auctioneer – Peter Oven
Unfortunately, on the day, after nearly thirty years’ service, Malcolm Gale was ill and Bakewell Senior Auctioneer Peter Oven, dealt admirably with the live sheep auction. Sheep numbers were up from 2022 with 95 forward for sale and plenty of buyers around the ring. The champion, a pair of Beltex Cross trimmed butchers’ lambs from the Hall family of Penrith, Cumbria weighing in at 38.5 kg, sold for a superb £340 per head to J S Quality Meats of Uttoxeter.
At 50 kg, the reserve champion lambs exhibited by Chris Wright of Lincolnshire, achieved £300 per head and went into Lancashire with Mr George Cropper.
Many of the lambs forward, grossed at £165 to £180 per head with 44½ kg lambs from P & L Calcraft family selling at £180 per head to Messrs Swales in Yorkshire and the Fletcher family receiving £175 per head for their well-turned-out lambs.
An excellent entry of lambs from Thomas Alleynes School at Uttoxeter saw 42 kg lambs at £140 per head and 43½ kg lambs also at £140 per head sold to go into Wales with the Messrs Williams.
A special mention should be made of the five lambs which were donated by various exhibitors with various portions of the proceeds to be donated to RABI. This section topped at £200 per head with great support from Rob Stafford of Derby and Lee Machin of Manifold Valley Meats.

Live Pig Section – Auctioneer – Oliver Hiles
Auctioneering duties were undertaken by Olive Hiles yet again, with 100% clearance and trade much faster than recent years.
There was real spark for the champions, a superb well shaped pair of gilts from the Berry family, weighing an average of 104 kg with four potential purchasers and a bidding battle they finally achieved £620 per head with Grindon Butcher, Lee Machin of Manifold Valley Meats victorious. Other notable prices in the pig shed included £420 for a 110 kg gilt from the Thackery family with several gilts weighing between 83 and 92 kg over £300 per head yet again exhibited by both the Berry and Thackery families.

Carcass Hall Auctioneer – Meg Elliott
Within the Poultry section there were slightly less birds on offer but there was large crowd gathered and the champion turkey exhibited by Mr Robert Cartmail was purchased by the Brown family of Ashbourne at £145 (£8.20/kg).
Auctions conducted by Bagshaws LLP of Uttoxeter, Bakewell, Ashbourne
Buxton, Leek and Penkridge
The first place goose exhibited by long time supporters, the Falder family of Bretby went on to sell for £200 and was purchased by Messrs M S Butchers.
Many will know that a feature of the carcase and fridge section for many years has been saddles of lamb and ribs of beef with the champion saddle exhibited by the Greenfield Family Butchers achieving £260 and spirited bidding for many in this section between £80 and £100 per saddle.
Within the ribs of beef, the champion ribs from Perrys Butchers at Eccleshall sold for £390 with the reserve at £210 to Lee Machin. All proceeds going to charity, the proceeds are used for Christmas food boxes distributed to families of local schools around Eccleshall.
Within the beef carcasses, long term supporter, Mr Richard Lawarence saw his 373 kg champion achieve £7.90/kg to gross £2,950 purchased by the Greenfield family of Nuneaton with other beef carcasses at £5.90/kg for Mr Robert Cartmail and the section averaging £6.15/kg.
Lamb carcasses saw a lively trade with Mr David Wadland achieving £12.70/kg for the champions, a superbly presented 28.4 kg Beltex with several other exhibitors in the section achieving between £8.60 and £10.20/kg and the West family topping the section at £13.20/kg for their reserve champion carcase.
There were 9 pig carcasses forward for the event with the champion from Messrs Horsley & Son weighing at 84 kg and achieving £6.80/kg, grossing £571 to Mr Lee Machin of Manifold Valley Meats. The star of the section was perhaps a very smart gilt carcass which achieved reserve champion from the Thackery family weighing in at 61.9 kg and achieving £7.10/kg, grossing £439 to the same purchaser.
Generally, a great day for all concerned with excellent support from all local potential purchasers and the Northern Counties and the day rounded off in the live cattle ring with a battery driven Childs John Deere gater, donated by Cornthwaites Farm Machinery achieving a superb £960 with proceeds going to the Yellow Wellies Charity.