6 The Chronicle, Thursday, 9th December, 2010. www.chronicleseries.co.uk

Markets

Chelford

CALVES (110): 78 bull calves averaged £119.47, 32 heifer calves £109.47. Top of the Blues was David Tudor’s bull to £285. Eric Moss’s Simmental bull topped the Continentals at £270. In the heifers a smart blue topped out at £210 from Blaze Farm.

DAIRY AND BEEF BREEDING CATTLE: only two dairies forward both from a local non-producer, a very fresh Melody sired heifer got to £1,320 with limited interest in the other a three quartered model. In the sucklers, a superb entry of pedigree Angus heifers from the Wirral Thurstaston Herd saw a consistent trade across the board with the best getting to 690gns (x 3), 670 gns (x 3) and 645gns. Powerful cows from the Moss herd of North Moss Partnership at Formby sold to £860 for a pure Angus cow with Simmental cross heifer calf at foot and scanned in-calf to the Perth champion and 25,000gns Wedderlie Blackdown. In-calf cows from the same stable sold to £750 (x 2), £720 and £640.

STORE CATTLE: trade on a par with the previous week’s improvement and saw forward 24-month steers to £745 and £695. Herefords sold well with the sire’s details; a new vendor from Derbyshire saw his to £630 and £615. Young, suckler-bred steers got to £590 for a Simmental cross and Angus cross heifers were in top spot for David Hocknell at £675. Prices: Steers: Aberdeen Angus x 24 months, £745; Shorthorn x 24 months, £695; Hereford x 21 months, £630; Charolais x 19 months, £620; Hereford x18 months, £615; Limousin x 26 months, £590; British Blue x 19 months, £590; Simmental cross 9 months, £590. Heifers: Aberdeen Angus cross 22 months, £675; British Blue x 19 months, £590; Charolais cross 19 months, £585; Simmental x 24 months, £585; Blonde x 18 months, £552; Hereford x 19 months, £440; Hereford x 18 months, £440; Blonde x 5 months, £420. Bulls: Limousin x 7 months, £370; Aberdeen Angus x 5 months, £330.

POULTRY (385 HEADS): very cold weather saw a much smaller entry and depressed prices. Best prices included: lavender turkey stags £28, embden geese £16, golden pheasant £10, rhode island red pullets £10, hybrid layers £5, guinea fowl £3.50.

PIGS (169): the 18 cull sows and boars saw another large entry meet similar trade selling to a top of 62p for sows. Two boars to 29p (28p); 16 sows (54.04p). The 80 butchers’ pigs saw only the very best over 100p to a top of 105p. Prices: from to average, nine porkers to 100p (82.35p); seven cutters to 83p (71.12p); 53

aconers to 105p (83.65p); seven overweights to 88p (68.37p); 80 overall 80.80p. The 72 store pigs met a similar steady demand with suckler pigs (16kg) to £20.

STORE AND BREEDING SHEEP (149): in-lamb Texel ewes due mid January looked good value for money up at £105. Plenty of demand for store lambs with Texel cross at £66.

FARM PRODUCE (22 LOADS): the previous week’s record price of £168 per tonne for big bale hay was topped again with a load from the same vendor making £190 per tonne, another market record. Big bale hay generally was in short supply with second quality hay still at £110 per tonne. Three loads of first quality small bale hay also saw an increase in price to a top of £215

er tonne with other loads at £175 and £188 per tonne. The price of hay inevitably influences the rice of haylage with first quality haylage on the day at £82 per tonne with other loads at £70 and £56 per tonne, down to silage at £34 to £42 per tonne. In the straw department big bale barley straw in square bales £102 per tonne and in round bales £70 per tonne. Big bale wheat £62 to £72 per tonne, more depending on size of load than quality of straw. Round bale wheat straw today up to £78 per tonne. A single load of small bale wheat straw also £78 per tonne. A single load of fodder beet made £32.

EGGS (1302 DOZ): large £1.05; medium 70p; small 45p. Dressed birds: duck per brace £2.50; dressed partridge £2; pheasants per brace £2.75; dressed mallard £3; dressed pheasants £2.50 each; rabbits £2.50; partridge per brace £3.50; 851/2 doz duck eggs from £1.60 to £2.90 13 goose eggs £1.

DRESSED TURKEYS: only 45 forward but numbers will increase to almost, 1,000 in some sales. The weight range was 9lb to 25lb and the average was £1.48p per lb.

