Hereford cattle breeders H W Coates of Cosby, Leicester, made it a double at the Hereford Cattle Society's spring show and sale by taking the male and female championships.

The male championship went to Costhorpe 1 Reliant by a previous Royal champion. The bull sold for 1,000 guineas to Pembrokeshire breeder J M Strand of Johnston Herefords.

The heifer championship was won by the in-calf Costhorpe 1 Judy, bought for 700 guineas by Mr A Dobson of Ridgewardine Herefords, Suckley.

Mr Clive Richards of Ullingswick took the top price when selling Lowerhope 1 Sam for 1,750 guineas to Mr F G Arrowsmith of Oaklea Herefords, Marden.

Dennis Jones and family from Caersws, Newtown, continued their run of successes at the breed sales, selling two young bulls at 1,550 guineas each.

The average auction price for bulls was £1,128.75 and for heifers £640. The auctioneers, Russell, Baldwin and Bright, also conducted a dispersal sale, following the untimely death of Mr Cliff Bostock of Amersham, Buckingham.

His Chilternhill herd was moved to Hereford and the well-attended sale saw the cows and calves average just short of £700.

Top price of 1,200 guineas was paid for the seven-year-old cow, Clenham 1 Rosabel with her heifer calf at foot. The buyer was Mr K L Cooper of Chetwood Priory, Buckingham, a newcomer to the breed.

Setting up a new herd on the Isle of Wight, Mr R L Poulter purchased eleven lots for a tottal of £6,835.

Another newcomer, Mr Jason Winfield, after spirited bidding, secured six lots for £2,898 to form the nucleus of a new herd to be based in Eldersfield, Gloucester.

In all, the 43 lots sold were bought by six existing breeders and ten newcomers, an encouraging sign for breed expansion to meet the demand currently being experienced through the National Hereford Beef Scheme with Waitrose.