WHAT is it that captures the true essence of Devon County Show – the magic ingredient that keeps so many thousands of visitors coming back for more, year after year?

Most will almost certainly say it’s the celebration of so many breeds of animals, from cattle to sheep, alpacas to Guinea Pigs, as well as the commitment from their owners.

And there’s no better example of this than Adrian Graham from Lincolnshire, who will be bringing his entourage of Giant Tortoises for the first time to Devon County Show 2023.

The tortoises will be on display for the duration of the show which takes place from Thursday to Saturday, May 18 to 20.

Adrian’s passion for tortoises started from the age of four.

‘At that age I really wanted a dog,’ says Adrian. ‘ But it turned out that I was allergic to all animals with hair.

‘This left very little in the way alternatives.. So my dad bought me a tortoise which I named Hermann, and that was the start of my fascination with these amazing creatures.

‘It was an unexpected turn of events that precipitated my decision to devote my life full time to giant tortoises.

‘Entirely unexpectedly, my dad collapsed and died of a brain haemorrhage.

‘It made me realise that life doesn’t always go to plan, and if you really want something you need to do it right away.

‘Within 12 months I had moved from Sleaford to a farm with lots of land and I got my first giant Tortoise, an Aldabra, a breed I had first seen at Chester Zoo when I was young and had fallen in love with.

‘I now have eight Aldabras in my collection.

‘What I never expected was how much I would get from them. They are a truly special breed each with their own personality.

‘They’re also friendly, laid back and truly love human fuss and attention.’

Adrian’s primary focus is tortoise conservation and he is hoping to be able to do his bit in preserving their future by eventually breeding from his collection.

‘Each tortoise is a random individual that has come to me at different times. None of them are related or come from a batch of eggs that I’ve hatched. And that diversity in bloodlines stands them in good stead for potential breeding which is my long term goal given that Aldabras have never, as far as I know, been bred successfully in Europe.’

The Giant Tortoises will be on display at Devon County Show on Road 9, next to Farmwise.

l Earlybird tickets are now available to book at www.devoncountyshow.co.uk