Cup winning heifer sells for £2,400

Ellesmere dairy farmer Richard Howard held off a strong challenge by defending champion Alan Morris to win the silverware at the annual dairy show and sale in memory of the late Bill Higgins at Shrewsbury Auction Centre on Tuesday.

Mr Howard won the Bill Higgins Cup for his Kirkbly the Dublin sired heifer, which had calved on November 2 and sold for £2,400. He also took fourth place with a Debbie Jo Drake heifer, which sold for £2,120.

Defending champion Mr Morris, of Pen-y-bont, Oswestry, took the reserve championship with a Debbie Jo Drake daughter, which sold for £1,950 an third was J Allsop and Son, Enchmarsh, with a heifer that sold for £1,860.

Jane Hughes and Douglas Godwin from solicitors FBC Manby Bowdler, show sponsor, presented the prizes and the judge was Anthony Matthews.

The cup was first presented in 1996 by the family of the late Mr Bill Higgins, a renowned dairy farmer from South Shropshire.

“The supply of dairy cattle remains tight and interest remains strong for best quality,” said auctioneer David Giles, Halls’ dairy specialist and Shrewsbury Auction Centre chairman.