David brought his first calf - a Jersey x called Lily when he was 15. From this he went on to 6-7 multi-sucklers, put in-calf to Charolais bull called Troy. David's second home was Chippenham Market and it was there that he saw a pedigree Blonde steer from Major Duxford being sold and it was this he thought was the perfect beef animal.

He then brought his first Blonde bull (David called him Harry after Debbie Harry From Blonde) - pedigree unknown, from Chris Lewis.

In 1985 on a visit to the Druk Herd, Chris Lewis decided it was time that David had a pedigree Blonde heifer - the Doncombe Herd Began with Druk Valda.

Having brought 3 more cows, David decided to try his hand at the Chippenham Blonde Sale in 1989. This was MY first introduction to cattle, having met David the week before. At that point I didn't know one end of a cow from the other and thought that all cows were black and white.

We have since had to learn together, often by our mistakes, of which there have been plenty!!

When Chippenham Market ceased to hold Blonde sales, we turned to Rex Diffey (the then secretary of the Blonde Society) for help and it was his suggestion to go to Carlisle to sell our cattle. Our presence at Carlisle has been the most important part of our learning curve and it is something that we strongly recommend others to try. We have had many successes (and failures) at Carlisle, but we always go back - we depend upon our National Sales.

With our strong links with the Druk and Aveton herds in Oxford, it is no surprise that we have used several Druk and/or Aveton bulls. (Aveton Dominic, Druk Heathcliffe, Aveton Monet, Druk LANCE.) Without Chris Lewis and Rex and Ann Diffey in the past, the Doncombe herd would have had no beginning, middle or future.

We now run approximately 50 cows (expanding fast but subject to a farm) on annual grasskeep and in mostly rented sheds - a somewhat nailbiting situation to say the least. Anyone knowing of a farm going cheap, please contact us asap!

Our cows may appear a motley crew - they are wintered fairly hard - but they are all selected not for how they look, but for all they can breed, which is afterall, the whole point of the exercise.

Stock Bulls in the past who have left their influence on the herd would include Blackwars Hebrew and Blackwater Jockey (AI) a son of whom Doncombe RANGATIRA is now being used on our LANCE heifers.

Our senior Stock bull, LANCE was chosen as a calf from the Druk herd his consistency in breeding is vital to our success and we consider him second to none.

Sue Cavilla