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Rare breeds star on day one of Royal Cornwall Show

BBC Angela Kingsnorth with Frankie the shire horse a black horse with a white flashBBC
Angela Kingsnorth said the Rare Breeds Survival Trust was exhibiting at the show to try to make people aware of rare breeds

Rare animal breeds were among the stars of the first day of the Royal Cornwall Show on Thursday.

The Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RSBT) exhibited a variety of cattle, pigs and sheep in a bid to encourage people to keep them.

The event at the Royal Cornwall Events Centre near Wadebridge features livestock classes, displays and stalls throughout three days.

Thousands are expected to visit the celebration of agriculture in Cornwall.

A middle white pig sleeping on a bed of straw
The trust encourages people with land to consider keeping rare breed animals

Angela Kingsnorth, from the RSBT in Cornwall, said the Gloucester heifer, which produces milk that makes Gloucester cheese, was a good example of an extremely rare breed.

She said: "They're rarer than your giant pandas or white rhinos.

"People will put in money to support those as they're quote emotive, but these animals are part of our heritage.

"They're as important as country houses and the magnificent views we have here."

A Portland sheep
The Cornwall RSBT group has been going for 40 years

"They're all rare, we're trying to make sure people are aware of this and will keep these animals, we don't want to lose any of the breeds," she added.

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