POTATOES AND STOCK FEED CARROTS (741 BAGS): wilja £3.75; victoria £3.75; melody £3.50; reds £3.75; nadine £3.75. The 234 bags of stock feed carrots from to £1.30 - £1.50; rolled barley £4.25; barley straw £2; stock feed potatoes £1.25; rolled oats £3.75.

VEGETABLES (1391 PACKAGES): bunch carrots 30p; cauliflowers x 6 £4.25; calabrese x 6lb £3; swede x 28lb £2; kale £4; parsnips x 10lb £2.25; marrow 60p; savoy x 10 £2; onion large x 20kg £7; beetroot x 28lb £2.50; onion baby x 4kg £1.50; dirty carrots x 12.5kg £2.50; onion x 12.5kg £4; leeks £2.50; red onion x 12.5kg £4; celeriac x5lb £2; sprout stems x 5 £2.

CULL COWS, BULLS AND OTM CATTLE (89): 71 black and white cows £210.70 to £970 (26 averaged £593.96). Prices, cows: British Blue cross 906kg to 191p or £1730.46; Bazadaise 786kg to 180p or £1414.80; British Blue cross 772kg to 169p or £1340.68; Simmental cross 838kg to 140p or £1173.20; Simmental cross 766kg to 135p or £1034.10; British Blue cross 694kg to 143p or £992.42; Holstein cross 942kg to 103p or £970.26. OT Middlewich: Holstein (49) (90.43p)to 121p; Friesian (22) (87.64p) to 117p.

BUTCHERS’ SHEEP (744): the 641 butchers’ lambs sold to 325p for 40.4kg Charollais cross Texels (175.2p). Primestock show lambs were obviously at a premium, with judge Geoff Mycock backing his judgment and taking home his choice as champions Howard Taylor’s 40.4kg Charollais/Texel crosses at 325p (or £131.20 per head). The young farmers champion lambs, 40.6kg Texel crosses from Team Speed shepherd, James McKenzie, made 275p (£111.65) to David Kidd, buying for Macclesfield butcher Nigel Wilcox. Apart from the show lambs, strong demand from regular butchers and wholesale buyers, added to the short supply, equalled many happy producers, with prices well up on last week. Averages (all weights): premium 325p (193.5p); prime 180p (181.5p); others 168p (164.5p). The 103 cull ewes and rams averaged £60.53 with Suffolk cross mules to £115 and Texel cross mules to £100. Dorsets to £90 and Charollais crosses to £87. A drastically reduced entry, way short of requirements given the fact that few sheep are available in the North East and Scottish Borders due to snow.

BUTCHERS’ CATTLE (81): Local master butcher David Kirk of S and D Kirk, Peacock Farm Shop. Styal. had the unenviable task of picking his winner from a strong entry of some 30 cattle. After some deliberation, he eventually chose his champion, a 742 kg British Blue cross heifer from Martin Wilcock, North Ashton. High Peak Meat wholesaler Lee Machin beat off strong competition to secure the heifer at 240p to gross £1,780.80. The judge chose his reserve champion as a Blue cross heifer from the same stable, displaying a fantastic loin and terrific conformation. She hit the scales at 580kg and was snapped up by Mr Machin at 270p (£1,566). In the young farmers’ section, the next generation of the Wilcock family kept the winning ways going. Thomas Wilcock exhibited a superb Blue cross heifer, a proper butcher’s beast bought by David Kidd for Macclesfield butcher Nigel Wilcox of Park Lane, recording the day’s top price of 270p. The reserve champion ticket went to a steer shown by Barry Tomlinson, Broxton, tipping the scales at 626 kgs and purchased by Chelford stalwart Phil Smith for Cheshire Halal at 202p (£1264.52).

Bill Eden led the commercial trade at 180p but some superb runs of Black and White Bulls stole the show, selling regularly over 150p and ensuring an overall average for the day of just under £950 per head for everything (21 Friesian bulls included). Prices: 14 steers 218p (177.98p); 30 heifers 270p (1897p); 37 bulls 200p (156.83p); 81 overall average 172.50p.

99th Christmas Primestock Show The snow showers and biting cold wind didn’t deter regular visitors at Chelford Market from making their way to the 99th Christmas Primestock Show and Sale held at the market.

Entries were understandably reduced from the normal weekly throughput, with many regular vendors snowed in at home, but, nevertheless, quality stock forward in cattle and sheep sections attracted excellent prices from a wide range of butchers and wholesale buyers.

The stars of all Christmas shows are the prime cattle and local master butcher, David Kirk of S and D Kirk, Styal, had the unenviable task of picking his winner from a strong entry of 30 cattle.

