Devon County Show - ifra.com€¦ · hard work but it’s not too bad. Depending ... show and then...
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Devon Today Page 34-35 16/04/2008 34 devontoday May 2008 35 May 2008 devontoday ➤ The Poultry Club of Great Britain has upgraded the show to regional status, which means some of the classes have become prestigious cup classes. “I am very much looking forward to the show this year. As long as bird flu keeps away it should be good!” said John. For the Wakeham family, breeding birds is a family affair. For the last six years Derek and Julie and their children Daniel, Andrew and Kelly have been competing in the show and have won many national prizes. At Sign of the Owl Birds, in Ivybridge, they keep rarer breeds of ducks, chickens, turkeys and geese, such as Sumatras and Orpingtons. “We have won best in show with our Sumatras twice,” said Andrew. “The show is good exposure for us. We put the best birds up and if people are interested hopefully they will get involved and come along and have a look. It’s addictive! “More people should keep chickens. They are fascinating creatures. People think it’s hard work but it’s not too bad. Depending on the size of the bird, a three foot by three foot hutch will hold up to six as long as they can come out in the day and have room to run around in. The average back garden would be large enough. They adapt to their surroundings quickly. “My favourite breed is the Orpington. They are massive with lots of feathers. They look big, but they are just soft, gentle giants. Come along and have a look!” Pigs and sausage competition Wander through the giant showground and you’ll find pens of neatly groomed pigs waiting for their chance to shine in the ring. Twelve breeds will be on show in the Tesco pig ring including the endangered British Lop — a white pig with floppy ears — and many other British classics. Chief pig steward Arthur Uglow is a practised hand at pig showing and judging and has developed an eye for spotting potential prize-winning animals. “If they’re going to be show pigs, they shine all through all their lives — I knew one breeder who swore he could see it from about three days old!” said Arthur. Among the exhibitors this year is Ian Todd, of Smallicombe Farm, a small traditional rare breed and pedigree farm near Colyton. He is showing Berkshires and Middle Whites. “Middle Whites are one of the rarest and most endangered breeds in the country,” he said. “All of the traditional breeds are rare because they have been overtaken and made redundant by the commercial pigs. The traditional breeds are seen as old-fashioned, slower-growing and with smaller carcasses. “We prepare the pig one week before the show and then on the day you give it its final wash and brush. “The black pigs will be oiled to soften the skin and bring out the colour, while with white pigs we wash them and then brush them with a commercial sawdust as fine as talcum powder. It makes them brilliantly white. “We always look forward to the Devon County Show. You never know what the competition will be like!” Purely Pynes sausage-maker Deborah Custance Baker will be exhibiting the best specimens from her herd of Large Blacks, but as head steward of the sausage competition, which is in its fifth year, she is also responsible for making sure the best quality bangers make it to the show. “It is amazing how few children know where a sausage comes from and we hope the competition will catch people’s attention,” she said. “The judges look at the raw sausage and make sure it is mixed properly with no air pockets. They note the shrinkage changes and then taste them. You want a sausage that cooks nicely, looks good and tastes good. Last year we had 50 entries so the poor judges were eating 50 sausages in one day! The judge this year will be butcher Dave Hoggett and a secret food celebrity. “The whole idea is to make people aware that the majority of pigs at the county show are the traditional breed and if you don’t eat them they will die out. There is a huge difference between a store-bought sausage and a naturally made local sausage.” Sheep Competition is tough but friendly among the sheep exhibitors. With more than 30 breeds on display, the Tesco sheep rings provides wonderful insight into some of the varied breeds found on Westcountry farms. Regional breeds include Greyface Dartmoor, Devon Closewool, Devon and Cornwall Longwool, Dorset Down, Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset, Exmoor Horn and White Face. Continental breeds like Rouge de l’Ouest, Blu du Maine and Berrichon du Cher will also be on display, while British primitive and rare breeds will feature in their own classes. For Graham Hill, of Ashtree Farm in Sidmouth, exhibiting sheep at the county show is a family affair. While Graham, who is chairman of the South West Texel Club, is showing six or seven of his prize pedigree Texels, both of his children, 10-year-old Annabel and Scott, 12, will be competing in the young handlers’ class, and Annabel will also be riding in the horse section. “It’s about getting them out and competing for the experience,” said Graham. “I’ve been a shepherd on the Clinton Estate here since 1984 and built