Pat Quinn 23.04.1927 – 11.10.2025

The Society is greatly saddened to learn of the passing of Pat Quinn of the Harford herd. Pat was known to many members as a complete force of nature and she lived an amazingly full and varied life.

Pat was the daughter of Sir William Lyons the founder of Jaguar cars, and she and her first husband Ian Appleyard had a very successful career rallying Jaguar cars in the 1960’s.  The rallies were the testing ground for much of the technology that went into mass-market cars.

The Harford herd of Longhorns was founded in 1976 after a chance ‘school gates’ conversation with Joe Henson of Cotswold Farm Park - Adam Henson and Pat’s son Michael were at the same school.  At the time the Longhorn breed was on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust list, the RBST having been formed in 1973 by Joe himself.  Pat had bought Lower Harford Farm, which sits in a Cotswold valley on the river Windrush, in 1974 to allow her children to have ponies and enjoy life in the countryside.  At that time the farm extended to 69 acres and was originally let to the neighbouring dairy farmer.  The farm was brought back in hand after the purchase of Watling Penelope, Watling Lucy, Toddington Ann, Toddington Bee, Essex Ernestine and Essex Flow at the Essex dispersal sale.  Further land purchases increased the holding to 155 acres.

A few years in and homebred females were starting to come through and make their mark in the herd.  On recommendation from Roger Carter of the Leebarn herd Harford Diana was halter trained and taken to the Royal Show where she stood second in her class, an accolade never to be forgotten.  Pat’s showing career continued into the 1990’s with the highlights being female champion at the Royal Show with Harford Imogen in 1994, breed champion in 1995 with Halloughton Soloman and breed champion in 1996 with the heifer Harford Twinkle.  The Harford herd’s last year in the showring was 2003.

In the mid 2000’s the Harford herd was badly affected by TB which Pat found profoundly upsetting and she became an active researcher and campaigner about raising the profile of bovine Tb to the general public, public officeholders, industry leaders and politicians and even had a short film commissioned which shows the consequences of having positive TB reactors on the farm and the devastating effect of years of pedigree breeding.  The video is available on YouTube, search for ‘Bovine TB – a political disease’

Pat was Society President in 2004-2005 and instigated the Presidents’ Award which is presented at the discretion of the president at the end of their term of office to the member they feel has made an outstanding contribution to the breed.

In July 2022 Pat decided to disperse her Harford herd and her other love, her Harford herd of Cotswold sheep, at Worcester Market, with four year old cow Harford Selina 2 selling to 4400gns and Harford Sunflower selling to 3000gns. The herd was sold far and wide, with some animals going to set up new herds and others continuing to make a valuable contribution to existing herds. The Harford name will live on.

Pat’s contribution to rare breed conservation is significant and she was delighted to see Longhorn cattle and Cotswold sheep breeds grow and thrive over her lifetime.

The Society’s condolences go to all of Pat’s family and many friends.