After some deliberation, he eventually chose his champion in the shape of a 742kg British blue cross heifer from Martin Wilcock, North Ashton.

High Peak meat wholesaler Lee Machin beat off strong competition to secure the heifer at 240p to gross a whopping £1780.80.

The judge chose as his reserve champion a blue cross heifer from the same stable. Displaying a fantastic loin and terrific conformation, she hit the scales at 580kg and was snapped up by Mr Machin at 270p (£1566).

In the young farmers section, the next generation of the Wilcock family kept the winning ways going. Thomas Wilcock exhibited a superb blue cross heifer, a proper butcher’s beast bought by David Kidd for Macclesfield butcher Nigel Wilcox, recording the day’s top price of 270 per kg.

The reserve champion ticket went to a steer shown by Barry Tomlinson, of Broxton, tipping the scales at 626kg and purchased by Chelford stalwart Phil Smith for Cheshire Halal at 202p (£1264.52).

Chelford’s cattle have a good reputation for quality and many local butchers and wholesalers showed unstinting support throughout the sale, resulting in a show average of 217.52 per kg.

In the commercial section, the trade continued from previous weeks at a high level, and the bull trade was on fire as the continued bad weather has led to a shortage in certain areas.

Bill Eden from Preston-on-theHill led the commercial trade at 180p/kg but some superb runs of black and white bulls stole the show, selling regularly over 150p and ensuring an overall average for the day of just under £950 per head which includes everything (21 friesian bulls inc).

In the cow, bull and over 30-month section, only 89 head on offer in total, but some superb quality animals realised outstanding prices.

Judge Bill Paterson chose as his champion, a powerful British blue cow from Messrs J H Kirk and Son, of Great Warford. At sale time, she weighed 906kg, also the heaviest cow of the day and sold for a thumping 191p/kg grossing £1730.46, to Lee Machin, of Waterhouses, who also bought the reserve champion, another British blue cross, this time from Messrs Curbishley, of Kermincham, which weighed 772kgs, at 169p/kg (£1304.68).

Best of the dairy bred cows was a holstein from Garnett Farms, Allostock, which weighed 744kgs and made 110p/kg. Leading the bulls was a 1028kg British blue which sold to 150p/kg (£1542).

The sheep section was most adversely affected by the weather, but a total entry of 744 was just enough to allow several of the larger buyers to open accounts. With little likelihood of many sheep being available in the NorthEast and Scottish Borders for a few days, all customers were understandably keen, resulting in a trade some 10-15p/kg up on the previous week on all weights, and outstanding prices for the leading show lambs.

Show lambs were obviously at a premium, with judge Geoff Mycock backing his judgement and taking home his choice as champions, Howard Taylor’s 40.4kg Charollais/texel crosses at 325p/kg (or £131.20 per head).

The young farmers’ champion lambs, 40.6kg Texel crosses from Team Speed shepherd, James McKenzie, made 275p/kg (£111.65).

Apart from the show lambs, strong demand from all regular butcher and wholesale buyers added to the short supply, which equalled many happy producers. Most of the premium quality, well finished lambs were from 180p to 200p/kg — a major feature was the trade created for heavier lambs, in excess of 45kg, and many over 50kg, which comprised over 1/3rd of the entry. Overall sale average was 175.2p/kg. A drastically reduced entry of cull ewes was way short of requirements.

Demand exceeded supply by a considerable margin, with a flying trade to match, to a top of £115 per head for Suffolk cross mules, and several pens of well-finished strong ewes from £80 to £100.

Gwyn Williams, partner, at Frank Marshall and Co, auctioneers, said: “It was a highly successful day topped off by a convivial evening as an excellent crowd defied the weather and gathered within our seasonally decorated main sale ring for the annual carol service held by Churches Together in Cheshire followed by mulled wine, coffee and mince pies provided by the Market Restaurant.”

Leek

A day decimated by snow, although the vendors that were brave enough to set out were well rewarded for their efforts.

One trend that all auctioneers agree upon is that markets are going to be short of finished lambs this winter and anyone with a chance of carrying stores should find it worth the effort.

There are also signs that nationally there is going to be a shortage of good quality clean cattle so prices should improve.

CLEAN CATTLE (13): a genuine lack of quality although prices showed an encouraging increase. Steers topped 139.5p for Montebelard with South Devon to 138.5p and commercials to 133.5p. Heifers topped 149p for a prime Limousin with commercial Herefords to 113.5p. Young bulls topped 136p for heavyweights. Top price steer £759.50p, heifer £767.35p, bull £727.60p.

