NEW chairman of the Longhorn Cattle Society is Frank Sutton of Raglan, near Monmouth.

Mr Sutton, who is one of the country's leading farm machinery retailers, also runs one of the largest Longhorn herds on his 400-acre farm.

It was a trip to the south-west of America in 1976 that led him to choose Britain's oldest pedigree beef breed. Now his Parc Grace Dieu herd has more than 300 cattle and has won championships at Britain's leading agricultural shows.

Frank was one of the first to show at the Royal Welsh and donated a cup for the champion animal.

He has supplied beef for special events and will be providing it for the members' pavilion at the National Rare Breeds Show in June, held during the Three Counties Show at Malvern.

But it is not only his breeding stock and meat that Frank is looking to promote. He has started to develop ways of marketing Longhorn hides, including a range of furniture, which he hopes will one day be sold nationwide.

Frank said: "I am thoroughly looking forward to my time as chairman and hope to attract new breeders and find ways of getting better prices for existing owners in the sale ring and on the hook."