Jack Le Sueur

It was with sorrow that we heard of the death of Jack Le Sueur, on Wednesday, 25th June. He was a great cattle man and one who will be sadly missed and never replaced. This year, 2008, had, however, in many ways been a good year for Jack and Eileen, beginning in January when, on the 19th, they celebrated their Diamond Wedding anniversary with their family. We were able to celebrate with them at the annual St Saviour Christmas lunch, which is always held in January, and they were later entertained to tea at Government House by the Lieut-Governor Lieutenant General Andrew Ridgway and Mrs Ridgway. During the recent visit of the Jersey World Cattle Bureau for their conference, Jack was brought to the Country Life museum at Hamptonne by his daughter, Sadie Rennard, and greeted many old friends among the visiting cattlemen and women in the museum’s kitchen, and many of them were lost in wonder at the many trips across the Atlantic that were made by prize Jersey cattle with Jack in charge during those long journeys of yesteryear.

Jack was born in St Saviour, in the very farm to which he brought Eileen as a new bride and where he found his final rest. Eileen came from the west (the Far West) but they made their home together in St Saviour and what they have done for us in the parish and in our community over the years has brought fun, pleasure and enjoyment to many people. We can all be thankful that Jack was able to see out his final days in his own home at Clairval Farm and I am sure there are many who, like me, are proud to call him a St Saviour parishioner.

A excerpt from Russell Gammon's blog

Russell Gammon from Canada is a great enthusiast of the Jersey cow and of the Island. A senior vice-president of the World Jersey Cattle Bureau, he is attending the cattle conference in Jersey this week. The Island has certainly pulled out all the stops to make this a week to remember for the delegates and I am delighted that St Saviour has played its part in the proceedings. I hope Russell won't mind if we share an excerpt from his blog:

Loving every second! May 23, 2008 – 6:11 pm
We have now reached the point of advanced sensory overload. Allow me to try and explain why!On Thursday current WJCB President Johannes Van Eeden of South Africa and Uruguay commented that while this was his seventh trip to Jersey he was still finding an overflow of new things to see and do! I believe every single delegate at our conference this week would know exactly what he meant! As the official and formal conference sessions are now over we spent Thursday together and on the move all day long! Fascination reigned as we walked to West Centre to be awed and enchanted by the “urban herd” who “reside” there. Bureau Patron/Matron Annie Perchard of St Martin explained the involved life story of these exquisite creatures (and their wee Crapaud friend!!). It would be interesting to know how many camera shutters were hit as photo upon photo of cows with people were taken once Annie’s explanatory speech was concluded! Trundling around the commercial centre of St. Helier was followed by a short bus ride to the Country Life Museum at Hamptonne in St. Lawrence and then the Leith family Chalet herd. It was a day to look forward and around and ahead. 95 years young, Jack Le Sueur had been brought to the museum by his daughter Sadie Rennard and greeted friends old and knew in the museum’s kitchen. It was gripping to see how people who had known Jack or who had heard of this seasoned ambassador for Jersey trooped in for a few minutes of communicating with Jack! Jack has reached iconic status as an ambassador for Jersey from his many trips to North America to work with Jersey cattle. Despite light rain, the Leith cattle got a good work out as cowaholics reviewed the herd and the management program. A special treat for a sub-set of the tour group was a side visit to the farm of Frank and Val Cudlipp in St. Lawrence. The Cudlipps manage their smaller herd in a very traditional manner with prodigious energy despite advancing years! At their farm visitors were exposed to horned cattle, tethered on pasture, the use of mallets to drive pegs into the ground, explored small scale potato managment and planting practices and also grass-cutting with a sycthe. Frank “had people at hello” by simply being nothing more or less than himself.It was a refreshing glimpse into once-common but now rare ways of farming the land and animal husbandry. Thursday evening was spent at the glistening grounds of Trinity Manor inspecting the fine cattle in the Trinity herd and enjoying yet another festival of eating fine food in a massive marquee on the immaculate and pristine lawns.We are now at the point of saturation where we have been given so much to remember and reflect upon. Thousands upon thousands of conversations have been held about cattle breeding and management, Jersey attirbutes, politics and life in our home lands and the future of the Jersey breed. We’ve lunched on physical food and a bounty of “brain food” and now we’re both into digestion of past “meals” and ready for more servings of information and knowledge!!We can only say-bring it on!!! Loving every second of it.

Perfect moments! May 21, 2008 – 1:53 pm
It has been said that we will not know true perfection in this life, this world-we’ll have to wait until we depart for our heavenly home some day.However; World Jersey Conference delegates experienced a “foretaste of heaven” on Tuesday with afternoon visits to the Houze and LeGallais herds in St Saviour and later the Perchard herd at La Ferme in St. Martin! Clear air, blue skies, greenest of green grasses and tree leaves, blooming trees and spring flowers and the icing on the cake-brown cows in abundance!As we strolled the country lanes between the Houzé and Le Gallais pastures the magic of Jersey on a spring day was fully and completely evident!! Later after a photo-taking session at the RJA we landed at La Ferme for an astounding evening of great fun! Many of the 24 countries here offered a song or jokes or skits and the massive marquee resounded with hoots of laughter and thunderous applause for “highly professional” theatrical contributions! Joy and thankfulness were over-flowing as a long string of buses wended their way to our home away from home at the splendid Hotel de France-conference HQ!! Today we’ll continue soaring with reports from five young Jersey supporters from our five global regions and head “west” for more brown cows in St. Peter and St. Brelade! The fun continues!

Excerpt from Russell Gammon's Blog, 22.05.2008, Jersey Evening Post