Woodbridge land agent's delight at president's role at show

About 30 years ago, the land agent and wife, Marion, bought a farm at Charsfield, near Woodbridge. They now host an arable operation, a Red Poll cattle herd, a sheep flock, a livery and a care farm on their 460-acre site. 

This week Stephen reaches a farming pinnacle as president of the Suffolk Show - making him possibly the first of his profession to achieve the honour. 

The son of Hertfordshire doctors, his chances of owning his own farm appeared slim - but he would spend school holidays working on a family friend's farm in Suffolk.

His parents also had a boat based at Woolverstone which brought the family to the county. Eventually they settled in Woodbridge long after Stephen had moved to the area. 

After graduating from Cirencester agricultural college Stephen became a land agent - which brought him into contact with farmers. He went on to work for Bidwells in Cambridge and Strutt and Parker in Ipswich before striking out on his own.

When Fletcher Barton merged six years ago with Summers Wykes-Sneyd, Stephen decided to take a back seat. He is still a consultant with Landbridge at Sproughton as it became, but handed over the reins to younger members of the team.

Land agency work involves helping landowners to run their assets well, with estate management, consultancy, strategic change, diversification and compulsory purchases among the areas he has been involved in.

Such roles require a clear-eyed view. "You need to be clear but diplomatic. What drives me is finding the right solution for them," he explains.

"A lot of these decisions are quite big decisions for people who often work in fairly isolated places. It's the sole occupation for quite a lot of people. 

"We often get tarred with the brush we are out to make a fast profit but I do it because it's enjoyable, challenging, I have done it for a long time and it's a very satisfying role to play."

He's also trustee to half a dozen estate organisations, including at Thornham, near Eye - home to one of Suffolk's oldest nature walks - where he is chairman.

After leaving school and before going off to university, Stephen worked for farmers Nigel and Dudley Holland at Wickham Market and Aldeburgh.

About 41 years ago, he and Marion bought the house they now live in. They had three children - Henry, 40, an environmental scientist, Celia, 38, a teacher, and Edward, 36, a surgeon.

They bought farmland - and belatedly achieved Stephen's long-held ambition to become a farmer. The arable part of the farm is contract-farmer by the Fletchers' neighbour, John Taylor, who is this year's Suffolk Show director.

Stephen was recruited into the Suffolk Agricultural Association - which runs the event - by the late John Kerr in 1981/2 when he was still with Strutts. 

He began as an assistant dog show steward, and slowly rose through the ranks to grand ring steward. He became a member of the council and then vice chairman of the SAA to David Barclay in 2002. From 2008 to 2013, he was its chairman, then chairman of the nominations committee.

While he was vice chairman, the SAA took a bold step by building the Trinity Park events centre next to its HQ at a cost of £2m.

The idea was to give Ipswich a flexible, multi-purpose space as well as providing facilities for the SAA's own members. The project - now close to being fully paid-for some 15 years later - was financed by borrowed money.

There was some debate before it went ahead but after a crunch meeting at a hotel, the decision was made.

Stephen was in favour. "I think it gives the showground a new dimension and one which is long term which provides accommodation which is difficult to replicate elsewhere," he says. "I think overall it's a good asset for the association."

There was also a debate about whether to develop the site for housing, but he and the rest of the association agreed that it should be retained as their showground.

"It would have been an easy win and we have had that discussion over the years but we have decided it's a really good site for the show," he explains. "It would be very difficult to replicate that site elsewhere so we have made a definite decision not to do that."

He admits that he was surprised as well as honoured when he was chosen to become the show's president - a highly prized role. He will be involved in greeting guests and dignitaries as well as awarding prizes.

"I don't think there have been any surveyors who have done it before," he says. "I'll obviously look forward to the show very much. It's a great position because all the hard work is done by John Taylor and the team and all the staff in the office."

But this year's show takes place amid great volatility and upheaval within the farming industry, he says, and the sector is "changing fast".

"I think it's at a time when farmers are challenged in a pretty serious way.

"It's tricky being a farmer out there right now given the enormous changes we are seeing right now."