Ballycarry farmer to feature in UTV show Rare Breed

Ballycarry farmer Ricky Cowan and his 13-year-old son Matthew, who assists his father in lambing the farms ewes. INCT 01-725-CON

Ricky Cowan features throughout the programme along with his 13-year-old son, Matthew, who is training to shear sheep and lamb the farm’s 770 ewes.

Rare Breed provides an in-depth look into the successes and struggles of farming life in Northern Ireland, throughout a calendar year.

A total of 18 farming families are featured from across the island of Ireland, which gives a unique insight into all aspects of farming life from beef, dairy, sheep, pig and poultry farms, to tomato and organic vegetable producers.

Michael Wilson, managing director at UTV Television said: “Rare Breed: A Farming Year has become a fan favourite amongst UTV viewers who look forward to the return of the agricultural series each year in our New Year schedule.

“The last series attracted an average audience of 207,000 viewers per episode, which is a testament to how popular this locally produced programme is.

“Rare Breed is unique in that it gives viewers an access-all-areas pass to the people behind one of Northern Ireland’s biggest industries – on farms both big and small. In this series we meet five farming families from Ulster with some familiar and new faces. We are delighted to welcome Rare Breed back to UTV in 2016.”

Rare Breed: A Farming Year will begin broadcasting on January 11 at 8pm and will run for 12 consecutive weeks.

UTV’s Mark McFadden returns to narrate the series.