OVER 30-MONTH STOCK (41): flying trade with all but one of the regular buyers having fought through the snow. Continentals to 118.5p and 116.5p for Belgians with Simmentals to 114.5p and MRI 109.5p. Best Friesians 109p with other Friesians 107.5p. Grade one cows averaged 103.5p, grade two to 93.5p (91p) with grade three to 84p (78p). Over-age clean to 130p. Top price of the day £955.30 (95.8p or £645 per head).

DAIRY CATTLE (15): snow wreaked havoc on Tuesday with the small herd from Chesterfield unable to get off the farm. A new date has provisionally been scheduled for 14th December. Even with treacherous conditions there were still 15 forward. Top call £1,860 for a cow giving 25kg, who went to Mr J Fernyhough, of Swythamley. Close behind at £1,830 was a fresh heifer with another at £1,790. Plenty of heifers were over £1,600. Q1 heifers to £1,860 (£1,827); Q2 to £1620 (£1,519); Q2 cows to £1415.

BUTCHERS’ LAMBS (371): the pre-Christmas trade too standardweights to 198p and 188p (161p). Mediumweights to 208p and 206p (175p). Heavy lambs to 181p (168p). Top price lambs 88.39. Lambs, premium: 208p (204p); prime 190p (172p); commercial 153p.

EWES AND STORE SHEEP (120): topping £93 for two pens (£74) with rams to £105 (£88).

CALVES (76): all the regula buyers were in attendance making sure nothing was given away. Bull calves topped £292 for a Simmental. Six Simmentals averaged £205. Blues topped £270 with 16 averaging £214. Limousins £232, six averaging £166. Blondes to £198 and Angus £138. Friesians £88 (£32). Heifers sold to £225 fo a Blue (£164). Limousins to £175 (£121). Simmentals £168.

Livestock group’s new boss upbeat over future

Mr Williams.

New Livestock Auctioneers Association chairman Gwyn Williams believes the organisation’s national infrastructure of skilled marketeers is perfectly positioned to play a key role in moving livestock around the country.

This is especially true in the event of disease outbreaks, movement controls, or national emergencies, said the auctioneer, of Frank Marshall in Chelford.

“The close links between our members, their firms, producers and purchasers are vital elements within the system to keep livestock moving to benefit purchasers and vendors, as well as the industry at large.”

He added: “Our specialist knowledge and contacts through the European Association of Livestock Markets can also help government ministers and industry leaders when they are negotiating new deals, or agreements on livestock controls and other regulations regionally, nationally, or internationally.”

Mr Williams BSc, MRICS, FAAV, FLAA was elected chairman of the association at its annual meeting in Worcester on 28th November. He is a partner at Frank Marshall and succeeds Bakewell auctioneer Alastair Sneddon, who has stepped down after a two-year stint as chairman of the national association.

LAA members handle the vast majority of all auction sales of farm livestock in England and Wales and the Association is also su orted b re resentatives of the Institute of Appraisers and Auctioneers in Scotland, as well as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and the Incorporated Society of Valuers and Auctioneers.

Speaking after his election last Sunday, Mr Williams, (52), said he was honoured to serve his fellow members and he hoped to build on the professionalism and integrity of all the association’s membe firms and their auctioneers to show purchasers, vendors, stakeholders and opinion formers just how strategically important the country-wide auction sales hub was to the industry.

As vice-chairman of the LAA, Mr Williams was responsible fo the organisation’s training and education portfolio and played a major role in establishing its Foundation Degree scheme fo auctioneers and valuers — the first officially recognised degree-level qualification for their industry.

A qualified ski instructor and keen cyclist, he has been at Chelford Market for the past 15 years where he has been in charge of the firm’s livestock, horticultural and machinery auction sales and the valuation o live and dead stock.

Originally from South Wales, Mr Williams says he has been selling and valuing cattle and sheep at markets since he was about 20-years-old and today his particular skills in valuing and selling pedigree cattle and sheep are recognised by his colleagues far and wide.

(Submitted photograph). Artistic ‘genius’ Donald dies of cancer aged 80

The Chronicle, Thursday, 9th December, 2010. www.chronicleseries.co.uk 7

CHRONICLEFEATURE

Celebrating Christmas at Congleton Market

A Congleton-born artist described as “a genius and a very rare talent” has died aged 80 after a long battle with cancer.

