Wales Farmer February 2013 NEWS Royal Welsh Society news


Showlooks to the future


■ New forumfor RoyalWelsh’s young members


THE Royal Welsh Agricultural Society has established a Young Members’ Forum to promote the society’s aims and objectives to the


younger generation. Members of the neworganisation


must be under 40 years of ageand former winners of RWAS scholar- ships,bursaries and student awards. They have been invited to join together with past RoyalWelsh Lady Ambassadors and tworepresenta- tivesfromeach of the society’scoun- ty advisory committees from across Wales. The young members have been


invited to applyfor the Agri- AcademyRural


Leadership


Programme,ajoint initiative between the Welsh Government’s Farming Connect programme and the society. “The aim of the programme is to


inspireand develop anew generation of leaders in rural Wales,” said John Davies,chairman of the RoyalWelsh boardofdirectors,who revealed details of the forum at ameeting of the society’scouncil at Builth Wells.


FOLLOWING the appointment of Pembrokeshirefarmer John Davies as chairman of the society’sboardofdirectors,his predecessor,David Lewis, of Llandysul, Ceredigion, has taken over as the newchairman of the society’scouncil. Mr Lewis succeeded Alun Evans,ofTywyn, Merioneth, whohas held


the position since 2006. As chairman of the RoyalWelsh boardsince 2006, David Lewis steered


the society through severalimportant phases of its development until he stepped down from the office in October.Awell-known livestock auctioneer whorevived the markets in Llandysul and Newcastle Emlyn, he is asuccessful breeder of pedigree Charolais cattle and is aformer chairman and president of the Charolais cattle society.Heisafellowof the RoyalAgricultural Societies and waspresident of the RoyalWelsh in 2005.


Another keychange in the management of the society will follownext


Maywhen the chief executive,David Walters,retires after 28 years.He will be succeeded by Steve Hughson, asenior officer with Dyfed-Powys Police.


Mr Davies,who wasappointed as


the newchairman of the RoyalWelsh boardinOctober,was making his first report to the society’scouncil. He paid tribute to the retiring


president of the society,John R Davies,for his inspirational leader- ship during Breconshire’syear as the featurecounty when £246,000 was raised forthe featurecounty fund. Some £47,000 of the money was spent on upgrading the former Welsh Government Pavilion, which is now called the Green Pavilion and staged arenewableenergy exhibit at the show. Brecknock wasdevoting the rest of the fund to additional accom- modation forsheep with the balance as the first contribution towards


much-needed and promised improve- ments to the equine facilities at Llanelwedd. Mr Davies said he wanted to


express the board’sgratitude to the sponsors of the three RoyalWelsh events –the Spring Festival, the sum- mer showand the Winter Fair –for their generous support in what are challenging times. Income from letting the show-


ground and its facilities forvarious events during the year amounted to some £350,000 which was£20,000 morethan budget. However,with the improved facili-


ties on the showground thereneeded to be afocus on marketing to encour- agegreater use,hesaid.


Local producechampion willwin prestigious prize


ABUTCHER whohas championed local produce and ayoung farmer with exceptional skills in breeding and feeding cattle will be the recipi- ents of twoofWales’ most presti- gious agricultural awards this year. Formorethan 50 years the Sir


Bryner Jones Memorial Trophyhas been the most prestigious annual prizeoffered by the RoyalWelsh Agricultural Society to those who have attained the highest levelof achievement in their chosen sector of farming or related businesses. In 2013 the once-in-a-lifetime


awardwill go to abutcher in Wales whohas established asuccessful business through the sale and pro- motion of locally-produced livestock products.


will be made by the RoyalWelsh county


Nominations forthe coveted prize advisory


committees


throughout Wales and the closing date forentries is April 2nd. Sir Bryner Jones wasAgriculture Commissioner forWales in 1912 and later became Welsh Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture. He shaped the direction of the RWAS for50 years and waspresident of the socie- ty during its golden jubilee year in 1954.


