The Devon County Show has been going for 121 years, spans 93 muddy acres with 800 diverse trade stands offering everything from shooting sticks to Pimms dispensed from within a giant red teapot! I was excited to hear of the 3 days of dog competitions and visited on the Hound and Toy judging day with breeds ranging from Beagles to Bichon Frises, but it was a bit too grey and drizzly to take snaps so instead I foraged in the food and craft tents to bring you our 5 favourite dog-friendly exhibitors, along with a couple of bonus human-friendly treasures!
SIMON CLARKE ART
Seeing as Bodie and I are on a Doggie Devon streak at the moment, these fabulous coastal canine images really appealed! Bideford-based artist Simon Clarke was doing a roaring trade with prints starting £25. I particularly loved the dog driving the sheep to the beach (in the header image) and this Beach Baa’r scene!
FOUR LEGGED FANCIES
Baker Victoria (who comes from a family of Guide Dog puppy-walkers) switched from cupcakes to pupcakes and now counts Gogglebox dogs as her fans – appropriate since she is often at her home in Bath hand-bagging Lamb Terriers in front of the TV! Her range is so stylish and nutritious that Pets at Home approached her to custom-produce a Christmas range for them, and as a result she can now spend January-March of each year immersing herself in her favourite world – on safari in Africa. Great story, great stand, great gal!
TOAD HALL COTTAGES
Bodie and I are always keen to discover new dog-friendly accommodations and Toad Hall Cottages (family run for 25 years, West Country born & bred) offer an impressive range of highly desirable properties, just a click away on their user-friendly website! Arty Totnes is next on our wish list and we’re rather taken with this characterful riverside loft overlooking Vire Island in the heart of town. A week in July is priced at £595 with a dog fee of £25 each per week. Or what about this view in Salcombe…
THE FABULOUS LIFE OF HONEY FURRARI
Meet Eileen Townend and her beloved 12-year-old pup Honey Furrari – inspiration for her children’s book THE FABULOUS LIFE OF HONEY FURRARI. The Picnic (the first book in the series) features this adorable Parsons Jack Russell from Little Snoring taking a dream adventure in a snazzy red convertible (while sporting a pair of sunglasses he found in the glove compartment)! This delightful story supports the DogsTrust and the illustrations are by the aptly-named Joseph Kibble!
FORTHGLADE NATURAL PET FOOD
Made in Devon from all natural ingredients, Bodie is a major convert to these nutritious packs that look like microwave meals! I actually saw one on the stand with a fork in it and asked if someone had been snacking and chipper chap Colin revealed that he often demonstrates the human grade quality by taking a bite! The company recently received a £6million investment and will soon launch a new package design – we got a sneak preview at the show and it looks both rustic-organic and hip!
And now for couple of treats specifically for the dog-owners…
COUSINS TWEED
There’s a lot of traditional khaki tweed on display at the Devon County Show so this contemporary aqua from Cousins Tweed really stood out, not least because it was sported by the golden and modelesque Emily! She showed me some exquisite pieces with luxurious velvet detailing and revealed this Cheltenham-based company only make 3 garments in each size of each style so you are unlikely to find yourself in a ‘Who wore it best?’ countryside clash. They even do waterproof tweed making the look ever-more perfect for dog-walking!
CORNISH LUST
Ooh-hoo, what a treat this was. The buzziest stand in the food tent was handing out samples of Cornish Lust – a strawberries and cream liqueur prompting much lip-smacking and winking! I learned from Mike Pearce, son of the creator of this delicious combo, that Cornish Lust is a local name given to a Cream Tea! If that wasn’t tempting enough, they also offer Cornish Dream cream fudge liqueur and a sparkling bubbly infused with fresh strawberries named Cornish Sunset. Nigh on irresistible! In fact, they were doing such a roaring trade by the Thursday lunchtime, Mike was already planning a nip back to St Ives to get more stock for the rest of the show!
IN CONCLUSION: A fun and yummy day out. Put it in your diary for May 2017!
DEVON COUNTY SHOW WEBSITE: www.devoncountyshow.co.uk
DOG POLICY: Unless you are exhibiting in the Dog Show, please leave your dogs at home. If it is essential to bring your dog to the Show, they must be on a fixed lead and there will be restricted access to certain areas. Assistance dogs are exempt.
2 comments
Comment by Teresa Rhyne
Teresa Rhyne May 21, 2016 at 10:01 am
How fun! Love it all, and that tweed coat is fab! Though Daphne and Percival are partial to the Four Legged Fancies. 😉
Comment by Belinda
Belinda May 21, 2016 at 10:59 am
The Four Legged Fancies gal does these amazing ‘bangers and mash’ cupcakes with little sausages sticking out of them… Love! http://www.fourleggedfancies.co.uk/#!product/prd1/2583010741/bangers-n'-mash
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