A Cotswold farmer takes the title of Moreton Show
Society Chairman once more, working with his wife and daughter-in-law, to make
it a real family affair.
CAPTION: Steve Parkes takes the reins of Chair Moreton
Show again, taking over from outgoing Chair Stuart Mace, and working with wife
Lynne and daughter-in-law Jess who are integral to the Moreton Show team.
The one-day
agricultural show is in great hands with Steve, as he’s not only farmed for
Princess Anne, his sheep have also received the Royal seal of approval from
Prince Charles.
Steve, who
comes from Stow-on-the-Wold, has been involved in Moreton Show for over 40
years, in that time he has sat on various committees including the Livestock
Committee, Tractor Committee, Farms & Crops Committee, Home & Garden
Committee, as well as being a Society Chairman for 2017 – 2018. Steve is
looking forward to working with the show team again and steering the Moreton
Show ship once more.
Steve said
“I feel very lucky to have been asked to be Chairman again, I must have done a
good job the first time! Farming is one of the most important jobs in the world
and at Moreton Show we always try highlight just how important our famers are.”
Steve was
born in Charlton Kings, in Cheltenham, where his family lived for six
generations. He studied agriculture at Hartpury College, and then worked
as a cowman on dairy farms in Gloucestershire. He later worked on a beef farm
in Uxbridge, where the M25 ran straight through the land, before returning to
work in the Cotswolds at a farm in Naunton, where he first worked with Cotswold
sheep and reared English Longhorn cattle. This is where Steve became involved
with Cotswold sheep, little did he know, he would becoming a key member of the
Cotswold Sheep Society later down the line.
Steve has
worked in the agricultural industry for over half a century and is one of the
country’s leading breeders of the rare ‘Cotswold Lion’ - the Cotswold sheep
famed for its ‘golden fleece’.
At its peak
Steve was running a flock of 30 breeding ewes, which appeared on numerous
television programmes including Hidden Villages with Penelope Keith, Walking
Britain’s Lost Railways with Rob Bell, Countryfile with Adam Henson, and BBC
Radio 4’s Farming Today with Sybil Ruscoe. Steve has reduced his flock to 10
breeding ewes plus followers which he is always very successful with in the
show season. At the 2024 Herts County Show Steve came away with 3 third’s, 3
second’s, 4 first’s, Reserve Champion Male, Champion Female and Reserve Breed
Champion. Steve also owns 8 Cotswold rams which he hires out in the Autumn.
Current Chair
Stuart Mace has enjoyed a wonderful reign - from 2021-22 and previously Vice
Chair from 2019-2020 – and is now handing over the reins to returning Chair
Steve Parkes.
Steve looks
forward to working with his family and taking up the challenge of Chairmanship
after the 2024 show.
Stuart welcomes
the incoming Chair and reflects on his tenure, saying: “I’ve really enjoyed
working with the Moreton Show team and making inroads into encouraging the
younger generations of farmers to step forward. I know the Show is in great
hands moving forward, welcome back to Steve!”
Book tickets for you and
your family now: www.moretonshow.co.uk
