Devons at Home in 2010

17th July 2009

The Devon Cattle Breeders Society of the UK have decided, following the wonderful tour arranged by our Australian cousins for the World Conference, to provide an interim tour of Devon Cattle to those who would wish to see Devon Cattle in their original homeland. The tour will start with a gathering in a London Hotel on Saturday 5th June where we will group up. The following morning the traveling and herd visits will start by heading North towards Huntingdon, in the East of the Country where you will have the opportunity to see some amazing animals from one of the biggest herds of Devon cattle in the UK. After visiting two herds we will settle into a hotel in the Cotswolds for three nights. The Monday and Tuesday herds in the locality will be viewed as well as some of the attractions in the area.

On Wednesday 9th June we will travel South going through Somerset and Devon to get within striking distance of The Royal Cornwall Show. We will drop in on a couple of farms on route to see some more Devon Cattle.

One of the highlights of the tour will be a visit to the Royal Cornwall Show.  This is a major 3 day show, showing off the very best in Agriculture from Cattle to Machinery. We will be at the Royal Cornwall Show early to see the judging of the Devons on the Thursday. This is a large show and we shall hope to get towards 100 Devons to the show. We will be returning to the same hotel for a second night.

The Friday will see us traveling right down to Lands End at the bottom of Cornwall where we shall see more cattle before returning to the county of Devon for the next three nights for a luxury stay in a top class hotel with a swimming pool, Golf Course and Health Club.

 A wonderful weekend of visiting some of the best Devon Cattle in Devon will follow. A few hand picked herds will be on show and we will be joined by many members of the society for a long and enjoyable weekend.

Monday and Tuesday will involve herds in Somerset and Dorset along with other places of interest before returning to London later on the Tuesday for the completion of the tour.

 The aim is to show variety and type.  This will be borne out by the various cattle systems in operation from Commercial Beef herds to Pedigree Female sales, As well as Organic, Traditional and Conventional Farming practices.  It is hoped that some facts and figures relating to digestibility of grasses will be available and publications of research material will also be available for comment.

This is not about a World conference, more of a Holiday and to see Devon Cattle for those that cannot wait until 2012 for the World congress in Brazil.

To try and make the tour enjoyable and relaxing at least two nights will be spent in each hotel. A luxury air conditioned coach will be used throughout. Virtually all meals will be included in the package, however an odd evening off would allow a visitors to do your own thing.

We appreciate this is almost a year away, but  are conscious that good hotels get booked up early and we do want to be able to give a trip to be remembered for all the good reasons.

At this stage it would be helpful to have an indication of interest and then we shall then move towards prices and booking by the end of the year.

Please respond to Gavin Hunter at  stationhunters@freeuk.com

                        or Lisa Roper at Lisa@fordeabbey.co.uk   with any questions or queries.