The life and legacy of rural consultant David Owen

David was born in Dumfries on February 22, 1982 and grew up at Potstown Farm, near Lockerbie, after his parents, Tom and Christine Owen, bought the holding in 1988.

He attended Eaglesfield Primary then Lockerbie Academy and spent much of his teenage years milking the family’s Holstein herd, which had been developed by his father, and decided at an early stage that he wanted to become an agricultural consultant.

He went on to study Agricultural Economics and Management Studies at Aberdeen University, combining his interest in farming with the commercial and analytical skills that would later underpin his career.

After graduating, David initially worked in food production with Simply Organic from 2003 to 2005 before joining Laurence Gould as an agricultural consultant from 2005 to 2009.

He later moved to SAC in Dumfries between 2009 and 2013, advising farming businesses across the region and developing the experience and client relationships that allowed him to establish his own firm.

Owen Farm Services was founded in 2013.

Although David had initially intended to work by himself, the business expanded steadily and, by the time of his death, had become a team of 10 working across agricultural consultancy, bookkeeping and software development.

That growth reflected David’s ability to identify what farm businesses needed and then find practical ways of providing it.

He was prepared to question established methods, embrace new technology and look for more efficient ways of managing information and making business decisions.

He was not interested in technology for its own sake.

His focus was on how it could make farming businesses easier to run, improve financial understanding and give farmers better information on which to base decisions.

David remained closely connected to Potstown throughout his career and contributed to the family farm’s business planning.

The farm became an AHDB Strategic Dairy Farm, opening its doors to other farmers and advisers and examining ways to improve profitability, herd performance and the use of its existing buildings and resources.

Its development included investment in robotic milking and a gradual change in the composition of the dairy herd.

In June 2025, the Owen family dispersed its Holsteins and completed the move to Jerseys.

It was a difficult day for a family which had bred Holsteins over several generations.

However, the decision also illustrated the clear-eyed approach David brought to farming: respecting the past while being prepared to make significant changes when they were judged necessary for the future of the business.

Away from agriculture, curling was one of the defining interests of David’s life.

He began playing at the age of 11 or 12 with Kirtle Valley Curling Club and later competed for Lockerbie Young Curlers.

At Aberdeen University he represented the university and was selected for Team GB at the World Winter University Games in Italy in 2003, where the team narrowly missed out on a bronze medal.

In 2011, David, his father Tom, Derek Purdie and Claire Sloan recorded one of curling’s rarest achievements, an eight-ender.

Remarkably, he repeated the feat in 2023 while playing pairs with his partner Maggie.

He was also among the curlers who twice broke the world record for the longest recorded curling match.

Their first effort, in 2012, lasted 61 hours and 39 minutes.

After that record was overtaken, David and his fellow players reclaimed it the following year with a match lasting 73 hours, 6 minutes and 52 seconds.

David’s contribution extended well beyond his own competitive achievements.

As one of three directors of Dumfries Curling, he helped bring the Scottish Curling Championships and other leading events to the Dumfries Ice Bowl.

He also combined his knowledge of technology with his enthusiasm for the sport by becoming involved in livestreaming matches, allowing curling events to reach audiences well beyond those able to attend in person.

Despite that involvement at national and international level, David continued to support local clubs, ice rinks and younger players.

His final trophy came in March, when he won the Waterbeck Club pairs alongside his son Callum.

Fittingly, the victory came against his brother Gareth, who was playing with his daughter Chloe.

David’s interests extended across a wide range of sports, but he took particular pleasure in sharing them with his family.

He was immensely proud of twins Eilidh and Callum and encouraged their interests, including Eilidh’s swimming and Callum’s football and curling.

Those who knew him remember his energy, humour and determination to turn ideas into action.

That approach allowed him to build a successful rural business, contribute to the development of the family farm and leave a lasting mark on the sport he loved.

In recognition of his contribution to the industry, he was nominated for Advisor of the Year at the 2024 Scottish Agriculture Awards.

David Thomas Owen died on September 8, 2025, aged 43.

He is survived by his partner, Maggie Wilson; his children, Callum and Eilidh; his parents, Tom and Christine Owen; and his brother, Gareth Owen.