the flock up. I’ve been showing for about 10 years. No clipping or grooming is allowed: it’s all got to be au naturel! “I very much enjoy the show. It’s a great chance for everyone to catch up and share good points and bad points and discuss the lambing season. It’s fantastic to see some superb flocks in all breeds of sheep. Shows are a fundamental part of our farming life — you have to have them.” For Graham and his fellow breeders, one of the highlights of the show is talking with children and letting them touch the animals. “The breeders let them pick and prod the sheep and like to stop and chat with the kids,” he said. “I am hoping the kids come to the show and that it keeps them in touch with real animals.” Goats While dairy goats are kept for their milk, angora goats are famous for their soft fleeces. Richard and Mary Yong, of Yealmpton, breed angora goats for their white mohair, and have been doing so for 20 years. This year they will be competing in each of the five goat classes and six fleece classes. “Competition is very stiff in Devon because some of the best angora goat breeders are down here and we will also have contestants from all over the UK,” said Mary. The goats have to be cleaned and washed and their hooves need trimming, so preparation is hard work. “You have to shampoo the hair very lightly and you don’t comb or brush them like you do with sheep because it will spoil the mohair and make it fluffy, it’s supposed to be in ringlets,” explained Mary. “The last time you wash them you want to make sure it’s a bright sunny day so the wind dries out the mohair. Then you keep them clean and bedded down in straw.” Horses and show jumping The equestrian area encompasses a wide range of breeds and entertaining performances. This year, record numbers are expected to compete in the events, packed into four rings. In the show jumping section there will be an open show-jumping class for riders in BSJA Region J — a great opportunity for local riders to jump at county show level. The Renault Jump series, now in its second year, is returning, with league points allocated to the highest placed eight competitors at nine events staged in England, Scotland and Wales, culminating at the Royal Berkshire Show in September. ➤ ‘The show is good exposure for us. We put the best birds up and if people are interested hopefully they will get involved and come along and have a look,’ says Andrew Wakeham, pictured with his father, Derek, and brother, Daniel Devon County Show Richard and Mary Yong’s angora goats
Transcript of Devon County Show - ifra.com€¦ · hard work but it’s not too bad. Depending ... show and then...
Devon Today Page 34-35 16/04/2008
34 devontoday May 2008 35May 2008 devontoday
➤ The Poultry Club of Great Britain hasupgraded the show to regional status, whichmeans some of the classes have becomeprestigious cup classes.
“I am very much looking forward to theshow this year. As long as bird flu keepsaway it should be good!” said John.
For the Wakeham family, breeding birds isa family affair. For the last six years Derekand Julie and their children Daniel, Andrewand Kelly have been competing in the showand have won many national prizes. At Signof the Owl Birds, in Ivybridge, they keeprarer breeds of ducks, chickens, turkeys andgeese, such as Sumatras and Orpingtons.
“We have won best in show with ourSumatras twice,” said Andrew.
“The show is good exposure for us. Weput the best birds up and if people areinterested hopefully they will get involvedand come along and have a look. It’saddictive!
“More people should keep chickens. Theyare fascinating creatures. People think it’shard work but it’s not too bad. Dependingon the size of the bird, a three foot by threefoot hutch will hold up to six as long as theycan come out in the day and have room torun around in. The average back gardenwould be large enough. They adapt to theirsurroundings quickly.
“My favourite breed is the Orpington.They are massive with lots of feathers. Theylook big, but they are just soft, gentle giants.Come along and have a look!”
Pigs and sausagecompetitionWander through the giant showground andyou’ll find pens of neatly groomed pigswaiting for their chance to shine in the ring.Twelve breeds will be on show in the Tescopig ring including the endangered BritishLop — a white pig with floppy ears — andmany other British classics.
Chief pig steward Arthur Uglow is apractised hand at pig showing and judgingand has developed an eye for spottingpotential prize-winning animals.
“If they’re going to be show pigs, theyshine all through all their lives — I knew onebreeder who swore he could see it fromabout three days old!” said Arthur.
Among the exhibitors this year is IanTodd, of Smallicombe Farm, a smalltraditional rare breed and pedigree farmnear Colyton. He is showing Berkshires andMiddle Whites.
“Middle Whites are one of the rarest andmost endangered breeds in the country,” he
said. “All of the traditional breeds are rarebecause they have been overtaken andmade redundant by the commercial pigs.The traditional breeds are seen asold-fashioned, slower-growing and withsmaller carcasses.
“We prepare the pig one week before theshow and then on the day you give it itsfinal wash and brush.