Another of the society’sonce-in-a-


lifetime prizes,the Dr Emrys Evans Award, is givenannuallytothe per- son whohas contributed in an excep- tional waytorural skills. This year the judges will be assess- ing the abilities of nominees in the


breeding and feeding of cattle, preparing animals formarkets and shows and selecting feed and also such practical skills as foot trim- ming, dehorning, dosing, inoculating and recording. The awardisopen to competitors


whoare under 35 years of ageonthe first dayofthis year’sRoyal Welsh Show(July 22nd) and wholive and work in Wales. Dr Evans waschairman of the


RoyalWelsh Agricultural Society’s boardofmanagement. He died in office on the eve of the RoyalWelsh Centenary Showin2004 and the awardwas introduced in his memory twoyears later. Entries forthe awardalso close on


April 2nd.


Anglesey farmer takeson Royal Welshshow’s top role


ABEEF and sheep farmer from Anglesey has been elected president of the RoyalWelsh Agricultural Society for2013. WynJones,ofCastellior,Menai


Bridge,who will be president during Anglesey’syear as featurecounty, farms 700 acres and specialises in beef and sheep production. Seven hundred cattle,all bought as store animals,are finished on the farm annuallyand aflock of 750 cross- bred ewesare mated with Texeland Suffolk rams. Grassland management is the key


to optimum production and the farm has arotation of 70 acres of winter


wheatand 70 acres of spring barley. The grass is dried and stored on the farmfor stock feeding. Castellior has been recognised


over the years by winning several awards including the RoyalWelsh Farm Buildings competition in 1986 and the All Wales Grassland compe- tition in 1989. It has hosted anumber of open


days and demonstrations and intro- duced manyforeign visitors and rep- resentativesofthe meatindustry to the high standards of beef and lamb production in Wales. The newpresident is aFellowof the RoyalAgricultural Societies and


aformer county chairman of Anglesey NFU.Hehas also been president of Anglesey Agricultural Society and is apast chairman of the local grassland society. He wasamember of the panel


which established the brand for Welsh Beef and waschairman of Welsh Lamb and Beef Promotions beforeitbecame HybuCig Cymru. He is apast president of Wales YFC and alife member of Ynys Mon YFC. Mr Jones is married to Ann and


they have twochildren, adaughter, Delyth, and son, Dylan, whoisa partner in the farmbusiness.


For the latest Wales farming news: walesfarmer.co.uk


SILVER LINING: Some of the winners of the Pembrokeshire NMR herds competition with the fine collection of silverware that was up for grabs.


DOUBLE DELIGHT: James Evans, of Mole Valley Farmers (centre) presents the champion herd cup to Ben Llewellin, of Lower House, Clarbeston (left) and Geoff Lewis, of Pearson Farm, St Brides (right).


New championship recordsdouble win


NOTHING could separate twoofPembrokeshire’stop dairy herds in the fight fora newaward. The herds of Geoff


Lewis,ofPearson Farm,St Brides,and the Llewellin family, of LowerHouse, Clarbeston, were named joint winners of anew championship awardinthe PembrokeshireNMR herds competition. The twoherds accumulat-


ed the mostpoints in the competition classes and shared anew trophykindly donated by Mole Valley Farmers. They shared ahost of


awards between them, including best cowfamily


group forthe ‘Sonia’ family at Pearson; while the Clarby herdatLower House recorded the lowest average cell counts with 80,000 cells/ml. The reservechampi-


onship waswon by the Williams family, of Home Farm,Leweston, Camrose, whose Ayrshires also won the prizefor best non- Holstein Friesian herd. They also took home the award forbest female youngstock (small herds). Seventeen herds entered


the competition this year, with the best small herd awardgoing to the Hean Castle Estate,Saundersfoot, and the large herdaward to


O. M. Davies and sons,of Pencwarre, Crymych, who also wonanew award donated by former NMR field officer,Virginia Russell forthe ‘happyherd’. The best organic herd


came from Tedion Farm, Lawrenny. The main herdjudge Williams,of Spittal, and


Keith Haverhill,


youngstock judge Nev Roberts,ofWern Farm, Drefach, both said they enjoyedvisiting all the farms and said it wasavery diffi- cult competition to judge. The


results Narberth in December. were


announced at adinner at the Plas


HyfrydHotel, 11


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