2013 marks the centenary of the formal establishment of the Gloucestershire Old Spots pig as a pedigree breed. The original society was formed in 1913 in Bristol and despite various ups and downs in the intervening years, we are delighted to report that the Orchard Pig is still going strong. Although it formally became an official breed in 1913, it adopted the word 'Old' in its title since it was said at the time that it had been known in the Berkeley Vale 'since time immemorial'. The Gloucestershire Old Spots is a very special breed and its centenary will be celebrated throughout the year. In April, the Gloucestershire Old Spots pig Breeders' Club will hold its AGM at Colesbourne Park in Gloucestershire at the kind invitation of Sir Henry & Lady Elwes. There will be a Grand Afternoon Tea in the afternoon. On the following day, members will be invited to a practical pig workshop at the nearby Adam Henson's Cotswold Farm Park. In June there will be more celebrations at The Three Counties Show at Malvern with a display of the history of the breed and a hog roast and music in the evening. On the Saturday 15th June, there will be the annual competition for the breed, the Champion of Champions, to find the best pig of 2013 following which there will be the Old Spots Celebrity Challenge when invited celebrities will be showing off their pig handling skills in the ring and being challenged to guide a Gloucestershire Old Spots through a special obstacle course. Between February and September, there will be a static exhibition of Gloucestershire Old Spots' history and memorabilia at the Gloucester Folk Museum in Gloucester city. Other activities will be announced during the year.
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Notes for Editors
1. The Gloucestershire Old Spots is the oldest pedigree spotted breed of pig in the world.
2. A boar of the breed, Foston Sambo 21st, holds the British record for the price paid at auction for a pig when it sold in 1993 for 4,000 guineas (£4,200) [Guinness Book of Records]
3. The Gloucestershire Old Spots is the only breed of any species in the world to be accorded Traditional Speciality Guaranteed status by the EU Commission as part of the Protected Food Names scheme. This was announced in 2010 following eleven years of negotiations by the Gloucestershire Old Spots Pig Breeders' Club.
For further information, please contact the Secretary of the Gloucestershire Old Spots Pig Breeders Club, Mr Richard Lutwyche at
[email protected] or by phoning 01285 860229.
www.oldspots.org.uk
www.gos-tsg.com
We look forward to meeting some of you at these events particularly the Three Counties Show in June when we will hopefully be making the long trek from Yorkshire to compete. Mandy 
Topic: Gloucestershire Old Spots Club Centenary Year (Read 2954 times)