Despite suffering from oor eyesight following a car crash as a toddler, Donald Pass became a distinguished visionary artist.

One of his students was John Lennon and he was among the first to get art on the curriculum for prisoners.

Mr Pass died on Friday at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. His wife Jacqueline and their close friend Pamela were at his side.

Born in Congleton on 9th September, 1930, he was the second son of Mr and Mrs A J Pass.

After attending Mossley CE School he attended King’s School in Macclesfield.

was too poor due to the car crash in 1932.

Undaunted, he pursued his love of painting and began teaching art at Walsall Art College. From there he moved to Drake Hall Prison where he was the first to secure art as part of the curriculum for prisoners.

Following various other appointments he moved to teach at Liverpool College of Art, where Lennon was one of his students.

Mr Pass was a highly regarded abstract artist in the 50s and 60s. In his earlier career he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Stanley Spencer, Augustus John and LS Lowry, and held several exhibitions, both in the UK and abroad.

Following a mystical experience in an English churchyard in 1969, his art and life changed. He wrote down what happened: “Everything began to change and a tremendous darkness surrounded me. The whole landscape, churchyard, near and distant fields, seemed filled with thousands of figures stretching to the horizon. In the blackness was a tremendous light; large winged figures with faces like lions. A veil had been lifted and I would never again see anything in the same way.”

Dubbed a contemporary William Blake, Mr Pass had developed a love of painting from an early age and attended Burslem College of Art from 1947 to 1951, winning a scholarship to attend the Royal Academy School of Art in London for three years where he won the prestigious David Murray Landscape Award two years running and the RAS silver medal.

Called up for National Service, he opted to sign up for five years ut following a medical examination it was found that his eyesight

Continuing his painting, with many notable portraits including Mike Denness the then England cricket captain, in 1984 he embarked on a series of monumental charcoal drawings depicting the Resurrection.

On seeing these works, Sir John Rothenstein, the then director of the Tate Gallery, was dumbstruck, proclaiming Mr Pass “a genius and a very rare talent”.

He continued in his attempt to convey his unique vision; and in

Congleton-born Mr Pass died on Friday.

his final years attracted the attention of important museum collections in America, Britain and Europe, whilst filmmakers too had started to document his extraordinary story.

A family spokesman said: “Donald remained in touch with his experience until the very end. He will be remembered by his family and friends for his warmth and generosity of spirit, having sought to portray his angelic vision, in fact, he became its embodiment.”

(Submitted photograph).

Well, Christmas is almost upon us again at Congleton Market.

Congleton Market has been serving the needs of the people of Congleton and the surrounding areas since 1272. That’s right, 1272. Isn’t that amazing?

In recent years the market has been managed by Citymarkets and Christmas 2010 will mark the company’s 11th Christmas in Congleton.

The market is in the centre of Congleton at the Bridestones Centre, next door to Morrisons. It features more than 50 independent retailer stalls selling a huge range of goods, including a wide selection of fresh foods, household items, clothing and footwear, household textiles, giftware, Christmas cards, and hardware — in fact, everything you might need from day to day.

The retail market is open every Tuesday and Saturday from 9am until 4pm and a busy car boot sale is held every Sunday between 7am and 1pm.

In addition, a farmers’ market operates from the site on the first and third Tuesday of every month.

The market also has a car boot section open every Tuesday and Saturday with reduced rent stalls offered to car booters every Tuesday in December and January.

A new innovation for 2011 is the launch of the Congleton Craft Fair, with the first day being Sunday, 6th January, 2011. Applications to trade are invited from all craft sellers/exhibitors. All start-up craft businesses are invited to enter a “Dragon’s Den” type competition where the prize will be free stall spaces at the new craft fair.

Further details about the craft fair and the competition are available from cityadvice@yahoo.co.uk or by phoning the market manager Laurence Hodson on 07739 529 225.

Congleton Market will be open on all usual days over Christmas and new year, with an extra trading day on Christmas Eve, Friday, 24th December.

CONGLETON MARKET

Serving the Community since 1272

THETRADERS WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALLOURLOYAL CUSTOMERSAHAPPY XMAS AND PROSPEROUSNEWYEAR

FROM FRESH XMAS TURKEYS

TO GRANDMA’S XMAS PRESENTS

AT AFFORDABLE PRICES

YOU CAN GET IT ALL AT CONGLETON MARKET

XMAS OPENING

TUE. 21st, FRI. 24th OPEN AS USUAL FROM

TUE. 4th JAN

FOR STALL AVAILABILITY AND INFORMATION 07739 529 225