We, the Oxford Sandy and Black Pigs Facebook group, decided that getting together and having an in depth discussion on the OSB’s would be of benefit to us all, regardless of the level of experience in keeping this wonderful breed. The thought of wanting to know about the breed, how it was saved, how the various bloodlines came about and those bloodlines that are now extinct came about from members of the group, Dennis Ballard, Sara Hewett and myself.

So on the 26 March 2016 at 10:30 hrs a Breed Conformation Day and Bloodline Day at Cirencester Market took place. Dennis and Sara kindly organised for their Oxford Sandy and Black Pigs to be the focus on the day to help identify some of the breed faults and some of the good points. This part of the talk took us outside in the market stalls where all pigs were observed. Dennis together with Jane Mathews our British Pig Association (BPA) breed representative as well as Chair of the BPA Pork Committee was on hand to answer questions on birth registration, birth notifying, identification, conservation and the importance of pedigree OSB meat within the BPA.

After lunch, it was the pièce de résistance as we were honoured with the presence of Mr Andrew Sheppy who kindly agreed to give up his time from the Cobthorn Trust, which was formed in 1986, originally to support and promote the long established conservation activities at Cobthorn Farm in Somerset. Cobthorn Farm has been involved in rare breed farming since 1959 and has been in Mr Sheppy’s family since the 1820s.

Mr Sheppy revealed how the bloodlines came about, past and present, and advised on how the breed was saved. Mr Sheppy was instrumental in saving and conserving the OSB's and setting up the first herdbook in 1985! We were not disappointed in his knowledge and experience. He kindly answered questions about the breed and their bloodlines (extinct lines and present lines) and how the identification process was pre-1980’s to now.

Mrs Patricia Colson and Mr Peter Colson kindly attended. Mr Colson Grandfather (Ernest Holloway) together with Mr Sheppy helped in the preservation of the breed and instrumental in the breed being recognised by the RBST today!

The day finished off, as you would imagine with refreshments and cake, which was very well received by 31 enthusiastic and hopefully inspired OSB folk!

To find out more about the day, come and join us on the Oxford Sandy and Black Pigs facebook page and root around our File section!