Mr Darke, 75, who farms near Kingsbridge in the South Hams, first stewarded at the show in 1966. He has been chief steward of sheep for 27 years and chief steward of livestock for the past eight years, and through all that time he has been winning classes and championships with his pedigree Devon and Cornwall Longwool sheep.
He said that being elected president was ‘a dream come true’. “When I started with the Devon County Show all those years ago, I could never have imagined that one day I would be elected president,” he said.
“The show has been a big part of my life, and I’m proud to have been able to help make it the great event it is. This is a tremendous honour, a dream come true, and I am absolutely thrilled to have been given the chance.”