The first prize show and sale at Kendal’s new auction mart was hailed a success as all classes of cattle traded at record high prices.

Buyers drove from as far afield as Warwickshire and North Wales for the event, described by mart managing director Adam Day as a ‘tremendous’ show.

He said all of the vendors were left ‘highly delighted’ with their trade.

The sale, sponsored by The Westmorland Gazette, saw renowned Warwickshire breeder Brian Smith’s first visit to Kendal as a prize judge.

He awarded the championship to a 10-month-old British Blue bullock from Stephen and Joanne Benson of Horrace Farm, Ulverston, which later went on to sell for £1,000 to the judge.

The reserve rosette was presented to Martin and Julie Winn of Burneside for a 17-month-old Limousin heifer, which sold for £1,300 to Messrs Tipling of County Durham.

Mr Day said: “All classes of cattle met a strong trade but with the spring grass still looking some way off, the younger end of store heifers probably met the most cautious trade.”

Black and white cows sold to 171.5p/kg from J & B L Ellis, New Hutton, and a top price per head was £1,313.96 for a cow from M & M Maud-sley & Sons, Endmoor.

Continental cows regularly broke the £2/kg barrier, topping on several occasions at 237.5p/kg.

A top price per head of £1,752.75 was for a British Blue cow selling to John Little.

Cast bulls sold to 209.5p/kg for a Limousin from D J & M J Hoggarth, Ulpha, and a top price per head of £1,589.24 for a Simmental bull from L A & M Lambert, Lupton, selling to R Anderson. Many more cows could have been sold – leaving an overall average of 161.4p/kg.

There was another strong entry of calves, with the number of buyers continuing to increase with each sale.

Beef bulls sold to £370 for a BBx from H J Robinson & Son, purchased by M J Whit-worth.

Dairy bulls topped at £205 from R J & J Gardner, with strong calves £138/£200.

* A monthly pig and sheep sale at the mart earlier in the week also saw high entries and a strong trade for all classes of hoggs.