“The black pigs will be oiled to soften theskin and bring out the colour, while withwhite pigs we wash them and then brushthem with a commercial sawdust as fine astalcum powder. It makes them brilliantlywhite.
“We always look forward to the DevonCounty Show. You never know what thecompetition will be like!”
Purely Pynes sausage-maker Deborah
Custance Baker will be exhibiting the bestspecimens from her herd of Large Blacks,but as head steward of the sausagecompetition, which is in its fifth year, she isalso responsible for making sure the bestquality bangers make it to the show.
“It is amazing how few children knowwhere a sausage comes from and we hopethe competition will catch people’sattention,” she said.
“The judges look at the raw sausage andmake sure it is mixed properly with no airpockets. They note the shrinkage changesand then taste them. You want a sausagethat cooks nicely, looks good and tastesgood. Last year we had 50 entries so thepoor judges were eating 50 sausages in oneday! The judge this year will be butcherDave Hoggett and a secret food celebrity.
“The whole idea is to make people awarethat the majority of pigs at the county showare the traditional breed and if you don’t eatthem they will die out. There is a hugedifference between a store-bought sausageand a naturally made local sausage.”
SheepCompetition is tough but friendly among thesheep exhibitors. With more than 30 breedson display, the Tesco sheep rings provideswonderful insight into some of the variedbreeds found on Westcountry farms.
Regional breeds include GreyfaceDartmoor, Devon Closewool, Devon andCornwall Longwool, Dorset Down, DorsetHorn and Poll Dorset, Exmoor Horn andWhite Face. Continental breeds like Rougede l’Ouest, Blu du Maine and Berrichon du
Cher will also be on display, while Britishprimitive and rare breeds will feature in theirown classes.
For Graham Hill, of Ashtree Farm inSidmouth, exhibiting sheep at the countyshow is a family affair. While Graham, who ischairman of the South West Texel Club, isshowing six or seven of his prize pedigreeTexels, both of his children, 10-year-oldAnnabel and Scott, 12, will be competing inthe young handlers’ class, and Annabel willalso be riding in the horse section.
“It’s about getting them out andcompeting for the experience,” saidGraham. “I’ve been a shepherd on theClinton Estate here since 1984 and built theflock up. I’ve been showing for about 10years. No clipping or grooming is allowed:it’s all got to be au naturel!
“I very much enjoy the show. It’s a greatchance for everyone to catch up and sharegood points and bad points and discuss thelambing season. It’s fantastic to see somesuperb flocks in all breeds of sheep. Showsare a fundamental part of our farming life —you have to have them.”
For Graham and his fellow breeders, oneof the highlights of the show is talking withchildren and letting them touch the animals.
“The breeders let them pick and prod thesheep and like to stop and chat with thekids,” he said. “I am hoping the kids cometo the show and that it keeps them in touchwith real animals.”
GoatsWhile dairy goats are kept for their milk,angora goats are famous for their softfleeces. Richard and Mary Yong, ofYealmpton, breed angora goats for theirwhite mohair, and have been doing so for 20years. This year they will be competing ineach of the five goat classes and six fleececlasses. “Competition is very stiff in Devonbecause some of the best angora goatbreeders are down here and we will alsohave contestants from all over the UK,” saidMary.
The goats have to be cleaned andwashed and their hooves need trimming, sopreparation is hard work.
“You have to shampoo the hair very lightlyand you don’t comb or brush them like youdo with sheep because it will spoil themohair and make it fluffy, it’s supposed tobe in ringlets,” explained Mary. “The lasttime you wash them you want to make sureit’s a bright sunny day so the wind dries outthe mohair. Then you keep them clean andbedded down in straw.”
Horses and showjumpingThe equestrian area encompasses a widerange of breeds and entertainingperformances. This year, record numbersare expected to compete in the events,packed into four rings. In the show jumpingsection there will be an open show-jumpingclass for riders in BSJA Region J — a greatopportunity for local riders to jump atcounty show level. The Renault Jumpseries, now in its second year, is returning,with league points allocated to the highestplaced eight competitors at nine eventsstaged in England, Scotland and Wales,culminating at the Royal Berkshire Show inSeptember. ➤
‘The show is good exposure for us. We put thebest birds up and if people are interested hopefullythey will get involved and come along and have alook,’ says Andrew Wakeham, pictured with hisfather, Derek, and brother, Daniel
Devon County Show
Richard and MaryYong’s angora goats
