THE farming world officially heralded in the festive season at this year’s Dartmouth Fatstock Show in the Old Market.

Since the early part of the 20th century farmers have been bringing their sheep and cattle to the town’s Christmas market.

The event lapsed during the war but was keenly revived in the 1940s and not much has altered over the years in terms of tradition.

Show secretary Michael Pedrick said this year’s event on Tuesday was as popular as ever with generations of farmers out in force.

Among them was show chairman Lionel Bond, 78, who had overcome an accident on his tractor only weeks earlier to make the show he has never missed in 60 years.

Crowds on onlookers enjoyed milling among the pens of animals and watch the judging with classes for cattle, sheep and poultry as farmers battled it out for championship honours.

Towards the middle of the afternoon, bullocks and sheep were offered for sale at auction – many traditionally bought by local butchers and restaurants. Among those bidding was hotelier and show president Nigel Way.

Show secretary Michael Pedrick said there had been a good turnout of sheep and cattle and an excellent standard of entries, which made judging difficult.

Poultry entries were slightly down on last year at just under 100 birds, he said.

Supreme champion in the cattle was a Limousin steer belonging to BM and C Quantick of Teigngrace, who had also won shows in Kingsbridge, Totnes and Newton Abbot, as well as Widecombe-in-the-Moor. It sold for £1,550 to Darts Farm.

Reserve was a British Limousin steer, from AW Burrow and LK Fielding of Ashburton, bought by the Royal Castle Hotel for £1,550; while the local champion was a South Devon heifer, from SB Trant of Capton, which sold to the Sportsmans Arms for £1,800.

Robert Dart, of Halwell, won the champion sheep, with Richard Bond taking the reserve title.

The Reeve family, from Stanborough Farm, Halwell, won the poultry prizes.