Britain’s Sexiest Farmer 2015: Meet the female winner Lizi Clubley
10 things you might not know about…
Lizi Clubley
Age: 27
Lives: Yorkshire
1. She’d like to keep rare breeds
Her passion for this stemmed from her interest in horses and concern at the decline of old breeds such as the Suffolk Punch. “I’d particularly like to keep a rare breed of cattle. The old bloodlines have been bred out, in pursuit of yields and quicker meat, but I’ve got a real pull towards them. There’s something humble and mysterious about cows. I like White Park and Belted Galloways. If I won the lottery, I’d make sure my family were comfortable then I’d buy every rare breed I could think of.”
2. She has a ferret called Mischief
Animal-lover Lizi rescued the critter after it had been dumped, then didn’t have the heart to give it away – even if it can occasionally bite. “I’ve also got a border collie called Ozzie, a Jack Russell terrier called Lily and a cat called Mustard.”
3. She’s getting married this year
The big day is 8 August, when she’ll tie the knot with her teenage sweetheart, Karl, who proposed up a mountain in Bulgaria when the couple were skiing. “He was two years above me at school and I used to think he was out of my league.” Lizi plans to ride her old horse, Saxon, to the church sidesaddle, led by her dad. “Karl bought me flowers and a card telling me how proud he was when I’d won the Britain’s Sexiest Farmer competition.”
4. She wishes everyone would buy British
“The prices farmers get need to be fairer. They’re so low – yet equipment and inputs are so expensive. The country is losing so many of its farmers – it’s really sad. The public needs farmers and the food is produced to a higher standard than in some overseas countries.”
5. She has five tattoos…
…including one on the top of her leg, which reads “Carpe Diem”.
6. She has a diploma in horticulture
Lizi studied this at Bishop Burton, then did garden-related work before getting bitten by the farming bug. She now works on a farm near Skirlaugh but still loves flower arranging. “I did a night-school class and have done the flowers for a few weddings. Maybe one day it’ll be a sideline business for me. I seem to have a knack for it, and it’s wonderful contributing to someone’s big day.”
7. She loves the variety of farming
“I have a friend who describes my job as being like an advent calendar – every day is different. I would hate to work in an office. I suppose the only benefit is that it’s dry and warm. Tractor driving is my favourite job. There’s no such thing as a man’s job – women can do anything that men can.”
8. She wore overalls for her entry photo for the Britain’s Sexiest Farmer competition…
“I wanted to portray the natural look, so submitted a photo of myself in my work clothes. A lot of people strive to be a size 8 and wear thick make-up. I think people should be confident about who they are. I’m really happy in my own skin.”
9. She’s allergic to cucumber
This unusual trait is one Lizi inherited from her dad. Other lesser-known facts about her are that she doesn’t feel the cold (unless she’s poorly), her favourite meal is roast lamb (still with a bit of pink) and she can find herself laughing at inappropriate moments. “As a child, if someone used to tell me off, I’d get the giggles.”
10. She’s very proud of her home county
“We’re very jolly and happy people in Yorkshire. The accents are brilliant, too. A lot of people criticise Hull, but I’m really proud to be from Hull. It’s up-and-coming, it’s a real community and it’s great that it’s going to be capital of culture in 2017. I like keeping abreast of local issues, so listen to local radio stations when I’m in the tractor.”