It’s August 2025, and the 123rd Chagford Show is in full flow with people coming together to celebrate rural life and countryside traditions. Over in the Livestock Area, there are pens full of cows and sheep, with proud owners tending to them and giving them a final groom while eagerly awaiting the start of their showing classes.

Judging is about to begin for the sheep classes. Sheep are judged in categories grouped by breed or use, with various classes in each category for different ages and sexes plus a ‘Young Handlers Class’ for children under 16 years old.

Entrants in these classes come from all over Devon and Cornwall, and many have been coming to Chagford Show year after year with their animals with the hope of being ‘in the ribbons’ (being placed 1st-4th and awarded a rosette and/or trophy, and sometimes a cash prize).

Among the people preparing their sheep for showing were the Mortimore family. Five-year-old Stanley (Stan) and his mum Amanda, uncles Richard and Angus, Richard’s partner Jill, and grandfather Martin.

Stan, dressed in a smart white coat was showing his Dartmoor greyface ewe lamb, named Dolly.

"This is only the second time he’s shown. He’s got two ewes and had two lambs out of them. He’s trained them himself - he used to end up on his back a lot, but he takes it all in his stride and he’s still laughing!" - Martin

Amanda commented:

"This is very much a hobby for me and Stan. Chagford Show is our favourite for the friendliness and sense of community. His dad, uncles and grandad have all grown up going to Chagford Show. We’ve always lived on the moor. Living and working on the moor, no two days are the same! It changes all the time, and can be challenging but we love it."

The Mortimore family’s farm is near Chagford.

"Our family have farmed for several generations up near Fernworthy. They even farmed where Fernworthy was flooded – my grandfather had to move out when they made the reservoir and flooded it years ago (1930-40’s). We’ve farmed cattle, sheep and ponies on the moor for a very long time." - Richard

Martin (Richard’s dad) adds:

"We’ve got whiteface, greyface and scotch sheep here today. We come to Chagford every year and love our local show. The boys all help.
Dartmoor’s where we were brought up and it’s what we know. We keep a lot of hill ponies, they’re great on the moor. We’ve had Dartmoor greyfaces (sheep) in the family for several generations. I’ve got pictures of them back in 1890 something, with a ewe that had six lambs! The greyfaces are quite quiet and placid, but the others, like the Scotch are great escapees!"

Richard then talks about how these days, the family farm raise and sell meat (beef and lamb) and some of the skins privately to local buyers, but this wasn’t always the case:

" Typically we sell locally, but I used to travel to London to sell once a week. We had a stand in Borough Market under London Bridge – I took that on from a neighbour, I used to rear the beef for him, and then I took it on completely. The demographic of that market ended up leaning more towards fast food, and the butchery there was struggling so we cut down to just selling locally – like around Chagford, Exeter, Drewsteignton and Moreton.”

As well as being a nice, family/community thing to do, showing the sheep at Chagford and other shows does have other benefits.

It showcases our sheep against everyone else’s, and when we come to sell them we’ll say how well they’ve done, and other breeders will see our sheep and know how we’re doing.
It’s also a good showcase for the breed itself – the wider public can get to see them. Greyface Dartmoor’s are native to Dartmoor and they’ve only just come off the rare breed list – they’re a vulnerable breed they’re no longer ‘at risk’. It’s important to try and promote our local breeds; 100 years or so ago this is maybe all that would have been around here – greyface and white face. Then, hill farmers like grandfather and great grandfather, they went up to Scotland on the train from Moretonhampstead to bring Scotch sheep down, as they were hardy sheep that can live well on the hills too.”

Jill, Richard’s partner, talks about how she loves living on Dartmoor:

"I’m originally from Northern Ireland, but I’ve found this place to be like a second home. The community in Chagford are phenomenal – it’s like they’ve kind of adopted me!"

Jill works as a land agent, but enjoys helping with the showing of the sheep – which is especially helpful at Chagford Show as Richard was being pulled in different directions due to his role as Assistant Show Director.

The family achieved a fantastic result showing their sheep that day at Chagford Show, and by the end of the day had been awarded first place for a Dartmoor greyface ewe lamb, as well as two second places, three thirds and one fourth place across the various classes. A combined family effort, and generations of experience and knowledge made for a successful, and fun day out for the Mortimore family.

Article by Paula Legg

Communications Officer

February 2026