Celebrating the Centenary

 The Gloucestershire Old Spots Pig Breeders’ Club is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the remarkable achievement of 100 years of pedigree GOS pigs. That the breed teetered on the edge of extinction on a number of occasions means that this is a real milestone and we very much hope that someone in 2113 will be raising a similar fanfare in celebration of the breed’s first 200 years!

Here are some of the activities and events taking place in 2013:

Display at the Gloucester Folk Museum, Westgate Street, Gloucester

 Running from February to September (with a break in June while the exhibition is moved to the Royal Three Counties Show) the display is open to members of the public and inludes a number of items, photos and stories relating to GOS pigs over the last 100 years. The museum is open every day except Sundays and Mondays. Admission for adults is £3.00 and £2.00 for concessions. There is much else to see at the museum including the stuffed remains of Chedworth Pansy, a sow from the 1950s. More details of the display can be found here – Leaflet

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Chedworth Pansy 22, a permanent and very popular feature at the Gloucester Folk Museum.

On Thursday March 7th there was a press launch for the exhibition. Eric Freeman, left, is seen here welcoming guests to the exhibition. Eric is an Honourable Member of the Club and former committee member.
Former Committee member and local historian, Eric Freeman (left), welcomes delegates to the press reception at the Gloucester Folk Museum on 7th March.

AGM & Grand Afternoon Tea 13th April

The GOSPBC’s AGM is being held this year at Colesbourne Manor, near Cheltenham at the kind invitation of Sir Henry & Lady Elwes. Sir Henry is grandson of Colonel Elwes who kept the Colesbourne herd of GOS pigs and who was Chairman of the GOS Breed Society (and who was noted for running meetings ‘with military aplomb’.

The Elwes Memorial Cup awarded annually to the GOS Champion of Champions at the Royal Three Counties Show.
The Elwes Memorial Cup awarded annually to the GOS Champion of Champions at the Royal Three Counties Show.

The event is closed to paid-up members of the GOSPBC and their family guests.

The AGM takes place in the morning and will be followed by a ploughman’s lunch.

Sir Henry will then conduct a tour of the arbortum and grounds before returning to greet the arrival of the Club’s Patron, HRH The Princess Royal.

There will then be a Grand Afternoon Tea during which the Princess will present trophies and prizes for Club competitions including the Elwes Memorial Cup.

HRH The Princess Royal chats to guests at our Grand Tea Party
HRH The Princess Royal chats to guests at our Grand Tea Party

HRH Presents the Ray Sims Memorial Cup for GOS Pig of the Year to Mrs Judith Sims
HRH Presents the Ray Sims Memorial Cup for GOS Pig of the Year to Mrs Judith Sims

GOSPBC President, Dave Overton receives a commemorative plaque from GOSA President, Robyn Metcalfe and Vice-President Sally Doherty (right).
GOSPBC President, Dave Overton receives a commemorative plaque from GOSA President, Robyn Metcalfe and Vice-President Sally Doherty (right).

HRH The Princess Royal addresses members flanked by Secretary, Richard Lutwyche and President, Dave Overton.
HRH The Princess Royal addresses members flanked by Club Secretary, Richard Lutwyche and President, Dave Overton.
Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence talking to our guests from GOS of America.
Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence talking to our guests from GOS of America.

HRH talking to Jonathan Crump with around the table (clockwise) Lady Elwes, Sir Henry Elwes, Suzanne Moss, Harold Moss & Andrew Robinson
HRH talking to Jonathan Crump with around the table (clockwise) Lady Elwes, Sir Henry Elwes, Suzanne Moss, Harold Moss & Andrew Robinson
Our host, Sir Henry Elwes (foreground), shows delegates around the arboretum at Colesbourne Park.
Our host, Sir Henry Elwes (foreground), shows delegates around the arboretum at Colesbourne Park.

HRH meeting members of the committee and shaking hands with Helen Lightfoot flanked by Viki Mills, Judith Sims and Guy Kiddy
HRH meeting members of the committee and shaking hands with Helen Lightfoot flanked by Viki Mills, Judith Sims and Guy Kiddy

Pig Keeping Workshop, The Butts Farm, near Cirencester, 14th April

The following day sees us move from Colesbourne Park to The Butts Farm, by kind invitation of Judy Hancox & Gary Wallace, an open rare breeds farm and farm shop near Cirencester for a practical workshop on pigs and pig management. The programme for the day is as follows:

09.30 Arrive, tea & coffee

10.00 Interpreting the Breed Standard by Judith Sims

Judityh Sims shows off the points to look for when selecting pedigree stock.
Judith Sims shows off the points to look for when selecting pedigree stock.

