Along with the many crowds of locals, visitors and the farming and business communities of Devon who enjoyed the three days of this year’s Devon County Show was HRH The Countess of Wessex, who is President of the Devon County Agricultural Association which stages the Show. She spent Thursday and Friday meeting many volunteers, exhibitors, competitors and visitors.
Farming is at the heart of the Show and Devon farmers enjoyed great success in the Show ring taking the blue riband of the livestock classes, the interbreed cattle championships.
In the new XL Food & Drink Pavilion there were demonstrations from local chefs including Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines. Also, there were more local producers in the new-style pavilion with its own eating area.
One of the highlights of the Show was created by the people of Devon who hand-crafted more than 33,000 poppies as a tribute to the men and women of the county who lost their lives in the First World War. After the show, poppies will be safely stored until they are displayed in Exeter Cathedral in November.
This year's big winners of the Devon Farm Business Awards, run with the Addington Fund and Stephen Scown LLP, were Colin and Glenys Latham of Higher Stowford Farm, Ilfracombe, who were awarded the titles Devon’s Farmer of the Year and Best Commercial Farmer.