THE life and achievements of one of the most prominent and successful cattle breeders in Jersey’s history, Francis Le Ruez (1914-2002), are being commemorated at the Royal Jersey Showground by his family and members of the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society on 10 May.

To honour his lifetime of work with the Jersey cow and his support for the society, his family have donated a replica of the RJAHS crest, which will be erected on the front of the society’s Trinity headquarters building.

Mr Le Ruez was an honorary life member of the agricultural department, and a former vice-president, who farmed at Homestead, in St Peter.

He had a great talent for selecting ordinary animals to become part of his dairy herd and to breed from them some of the best animals to be exported from the Island.

One of those cows, Noble Surprise Louise, went on to win the Royal Show Championship in the ownership of Her Majesty The Queen.

Over his farming career Mr Le Ruez bred and exported hundreds of top-quality Jersey cattle to all parts of the world.

The unveiling will take place at the Royal Jersey Showground at 2.30 pm on Tuesday 10 May.