Nick Bibby saw me at his local County Show - Devon - in 2008 when he was looking for a portfolio of 15 different farm animals to sculpt for a 'Champion animals' exhibition planned to take place two years later, March 2010. I was lucky that he chose one of my pigs, but by the time he came to visit (in July ) my winning sow from Devon Show had farrowed and was definitely not at her best, but Dittisham Lady 22 definitely was. She was three months in-pig with the litter that was to include the gilt who won the Berkshire Breeders Club 'Champion of Champions' title in 2009, thus confirming my admiration for this sow who never actually won anything as a show sow.

The day he visited to meet the sow and take some 250 photos from every angle and of every detail of the sow, the farm was shrouded in low cloud rather unusual for mid summer in this location 450 feet above sea level but only a few mites from the South Devon coast. It was March 2009 that he returned with his wax sculpture for my opinion. We went up to see the sow who by this time was suckling her subsequent litter and critically compared the two, Only very small alterations were required. A year later all 15 different animal castings were completed and the very attractively finished casting of my pig was chosen for the postcard-style Sladmore Gallery exhibition invitation cards so clearly she's the gal levies favourite piece.

About Nick Bibby: Nick Bibby is acclaimed as one of the leading wildlife sculptors of his generator. Born in County Durham in 1960, Nick has always been fascinated by the natural world. His talent was evident at an early age and he began sculpting commercially at sixteen, By nineteen he was a director of a leading miniature figurines company and he went on to work as chief design consultant for a French ad company, and then as a sculptor and model-maker for television and stills advedising in London.

Nick, returning to his first love the natural world, began working in bronze in 1 091 . I think this piece shows he is hugely talented and his works all show an exquisite attention to detail.

The 'Champion' bronzes are produced in a limited edition of 12 each, by hand, using the Lost Wax process (Cire perdue) which was first used over 5500 years ago and is sill an enormously skilled and labour intensive process. AII Bronzes are cast by Pangoli n Ed itio ns Found ry, Chalford, Gloucestershire.

Sue Fildes, the Dittisham herd.

For more information visit www.nickbibby.com or www.sladmore.com
Sladmore gallery is at 32 Bruton Place off Berkeley Square. London. W1J 6NW