11.00 AI for beginners by Guy Kiddy

Guy Kiddy gives an interesting talk on how to manage AI successfully.
Guy Kiddy gives an interesting talk on how to manage AI successfully.

12.00 Lunch – a hog roast

12.45 What the butcher wants by Gary Wallace and How to finish GOS pigs for meat by Judy Hancox

Gary Wallace talks to delegates on the importance of a quality carcase.
Gary Wallace talks to delegates on the importance of a quality carcase.

Some of the 100+ finishing pigs on view at The Butts Farm.
Some of the 100+ finishing pigs on view at The Butts Farm.

13.45 Countdown to the Royal Three Counties Show by Allison Littlehales, Mandy Garbutt and John Lightfoot

Mandy Garbutt explains the ins and outs of enjoying your showing experiences.
Mandy Garbutt explains the ins and outs of enjoying your showing experiences.

Marlene Renshaw explains what the judge is looking for in a show pig.
Marlene Renshaw explains what the judge is looking for in a show pig.

Alice Herbert has a go at walking a pig.
Alice Herbert has a go at walking a pig.

14.45 Tea and depart

The Royal Three Counties Show, 14th-16th June

Much of the celebration will be conducted at the annual Royal Three Counties Show at Malvern in June.

Special classes have been put on the encourage more exhibitors with the best turnout seen at a show for decades. There is a Young sow class and a special competition for novice exhibitors never having won a 1st prize at a BPA Approved Show. The GOSPBC is making a specila one-off prize for the Breed Champion of £100 with £50 for the Reserve. Judith Sims will be judging.

Alongside the pig lines will be a tented display to celebrate the centenary including much of the exhibition from the Gloucester Folk Museum, open for all three days to the public.

On the evening of Friday 14th June, there is a Hog Roast and Music celebration in the Members’ Pavilion open to everyone by pre-purchased ticket. It is being held jointly with the Rare Breeds Survival Trust who are celebrating their 40th anniversary at the same time. Tickets can be ordered from the Online Store click here

On the morning of Saturday 15th June, the annual Champion of Champions competition will take place with the top pigs from the leading shows in the country competing for the main prize being judged by Mrs Viki Mills & Mr Stephen Booth.

Adam Henson is a member of the GOSPBC.
Adam Henson is a member of the GOSPBC.
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Adam Henson from BBC’s Countryfile meets his mentor, Sarah Whitley from North Yorkshire and her gilt. It turned out to a contest of the farmer, Adam and the foodies, Tom Parker-Bowles and Charles Campion

In the afternoon of Saturday 15th June, the Club is working with the organisers of the show to stage an Old Spots Celebrity Challenge when celebrities including Countryfile presenter, Adam Henson, food writer and restaurant critic, Charles Campion and another foodie specialist, Tom Parker-Bowles, will all be challenged to conduct a GOS pig around a porcine obstacle course.

Food writer, Tom Parker Bowles with his pig and mentor, Anne Nicholls
Food writer, Tom Parker Bowles with his pig and mentor, Anne Nicholls
Not even with his advantage of stock handling on the farm meant that everything went Adam's way
Not even with his advantage of stock handling on the farm meant that everything went Adam’s way
Restaurant critic and food writer (and a regular on BBC's Masterchef) Charles Campion and his Winterwood pig and mentor, Judith Sims.
Restaurant critic and food writer (and a regular on BBC’s Masterchef) Charles Campion and his Winterwood pig and mentor, Judith Sims.

The celebrities entertained the crowds and went home with their prizes!

Grand Centenary Draw

To help to fund all these activities, the Club is organising a Grand Draw with a splendid selection of prizes donated by members, details below (see the poster). Tickets are £1 each and the draw will take place on September 7th. Any members requiring further stocks of tickets to sell should contact the Secretary via email at mail@oldspots.org.uk.

Poster

Publicity

To help increase awareness of our favourite breed, the Club is enjoying a higher public profile to celebrate the centenary. There was a 2 hour programme hosted by Vernon Harwood in February on BBC Radio Gloucestershire. Also in February, a full page article appeared in The Ark, the journal of the RBST and a two page spread featured in Practical Pigs, the mouthpiece of the BPA.

There will be a photo montage of our AGM & Grand Afternoon Tea in a forthcoming issue of Cotswold Life Magazine.

At all the major shows this year there will be banners proclaiming 100 Years of Porcine Perfection! and displays.

First outing for the new banners at South Suffolk Show
First outing for the new banners at South Suffolk Show

All this is intended to help to raise the profile of the GOS pig breed and reignite demand for breeding pigs, finishing stock and meat from pedigree GOS pigs.