Devon County Show 2008
Champion Support Group Members
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| Champion White Park | Champion in the Primitive Sheep Class - both 4 horned Manx |
Several support group members exhibited livestock at the Devon County Show in the rare breeds and other classes. Here’s a round up of the results, with apologies for those I have missed.
Roger and Dodie Huxter’s Shetland sheep swept the board, winning the breed and reserve breed championship as well as the natural coloured fleece class. In the rare breed sheep classes, David and Eileen Heath’s group of 3 Portland sheep came out top over the Wensleydales, Galways and Cotswolds. Richard and Barbara Barker’s Manx Loaghtan shearling ram was the Primitive sheep champion with Hillary Hanson’s Manx ewe and lambs as reserve (see above photograph to the right).
In the Pig classes, Devon members the Uglow family had the champion British Saddleback. In the Berkshire classes the championship was won by Ian Todd and reserve by Sue Fildes. Other rare breed pigs on show were Gloucester Old Spot, British Lop, Large Black and Tamworth.
The Show’s livestock secretary was delighted with a total of 19 exhibits in the new cattle class for “any other pure breed beef cattle”. Among the Longhorns, White Parks, Sussex and Lincoln Reds on show were support group member Alison Bunning’s Belted Galloways who won the special prize for a local exhibitor. The overall champion was a White Park bull (photgrpahe to the left above) with a Longhorn as reserve, both really excellent examples of the breeds.
We all had a lot of fun showing our animals, talking to the public and in some cases having lots of photos of the animals looking appealing/pretty/awesome (delete as applicable!). Yes it’s time consuming, yes it costs but what a great opportunity to present rare breeds to a wider public. So come on the rest of you, make sure we don’t get too big for our boots and have a go yourselves!
Reported by Hilary Hanson