By Edward Swindells, Auctioneer, Palace Auctions London
On Sunday 11 October 2026 I had the great privilege of judging the Colin Stacey Stockman’s Championship at the North East Belgian Blue Club calf show at York Auction Centre. My family also sponsored the Young Handlers Championship. We re-presented the Edward Swindells Perpetual Memorial Trophy to the club. Therefore, it will now be awarded to the champion of the Young Handlers Championship.
It was a wonderful day among some of the finest cattle and the most dedicated young stock people in the country. It reminded me why the Swindells family, and Palace Auctions London with us, will always stand alongside Britain’s farmers, breeders and landowners.
The Colin Stacey Stockman’s Championship
Judging stockmanship is not simply about the animal. It is about the person at the halter: how they have prepared their calf, how they handle it in the ring, how calm and confident the pair are together, and how much care has gone in long before the show day. Those qualities are what build a farm, a herd and a reputation over a lifetime.
The standard was outstanding, and choosing a champion was not easy. My warmest congratulations go to Miss Harriett Townsend, winner of the Colin Stacey Stockman’s Championship and the Colin Stacey Shield. Harriett showed exactly the patience, skill and respect for her animal that every good stockman needs.
Edward Swindells Senior – a legacy in British cattle breeding
The trophy commemorates my father, Edward Swindells Senior, who helped revolutionise cattle breeding in the United Kingdom. Through the 1970s and 1980s he was widely known to a whole generation of farmers. In 1981 he became the first to win the Smithfield championship in London with a Limousin cross animal.
He was also one of the very first to import the Belgian Blue breed into the UK. He went on to promote and sell it widely. This was at a time when few in this country knew what the breed could offer. In 1986, 1987 and 1988 he and I built the Belgian Blue pedigree cattle sections at the agricultural shows together. Those are some of my proudest memories. Sadly, my father died in early 1989. However, his work lives on in the breed.
Every Belgian Blue in the ring at York owes something to pioneers like him. Our family’s support for the North East Belgian Blue Club is about continuing his legacy. In addition, we are building on it, generation by generation.
The Young Handlers Championship and the Edward Swindells Trophy
Our family was proud to sponsor the Young Handlers Championship this year. The Edward Swindells Perpetual Memorial Trophy was first given for the champion Belgian Blue heifer. Re-presenting it to the club for the young handlers felt right. The breed my father championed now has a trophy in his name that celebrates the next generation. These are the people who will carry British livestock farming forward.
The winner of the Young Handlers Championship, the Edward Swindells Trophy and our £100 special prize was Miss Phoebe Harrison-Storey. Many congratulations, Phoebe. It was a pleasure to see the trophy go to such a deserving young handler.
My thanks go to the North East Belgian Blue Club, its officers and volunteers, York Auction Centre for hosting, and every exhibitor, parent and helper who made the day such a success.
Why we support the livestock sector
I am a Lincolnshire man and have lived at The Dairies in Brant Broughton all my life. Farming, livestock and land are part of who my family is. Supporting shows like this is our way of giving something back to an industry that works hard every day, in all weathers, to feed the country and look after the countryside.
Shows also matter for a practical reason. They bring farming families together, keep standards high, and give young people a reason to stay in agriculture. When the next generation is confident in the ring, they are far more likely to be confident running a farm business.
27 years of land and property auctioneering
That same commitment runs through our work at Palace Auctions London. For more than 27 years we have helped farmers, landowners and investors buy and sell land and property by auction and under auction contract.
Land has always been close to my heart. The very first piece of land I ever sold at auction was the site that is now the Morrisons supermarket in Peterborough. My own family knows what it means to make a big decision about land, too. Around 2000 we sold our 100-acre Spanby Farm, near Sleaford, to fund a house-building project. Therefore, experiences like that are why I understand how personal a land sale is. That is why we treat every client’s land with the care it deserves.
How we help farmers, landowners and investors
- Selling land and farms: traditional auctions in the room and online, online auctions, and private treaty and off-market sales, all under an unconditional auction contract. This means you know exactly when you will exchange and complete.
- Development land and building plots: marketing consented plots and land with potential to builders, self-builders and investors.
- Bespoke advice: a one-to-one service, with guide prices, special conditions and sale terms set around your circumstances.
- Buyers and investors: a growing network of investors and agents looking for land, farms and income-producing property.
- No upfront fees for sellers: in almost all cases our sellers pay no upfront fees and no sales commission.
Land for sale at our Claridge’s auction – 28 October 2026
Our next auction takes place on Wednesday 28 October 2026 at 1.00 pm at Claridge’s, Brook Street, Mayfair, London, with bidding in the room, online, by telephone or by proxy. The catalogue includes land and building plots for farmers, builders and investors. Notably, some of these include:
- Lot 37 – Freehold building plot, land adjacent to 1 Manor Close, Ingleton, North Yorkshire LA6 3BF, with planning permission for a three-bedroom detached house, at a guide price of £20,000.
- Plot 4 – Land next to Springfield Social Club, Dudley Road, Rowley Regis.
Please view the full catalogue and legal packs on our website, and read the special conditions before bidding.
Thinking of selling land or property?
If you are a farmer, landowner or investor thinking about selling, buying or releasing value from land, I would be delighted to talk it through with you, in confidence and with no obligation.
Palace Auctions London
11 Old Bond Street, Mayfair, London W1S 4PN
Tel: 020 7101 3647 | Mobile/WhatsApp: 07971 033276
Email: sales@palaceauctions.com | palaceauctions.com
Once again, congratulations to Harriett, Phoebe and every young handler and exhibitor at York. We look forward to supporting the North East Belgian Blue Club for many years to come.
Edward Swindells, Auctioneer, Palace Auctions London
Page last updated: 16 October 2026