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David Hodge
Farmer and breed judge
The view as you drive down from Lower Halstock Farm, high on the hills of Dartmoor, is amazing. David Hodge’s family have lived and farmed these moors since 1770 and David is as passionate about his animals as his forefathers must have been. Now, he has brought some new breeds to the land.
The most recent additions to the farm are commonly known in the popular press and on the internet as ‘the cutest sheep in the world’ - Valais Black Nose - which David and his partner Julian imported from Switzerland five years ago.
David said: ‘In about February 2014, Adam Hanson from Countryfile was filmed bringing them down from the mountains - Julian and I saw them and thought: “What about some of them?”’
The sheep finally arrived on Dartmoor in October that year - then the Swiss government announced on December 31st that no more Black Valais could be exported.
Such a move made these sheep, already rare in their native country, incredibly difficult to get hold of - but the timing has meant David and Julian have a growing herd that’s in high demand. From the original ten females and three males, they now have 40 of these large, unusual-looking sheep. Both David and Julian are involved within the Valais Black Nose Breed Society with David as chairman. It’s a society going from strength to strength, with breed classes at all the major county shows in the South West.
So what’s different about Black Valais?
David said: ‘They breed twice a year, you have to shear them twice a year, they are very quiet, they like people, you never need to use a sheepdog with them. Their milk is very rich - the lambs are born quite slight, but after three days they are massive. When we first had them our vet couldn’t believe how big they were. A lot of people think they are small and fluffy when they see a picture, but they aren’t! And there’s high demand for their wool for spinning and feltwork, it’s quite soft and fine but strong.’
David and Julian don’t breed the Valais for the meet, though they have tasted it, describing it as ‘lean and tasty’.
There’s even demand for the wethers - castrated male sheep - as pets. A win-win breed all round!
In addition to the Black Valais newcomers at Lower Halstock, there are 200 pedigree belted Galloways, a herd started by David’s father in the late 1960s, Scotch black faced sheep grazing up to 2,000ft on the hill and pedigree Exmoors and Welsh Mountain sheep on the farm.
Then there are the equines - around 100 pedigree Shetland ponies, both miniatures and standard, plus 20 pure Dartmoor ponies.
These beautiful, sturdy little ponies are exported by David and Julian all over the world, from India to the USA and just about every country in Europe.
The miniature Shetlands are sold for show, breeding and driving purposes - the standards and the Dartmoor ponies make ideal first riding ponies too.
David said: ‘We’ve just sold a package of five to a family from Isreal who’ve just started up a stud. They came over for two weeks - lovely people, they are aiming to set up a riding for the disabled place.’
How do they feel, seeing the animals they’ve bred and looked after so carefully, being exported?
‘It never gets any easier,’ said David. ‘You hope they go on to have good lives – it’s a great reward to see our bloodlines going all over the world.
Between January and the beginning of May, it’s a hectic time on the farm. About 28 of the Black Valais will lamb first, then the Exmoors in March and finally the Scotch Black Faces at the beginning of April. Bearing in mind there are some 2,000 sheep at Lower Halstock, that’s a lot of lambs!
‘It’s a busy time, but it’s also enjoyable and you see if your breeding programmes are working and going to plan, which I hope they are,’ said David.
Then it’s the start of the showing season, which sees David and Julian travelling all over the country to exhibit their pedigree stock - an important job when it comes to marketing their animals. They will also judge classes both in the UK and abroad - even as far afield as Australia, where they were judging equines three years ago.
‘I loved Australia,’ said David. ‘It’s funny, I never thought I’d really like it there, but I think I could stay there quite easily - and the weather was lovely!’
Jane Honey