'They're the future of farming': Kendall's Farm Butchers ‘delighted’ to buy prime lamb reared by Nidderdale’s young champions

Kendall’s Farm Butchers, in Pateley Bridge and Harrogate, bought up the brace of prize-winning prime lambs awarded to the brothers at The Young Handlers show 2023.

Oliver Marshall, 11, from Monk Ing Farm in Dacre, was awarded the young handlers’ championship with his all-black homebred Beltex lamb alongside his elder brother, Thomas Marshall, 12, who finished runner-up in the same show class.

Oliver, a pupil at Dacre Braithwaite Primary School, was awarded the Hannah Brown Memorial Trophy, which was presented by Martin and Val Brown in honour of their late daughter.

The prized lambs went under the hammer at auction where they took a ‘show-stopping’ £260 and a further £200 for the top homebred lambs.

The brace of prize-winning lambs was claimed by Kendall’s Farm Butchers’ owner Paul Kendall, who invested in the brothers champion lambs.

Paul Kendall, a third generation butcher, said: “The Marshall family has been regular customers since the year dot.

“Both their boys are local up-and-coming young farmers who represent the very future of farming, and I was keen to support them and delighted to buy their lambs.

“Both are now available as lamb roasts, plus all the other popular cuts, at Kendall’s two shops in High Street, Pateley Bridge, and Skipton Road, Harrogate.”

Established in 1967, Kendall’s Farm Butchers has won multiple awards at both a regional and a national level.

Most notably famous for their pork pies, with over 20 different flavours, the pies are said to have made way as far afield as Australia.

Kendall’s Farm Butchers is also committed to a long-standing local supply ethos.

Mr Kendall said: “We have always strived to build great relationships with our suppliers and local farmers, only buying hand-picked meat from our local auction marts.

“That way we can guarantee provenance and quality, at the same time keeping down food miles to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare.

“We are great believers in supporting our local agricultural communities, which in turn benefits the local economy.”