THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

THE 2004 FINDON BULL MYSTERY

Copyright Valerie Martin 2004

In July 1004  I noticed there were Friesian cattle on the Findon Gallops with a notice on the gate saying there was bull in the field.   Keep dogs under control.

 

 

 

9th June 2004

Hello Valerie,

 
                Thank you for the pleasure that your web site affords me!        Another lot of great pictures - old and new.
 
                A super one of you, the dogs and the dairy herd.      What breed is the bull?     You're absolutely right - it isn't a Hereford.        What about a Simmental?   And rather a nice one, at that!
 
                Now, a question for you...       Are you walking on a Right of Way across farm land?    I am impressed with the fencing - but who paid to put it up?     It would cost many arms and legs to erect a stock fence like that in NZ.
 
                I spend about 80% of my time fencing on a dairy farm (800 cows) just outside Ashburton.   Electric fencing, which is most effective but not nearly so scenically pleasing to the eye.
 
                Best wishes,      Peter.

 Peter Archbold, Ashburton, South Island, New Zealand.

 

To answer your question, Peter, at an earlier age the whole of the Findon downland was open grazing.   As years went by more and more has been fenced in.  

About five years ago, Josh Gifford decided to make us all keep to the footpath (and the Right of Way), and put up the fence to restrict our movements across his Gallops!   It made a great scar across the landscape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10th June 2004

Valerie
 
The red cow/bull is probably a breed known as a Red Pole often used to mate with freisian heifers.
 
Derek Bushrod.
 
Derek Bushrod, Colchester, Essex.
 

 

 

 

11th June 2004

Valerie

We think the bull is a Limousin. (Maybe spelt wrongly! )

Pam & John

Pam and John Stepney, Findon Village, West Sussex.
 

The Limousin looked a likely one to me.   But I wasn't taking any bets on this one.    The bull was still on the Gallops and he was not letting on!!

In the meantime, I asked Richard Jupp from Uckfield (I know he's into sheep) for his expert opinion....

 

12th June 2004

Valerie,
 

I only know a little about sheep, but absolutely nothing about bulls. Sorry I can't help,

I am sure there is a local resident who will come up with the answer. 
 

Richard Jupp, Uckfield, East Sussex.

 

 

 
13th June 2004
 
Bull Again
 
 
It is surely highly presumptive - from 12,000 miles away - to tell YOU what  breed that bull is, Valerie!
 
But you may be amused by the interest it has caused amongst my circle of "consultants"!
 
We do not argue with the Red Poll - but we thought we detected signs of de-horning in the photographs.     And while agreeing with Derek Bushrod that it is a likely choice with heifers we passed it by on the strength of the horns!
 
Our next "choice" is a Red Devon.    
 
Locally, Jersey or Murray Grey bulls are sometimes run with Friesian heifers for the first calf.      We don't see many of the "Red" breeds around here.   So please forgive my ignorance!
 
And - PLEASE - tell us the right answer!
 
Best wishes,
 
Peter.

Peter Archbold, Ashburton, South Island, New Zealand.

 

Yes, the bull has been de-horned....... rather spoilt his good looks!

The truth was that I still did not have a clue what the breed of the bull was.    I met Mr. Blackwell on the Findon Gallops (one time butcher in The Square) so thought he MUST know.    But he did not and said there were many different breeds around since his butchering days of 30 years ago.    I remember that he did say it definitely wasn't a "Devon" though.

On Sunday 13th June I was on the Findon downland as Nick Gifford pulled into the track in his range Rover and stopped to inspect his horses.    I raced down the hill and arrived puffing to ask him f he could tell me the breed of the bull on his Gallops.    Unfortunately, even he didn't know!    The cattle belonged to his Uncle.   


15th June 2004


Dear Valerie
 
It is definately a Red Pole.
 
The path you are walking along (your photo of the Red Pole and freisian cattle) in 1948 made news in the national newspaper The Daily Mail.

After the war there was a government program of Land Reclamation clearing trees and downland scrub to grow crops for which farmers were paid extra money to carry out this program of work.

My father had the task of clearing the 50 acres of land and ploughing it up to grow crops but was asked to leave the two strips of unploughed grass for footpathes from Nepcote Green across to the gallops which he did but only made the pathes 2 feet wide.

There was an elderly spinster living in Nepcote by the name of Miss Short who complained in the parish magazine that the path was not wide enough for a courting couple to walk side by side along such a narrow path. Which was the comment that was reported in the Daily Mail.

Knowing Josh Gifford from our teenage years in Findon I am sure he would appreciate having a wider footpath for courting couples across his land as I can see from your photo there is ample room to walk side by side  
 
Derek Bushrod


 
Derek Bushrod, Colchester, Essex.

 

A Simmental he is!   At the end of June, Norman Allcorn of cattle fame at Tomare Farm in Findon, made it to the Findon Gallops and has declared that he thought the mysterious bull was definitely a Simmental and agreed with Peter in New Zealand.  

This is the most numerous breed on the Continent and introuduced in 1970 and Norman thought thisbreed the most likely to run with the Friesians.   

The Simmental breed is widespread and increasingly rapidly.   It is comparable with the South Devon and is renowned for its docility and with the cows, easy calving.

Until the owner of the bull comes forward, I rest my case.

Continue if you would like to read In Josh's Footsteps.

 

This is Findon Village — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.

E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com