Stud manager Niall Cumming's search for Love In The Countryside

Although few weeks go by without gossip about romantic encounters around Newmarket or Lambourn, it can be a different story outside racing’s heartlands.

The solitude of his life in Dorset led Niall Cumming, assistant manager of Old Rectory Stud in Dorset, to take the dramatic step of an application to BBC Two’s Love in the Countryside, a show which attempts to matchmake rural singletons from around the UK.

A rather more gentle affair than some of its contemporaries and presented by Sara Cox, known to racing fans for her appearance in the Magnolia Cup at Goodwood, the programme is now into its second series and has something of a cult following.

Cumming was attracted to equine dentist Victoria and after writing her a letter and making it through a round of speed dating, found himself in the final three suitors attempting to win her heart through a series of dates near her home in Somerset.

Making an impression with his gentlemanly conduct, he was into the last two for Tuesday’s series finale and a head-to-head against shoe-seller Ben.

Will it be happily-ever-after for Victoria and Niall?

"Basically, just with working in the stud industry, you don’t really get much of a social life, we dedicate ourselves pretty much to the job," Cumming explained. "I’d been single for about six years and I just thought, 'I’ve really got to get a move on - I’m 40 years old now, for goodness sake!'

"You just need to kind of get out of your comfort zone - I know I’m 6ft 8ins but I’m a really naturally shy guy so it was a big step, that’s for sure.

"I was quite surprised to get through. Victoria did an intro video and she came across as a lovely lady and I thought, 'Why not give it a go'. They said I sounded perfect and she wanted a tall guy - I don’t think she’d get much taller."

Cumming is a 2005 graduate of the National Stud diploma and went on to work at the former Templeton Stud, Marston Stud in Oxfordshire and the Queen’s Polhampton Lodge Stud in Hampshire. He moved to Old Rectory, a farm near Dorchester belonging to Harbour Law’s owners Nick and Jackie Cornwell, through a longstanding friendship with Lisa Brown, the stud manager.

The episode is repeated on Sunday and remains on the BBC iPlayer so viewers can discover the outcome themselves.

"The experience was fantastic and I didn’t feel nervous at all in any of the situations," said Cumming, side-stepping any spoilers. "I don’t regret it for one minute."

Should he be unsuccessful, of course, interested parties now know where to find him.

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