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One of the members of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland has
quite a few agricultural accolades to his credit.
Robert Overend, who farms at Bellaghy in County Londonderry,
has been breeding Pedigree Landrace Pigs since 1958.
The Deerpark herd of Landrace is now the largest herd of
Landrace in the United Kingdom. He is now in Partnership with
his sons and grandsons under the title of Deerpark Pedigree
Pigs and they farm 800 Pedigree sows, Landrace, Large White,
Pietrain, Hampshire and Duroc. They also own and operate an
A.I. Station containing 12 different breeds of Pedigree Boars.
"All our pedigree pigs are noted for their good conformation
and excellent legs and are birth notified and herd book registered
with the British Pig Association," says Bro. Overend.
"We are currently working with the Rare Breeds Survival
Trust and the British Pig Association to freeze semen from
Traditional Breed Boars for their Genetic Conservation Bank.
This is to have a reserve of frozen semen from rare lines
in case of a serious disease outbreak and rare lines could
be lost. We are the only A.I.Stud in the United Kingdom entrusted
with this work," he explained.
In 1990 Robert was awarded the Giovanni Marcora European
Award for Agriculture for his contribution to the Genetic
improvement of pigs in the United Kingdom.
In 1996 Robert was conferred with the honour of being awarded
an MBE, the citation indicating that this Honour was being
conferred for his contribution to Agricultural in General
and the Pig Industry in particular. Robert accompanied by
his wife Reena, to whom he has been married for fifty two
years, received his Medal in Buckingham Palace in November
1996.
In 2003 Robert was the winner of the Marsh Christian Trust
Award for services to rare breed's conservation.
Robert is Chairman of The Ulster Pork and Bacon Forum, the
Committee that has the responsibility to increase sales of
Pork in Northern Ireland. He is a former Chairman of The Pig
Production and Development Committee, which advises Breeders
on Genetic Improvement and a former Chairman of Pig Industry
Genetics, a Committee that oversees the day to day operation
of The Central Pig Test Station.
Robert for the past 23 years has represented the Pedigree
Pig Breeders of Northern Ireland at the British Pig Association,
first on the Landrace Committee where he was Chairman and
then on the Council, where he served as Pedigree Vice Chairman.
When the British Pig Association reverted to representing
only Pedigree Breeders in 1999 Robert was elected Chairman,
a position he holds to the present time. In 1999 the British
Pig Association had 235 active members and it now has almost
1600 active members. The County Londonderry Orangeman is also
on the Board of The National Pig Association representing
The British Pig Association.
Robert is one of the very few Breeders who have judged all
the main Royal Shows in the United Kingdom. He has also judged
many of the County shows and most of the large Sales of Pedigree
Pigs. He has also judged pigs in Australia, Barbados, Brazil,
Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zambia, Republic of Ireland and many times
in South Africa. He has already received four invitations
to Judge next year.
He combines this active farming lifestyle with somehow also
attending meetings of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, on
which his son also sits.
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