The Royal Show - Visiting - Our people

Peter Heywood – Poultry and Water Fowl Chief Steward

Peter Heywood has owned chickens for 73 years!  Aged seven, he would walk to school with a friend who had fresh eggs every morning from her chicken,  Peter became keen to do the same so persuaded his father to buy a chicken for the family – it was then his love affair with chickens began.

Today, now 80, Peter lives in Atherstone in Warwickshire with his wife of 54 years, Valerie, and his twenty Cochin chickens.  Peter has specialised in breeding and showing Cochin chickens for nearly 50 years. Cochin is a breed of chicken that originated from China in the 1850s – and lay on average only thirty eggs a year!

Peter has started stewarding at the show 30 years ago in 1970 and has been the Poultry and Water Fowl Chief Steward at The Royal Show for the past two years. He has also been President of the Cochin club for the past 20 years. Both of these roles provide him with a fantastic opportunity to share his passion for pure bred Cochin chickens.

Peter plays an important role in organising the poultry exhibits and tents at The Royal Show where over 1,000 types of poultry and water fowl are on show. These include Peter’s own Cochin chickens and provides the perfect opportunity for those interested in keeping poultry to quiz the experts and find out more.

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Notes for editor:
The Royal Show (7-10 July 2009) is organised by the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE). RASE is an independent charity with over 6,000 members including the general public and the farming community. RASE works towards a sustainable, vibrant future for British Agriculture and the rural community. For more information about RASE, please contact: 02476 696969 or visit the website www.rase.org.uk.

This year’s “Royal” will be tinged with sadness as the Royal Agricultural Society of England, the show organisers, announced that this will be the 160th and last Show.

So be there to share in a piece of British rural history. Enjoy cookery and craft demonstrations and countryside pursuits, an extended farmers’ market and food halls, show jumping and plenty of opportunities to shop! There will also be an action-packed programme in the Grand Ring. Across the show there will be numerous chances to try fresh British food and for the first time 50 French wine growers will be exhibiting at the Show – offering visitors over 200 wines to sample and buy!