FARMERS from across the globe descended on one of the country's top beef herds, based in the Ribble Valley.

More than 100 foreign delegates from as far away as New Zealand visited Jimmy and Vikki Wood's Popes Simmental herd, Longridge Road, Dutton, near Ribchester, on Monday evening.

The trip was part of a two-week long tour of the country as part of the 17th World Simmental Congress, an event that takes place every two years and last visited the UK in 1982.

Simmental beef cattle, which originated in western Switzerland., have been bred at Popes Farm since 1988 and Jimmy, 52, and Vikki, 46, have gone on to have massive success on the summer show circuit and at the big industry sales.

Jimmy said: "When I met Vikki she was into horses and I played a lot of football so we had to find a shared interest and that's where Simmentals came in. It is something we can focus on together. We were both from farming and we liked Simmentals because they were so quiet."

At last year's Royal Show, in Warwickshire, the couple scooped the reserve interbreed title with their cow, Popes Nelly's Princess, and have twice sold bulls at more than £12,000 at the Perth beef sales in Scotland - the pinnacle of the selling calendar.

Popes Nellys Princess also won the inter-breed title at 2006 Royal Lancashire Show, Ribchester.

Danie (CORR) Morais, who farms 160 Simmentals in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, said his 12,000 mile round trip to the Ribble Valley had been worth the effort.

He said: "I'm very impressed with what they are doing here. They have a really high standard of cattle."

Ken Lewis, who breeds a massive 900 cows near Alberta, Canada, said that the trip to Dutton was practically the first time the sun had shone during the visit.

He added: "We've got used to what a rain coat is for in the UK.

"The quality of the animals at this herd is very good and are bigger than what we work with back home."

Other delegates on the trip had travelled over from Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Australia.

As well as the Simmental herd Jimmy and Vikki also run meat wholesale company Bowland Foods Ltd, Longridge Road, Preston.