Winning the Berkshire Pig Breeder's Club "Champion of Champions" competition at the Berkshire County Show at Newbury (Sept 20th) has rounded off an enjoyable year in the pig-ring for me with my pigs. Living near Dartmouth in South Devon most shows are a good distance away, but I made the decision this year to do as many as possible. "Live for today!" is the family motto. I find showing adds an extra dimension to the pig-keeping all year round and I enjoy the challenge of getting the pigs into prime condition for each show.

Yorkshire was the longest drive, but I stopped half-way up from home in Devon for the last Royal Show at Stoneleigh. Whilst in Yorkshire I was able to visit relatives in Sheffield and also do research for articles I write for the BPA newsletter, so it was a multi-purpose joumey. The Yorkshire show was well organized and it was good to compete against the Yorkshire breeders as we meet only occasionally.

Dittisham Lady 36 won at Mid-Devon and Okehampton, qualifying for the Newbury Championship where Sunday's judge Mr Guy Kiddy rated her better than the other 15 pigs from all over the country that were in the ring. This gilt Dittisham Lady 36, is one of those lucky breaks as she is better than both her dam (a really pretty, chunky sow who has rarely been shown) and sire (who has been exported to France). She is all correct in the teat line and markings, a good straight walker and faster growing than any other pig that I have bred. I can't believe how lucky I am to still have her, and how bad a judge I am of the growing pig! I tried to sell her to a good friend in July but another gilt looked better at the time. Then she won at Mid Devon and I decided to keep her. Mind you, she changed a lot in this time, and moulted, she wasn't at the Royal or Yorkshire as she wasn't looking well and the last thing I needed on my ll day trip to the two shows was an unwell pig! Her growth rate and transformation since then have been exceptional. She farrowed 9 piglets in November; so farrowing again, hopefully 1st May 2010, she'll miss the early shows next year but will be back at Newbury, all being well!

Peverell Suzanne 4 was bred by Mrs Fiona Shaw of Bradford Peverel, Dorset. I received a photo of her as a six month-old gilt when I was about to sell a Nama Abel boar to Fiona back in 2005, we decided to swap pigs, we are both very happy with the outcome. The interesting thing about showing is that different judges have different opinions, Saturday's judge at Newbury rated this sow the best Berkshire, with my July gilt winning her class but not placed in the overall Breed Championship.

This sow also makes it obvious that there could be lots of pigs around the country that are good enough to be shown, but their owners cannot do so for one reason or another. If you think you have good pigs but are daunted by the prospect of showing, my advice would be to enter a one-day show, turn up, and you'll be surprised how much help you'll get from the stewards and from other competitors. Pig boards could be borrowed (but they are useful at home anyway?). You'll just need a white coat and a pig stick or lightweight walking stick.

Training? What training? Some people say they do it, but most train a pig at their first show! Personally I keep my pigs outside and they will not respect a board or stick in their own field, but get them onto foreign territory (the show ground) and they don't know where to run to, so they soon learn to walk (or run) between the board on their left blocking their vision, and the stick on their right encouraging them to keep straight.

I am sure we would all love to see more Berkshire exhibitors next year!