SO many people turned up to a Worcester show and sale that the auctioneer shouted himself hoarse and had to take a break!

But Clive Roads was back to his rapid-fire best after a few restorative sips of what looked like water - but could easily have been something stronger given the number of people bidding for his attention.

Strong entries and full pens had been encouraged to the McCartneys' annual Christmas Show and Sale at Worcester Livestock Market by the handsome prizes, with the Worcester Primestock Society acknowledging the generosity of the 17 sponsors who had contributed to the prize fund.

The superb quality of so many entries, both in the sheep and cattle classes, set the judges - Robert Tuckey for the cattle and G Gilder for the sheep - a difficult task of discriminating between near equals.

But winners were eventually chosen and Sally Barrett enjoyed a special birthday present by taking the Supreme Championship with her Limousin cross heifer.

Mrs Barrett and her husband Richard farm 450 acres of arable and grassland at Hodge Bank Manor, Bromyard. Their herd of 80 suckler cows and followers incorporate Limousin and Belgian Blue Crosses. They also run a flock of Welsh half-bred ewes which are crossed with Suffolk rams.

Keen bidding took the champion beast to 189.5 pence per kilo, totalling £1,155.95, paid by M Thomas of Wolverhampton.

The Reserve Champion was also a Limousin cross heifer, shown by Polly Bishop. There was again very competitive bidding, with TH Checketts of Ombersley succeeding with his bid of 184.5 pence per kilo, amounting to £968.63.

Gilbert Brooke won no less than four of the prime cattle classes, the Pair of Steers, Pair of Heifers, Best Single Steer and Bevis.

R Curnock Ltd topped the Best Four Steers and Best Heifers. Sally Barrett won the Best Homebred Beast and B Blandford and Son showed the Best Bull, while Polly Bishop won the Young Farmers Steer or Heifer class.

There was a continuing rise in demand and prices, with all types of the 175 prime cattle selling well, in the commercial classes as well as among the show cattle, which attracted premiums.

With over 2,700 sheep in the market, the superb show of lambs in both the show and commercial sections attracted a very strong contingent of buyers resulting in what oner trader described as "nothing short of a storming trade, with a rip-roaring demand for the best meated lambs".

Andrew Bishop won the Champion Pen with his Beltex cross lambs. He also took the Reserve Championship with another pen of Beltex crosses. Farmers Fresh bought both pens, the Champions for 200 pence per kilo (40kg lambs) and the Reserves for 116 pence per kilo (50kg lambs).

Andrew Bishop won the classes for Continental lambs, in both under 40kg and over 40kg groups. WW & JA McCurdie matched their success in the Native Breed Lamb classes, winning in both under and over 40kg per lamb groups.

The current boom in quality livestock auctions with the approach of Christmas serves as a reminder of the importance of auction marts in putting a bottom in the market. One has only to recall the depressed trade for finishing livestock when Foot and Mouth restrictions had closed down the markets.

Many producers now favour selling their stock direct to the end buyer, enabling the animals to make just one final journey to the abattoir.

This obviously minimises stress, but on the other hand the live auction enables both large and small producers to arrive at a fair price between willing seller and willing buyer.

And it is clear that the prices for selling direct are strongly influenced by average prices at auction.

When the livestock auctions were able to resume trading with the lifting of Foot and Mouth restrictions, there was an immediate impact in lifting contract price levels for selling direct.

With the vital service to livestock producers provided by live auction marts, one realises what a progressive step it was to build the new Worcester market out of the City with such excellent road and motorway access. What a congestion of trucks and lorries and farmers vehicles there used to be in the heart of Worcester on market days! While we have seen the closure of many auction markets in recent decades, with even the largest livestock mart in Europe at Banbury ceasing to trade, McCartneys deservedly look well set to go on meeting the needs of our important industry.