John Heard has been going to the Okehampton Show all his life,as a member of one of Okehampton’s oldest farming families, writes Sarah Pitt.

This year will be a little bit special, however, as he is taking on the job of overseeing it all as show president.

His important role at what is the 114th Okehampton Show will see him meeting and greeting people, presiding over the president’s lunch and coming along to do the all-important presentation of trophies at the end of the grand parade of livestock during the afternoon.

The role is one that John’s father Ken, now 90, has taken on before, but not John himself.

‘I’m very honoured,’ says the 60-year-old farmer.

‘It has come about because they alternate who is president from year to year. One year it is a businessman or someone connected with the town or an associated agricultural industry.

The next year it is a farmer.

I got asked by last year’s president John Shields, if I would take it on, with the agreement of the committee.’

John will be accompanied by his wife Sandra, his partner on the farm, on the day.The couple met as youngsters in the young farmers locally, then as now a good place to meet.

‘I was in Okey Young Farmers and she came from Bow Young Farmers and that is how we met,’ he said.

‘With the young farmers, there are dances going on most weeks. There are various other events too’

The couple celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary this year, and farming is still at the heart of their lives.Show day itself is definitely a family affair for them as while the John and Sandra are busy with the ceremonial side of things, the couple’s two sons James and Michael will be showing livestock. They farm at Hughslade Farm near Okehampton – Galloway cattle and Scotch Blackface sheep – the most common sheep on Dartmoor – which they graze on the moor high above the farm.

‘I was born here and I have lived here all my life,’ said John.

‘We are the third generation on the farm so I’m very honoured to have been asked [to be show president]. We have exhibited at the show, cattle and sheep for the past 30-40 years, and I have always really enjoyed the show. It is one of best one day shows in the South West.

‘I think they have got 1,200 sheep entered this year and 200 cattle so entries are doing well, whereas other agriculture shows in the area are finding their entries are down.’

He attributes this in part to the decision by the Okehampton Show committee to go ahead with the show at the last minute last summer, when many other shows locally decided not to, given that the covid situation changing week on week. A brave move, which paid off.

‘It was good, last year’s show was really well supported,’said John. ‘Everybody was glad to get out and it was a brave decision to hold it last year and it turned out to be the right decision.

‘And it puts us in a good position for this year’s show because everyone has supported us and the entries are up.’

When it comes to the animals you can see, he adds, ‘it isn’t just the cattle and sheep, there are horses, pigs and goats too. No chickens this year though, because of avian flu, but plenty to see. There is something for everyone’

‘It is still a proper agricultural show but there is a lot of other things going on at the same time.

‘That encourages everyone from all walks of life to come along. There are also heaps of trade stands and we have got one of the best food tents around which has all local produce, as well as a craft tent.’.

That said, the Thursday show is a special day for the farming community, but John stressed that is also valued by the residents of Okehampton more widely.

‘The people of Okehampton support it really well as well,’ said John.

‘It is a show for Okehampton. A lot of the community come from the town to go around and meet everyone and to go through as many tents as they can. We have to a lunch at 12 o’clock for guests and the mayor and local councillors.’

The show is a long-standing part of Okehampton life, having first been held in 1891 in a field lent by the first-ever show president, with over 4,000 people coming through the gate that year.

Barring national crises – the two world wars, the foot and mouth crisis and more recently covid – and a three-year gap in the 1960s the show has taken place each year ever since.

For many years, it was held on the field at the rugby club, closer to the centre of town.

When the show outgrew the site, it moved in 1982 to its current location at Stoneypark, to the west of the town, where it has been held ever since.