THE 121st Devon County Show kicked off last Thursday with thundering-hooved Shetland ponies, motorcycle acrobatics and the giant Devon Eye swinging the event into action.

Crowds turned out in their thousands to savour the best of the South West’s food and farming during the three days of the show.

EU Commissioner Phil Hogan and Environment Secretary Liz Truss, along with NFU president Meurig Raymond and CLA president Ross Murray met farmers at the curtain-raiser for the South West agricultural show season.

The crowds were treated to a mouth-watering array of food and drink, the region’s most impressive livestock and more than 600 trade stands.

This year’s highlights included the Shetland Pony Grand National, Bolddog Lings motorcross stunt team, Titan the Robot, a grand parade of livestock and the Devon Eye as well as many others.

SOLVEIGH Roissetter and husband Peter, who run Rosewyn Alpacas in Brightley near Okehampton, were showing their Suri alpacas at the show on Thursday.

The couple have been farming the rare breed of alpacas for nine years and on Thursday were pleased to receive a second place rosette for their adult black male Charlie.

Solveigh said: ‘Suri alpacas have long dreadlocks and a finer fleece. They are a rare breed and make up only 15% of the alpaca population worldwide. We have 15 alpacas at home and sell their fleece and use them for breeding. The boys and girls whose fleece is not so good we sell as pets as they are good for guarding sheep and chickens from foxes. They are herd animals though so you can’t just have one.’

Solveigh and Peter have been showing their alpacas at Devon County Show for nine years and Peter has been running the alpaca section of the show with Gary?Sanders for six years.

Peter said: ‘We‘re usually here for four days and our role is to make sure all the pens are set up properly, gather all the entries, to make sure everyone knows where they are going when they arrive and make sure the class judging runs smoothly.’

RACHEL Stephens of Curworthy Cheese, near Okehampton, created a cheesy cake worthy of sitting on the Queen’s dining table.

She said: ‘We won second place this year! We also won two thirds and another second – we were a bit disappointed because we entered a lot.

‘We have had quite a lot of interest already and one lady has booked a cheese wedding cake.’

l Rachel is pictured left with her Queen’s 90th birthday cheese cake.

STAFF from Lifton Farm Shop spent several days constructing a large display situated in the flower tent, this year based on the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

The display, which almost touched the roof of the tent, was constructed mainly from vegetables and was awarded a silver gilt.

Adam Mounce, from the farm shop, said: ‘We have had a lot of people interested in the display.

‘It took a lot of hard work from about six of us over the last few days to work on it.

‘We were trying to bring lots of vegetation into it because we grow a lot of vegetables and we wanted to show off what we do.’

GRAHAM Reddaway, from Winkleigh, was pleased to take a rosette home with him on Thursday after showing his Barwick Suffolks.

He said: ‘This is my 46th year of coming to the show and my tenth year of showing. We got seventh place out of 16 — getting a rosette at Devon County Show is like getting first place at Okehampton Show.

‘We’re showing two sheep today but have 30 altogether — it’s an expensive hobby!’

FOURTEEN-year old Abi Marshall from Bridestowe, is no stranger to handling large dairy cows having started showing when she was only eight.

At the show on Thursday Abi, who attends Lewdown Young Farmers’ Club, was showing her Guernsey cow named ‘Duchess’ and hoping for a rosette.

She said: ‘I like everything about coming to shows. I get quite excited. I did 15 shows last year and won ten handling championships.’

l Abi Marshall is pictured with her mother Tracy Marshall, father Leslie Rockett and Duchess.

THE Young Farmers’ clubs from across West Devon had each created their own small displays at the show. A selection can be seen here.