Sunshine joins the crowds at the Royal Welsh Spring Festival
21 Mai 2018
A fun-filled couple of days has been enjoyed by thousands at the Royal Welsh Spring Festival in Llanelwedd this weekend. A celebration of smallholding and rural life, the Spring Festival is a firm favourite for many in the spring show season.
With an emphasis on smallholding, the Spring Festival offered everyone the opportunity to benefit from a huge selection of free workshops, talks, question and answer sessions, demonstrations and displays taking place all weekend. It didn’t matter if it was growing vegetables, shearing, treating and vaccinating pigs, keeping chickens, managing woodlands, or many other topics and skills, there were opportunities for everyone to learn something.
The weekend was filled with fun, educational have-a-go activities that kept happy visitors entertained throughout the two days. Whether they had a go at handling an exotic animal, learning a circus trick, taking part in stock judging, stepping inside a bee experience tent or milking a cow, it is sure to say that everyone enjoyed all the hands-on activities available throughout the festival.
“We are really pleased with how much everyone enjoyed the first Royal Welsh event of 2018.” said Kay Spencer, Spring Festival Director. “This event is always a fantastic way to kick-start the show season and this year has been no different. Our fantastic visitors have come out in force, revelled in the wonderful friendly festival atmosphere and fully embraced the ethos of the event… a celebration of smallholding and rural life.”
Soaking up the beautiful spring sunshine, the crowds gathered to watch the daring James Dylan’s Stuntworld motorcycle show, the entertaining Meirion Owen and his famous Quack Pack, along with a host of other entertainment, including scurry driving, show-jumping, the
BASC Gundog Display, tug-of-war competitions and the spectacular display called the Festival of Welsh Land Rovers.
The more athletic visitors braved the heat and the mid-Wales hills to once again take on the challenge of the Royal Welsh Trail Running Festival, run in conjunction with Run 4 Wales. A series of challenging but scenic trail races, starting and finishing in the showground and taking in the surrounding valleys, fields and woodland tracks was held on the Saturday of the festival. The hundreds of finishers were presented with a technical Trail running t-shirt and a commemorative Welsh slate medal.
Food and drink play a large part of any Royal Welsh event and the Spring Festival doesn’t disappoint. With the ever-popular food hall and the teeming Street Food area, visitors were faced with a huge choice of tasty delicacies to try throughout the weekend.
Along with the cookery demonstrations in the Welsh Food Skills Centre and the Taste of Game kitchen in the Food Hall, festival-goers were treated to a live baking demonstration from Bakes Off’s Val Stones and Louise Williams. Whipping up a replica three-tiered, elderflower and lemon Royal wedding cake, made with Welsh products donated by the exhibitors in the Food Hall.
Completing the wedding theme, children visiting the festival on Saturday enjoyed dressing up and joining in with our Royal wedding party games and taking home their own party bag.
“The Spring Festival is the perfect way to begin the show season for the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society” said Steve Hughson, Chief Executive of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society. “I am delighted, given the competing demands of a Royal wedding and the FA Cup Finals, that the crowds still came to our event and created a fantastic and enjoyable atmosphere.”
“We are fortunate to have this tremendous support at all of our events, the next one being the up-coming Royal Welsh Show just nine weeks away, held here at the showground in Llanelwedd on 23 - 26 July. Whilst in the meantime we are looking forward to hosting the 2018 Urdd National Eisteddfod from 28 May – 2 June. ”
The top results for the weekend are listed below, a full list of competition results will be available on the website shortly: www.rwas.wales
The top results from the weekend:
Sheep
Champion - Master Oliver Sparks, Pontyclun, RCT
Reserve - Miss Cenin Eifion, Gwynedd
Sheep Group of Three
Champion - Lynda & Griff Richards-Davies, Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire
Reserve - Master Oliver Sparks, Pontyclun, RCT
Pig
Champion - Mrs A J Walton, Cheshire
Reserve - Bleddyn & Gayna Beck, Neath
Angora Goat
Champion - D & V Lockton, Pembrokeshire
Reserve - D & V Lockton, Pembrokeshire
Dairy Goat Day 1
Champion - Mr Nick Parr, Surrey
Reserve - Mrs & Miss T & M Ogborne, Bristol
Dairy Goat Day 2
Champion - Mr Nick Parr, Surrey
Reserve - Mr Kevin Rose & Miss Wendy Holden, West Midlands
Pygmy Goat Breed Champion
Champion - Messrs Tim Bee & Nigel Keen, Monmouthshire
Reserve - Mrs Jill Osborne, Newport
Pygmy Goat Pet Champion
Champion - Mrs June Camfield, Newport
Reserve - Mr & Mrs J & P Keates, Worcestershire
Boer Goat
Champion - Mr Ian Johnson, Derbyshire
Reserve - Mr Jo Jenkins
Angora Fleece
Champion - C & D Tyler, Pembrokeshire
Reserve - Ms Jeannie Camm, Ceredigion
Cattle
Champion - Mrs Carolyn Redmayne, Cambridgeshire
Reserve - Mrs Alma James, Pembrokeshire
Best Sheep Breed Tradestand Award
Winner - Hebridean Sheep Society
Reserve - Badger Face Welsh Mountain
Best Cattle Breed Society Stand
Winner - Highland Cattle Club of Wales
Reserve - Big Time Lowline Angus
CHAPS Mid Welsh Regional Show, Supreme In-Hand
Champion - Matthew Carr with Carn Nicholas Tom, Swansea
Reserve - Rosita Hamar with Tic Tac Toc, Handler – Elliot Clifton, Shropshire
Heavy Horses/Shires/Foreign, World or Rare Breeds
Champion - Heather Robertson with Colony Yasmin, Monmouthshire
Reserve - Rosita Hamar with Coolee Bend Talisman, Shropshire
Novice Section
Champion - Tori Thomas riding Penstrumbly Our Latif, Swansea
Reserve - Mati Davies riding Syfynwy Sweet Annabel, Pembrokeshire
British Miniature Horse Society
Champion - Charlotte Leonard with Karosel Alamo’s Perdita, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Reserve - Charlotte Leonard with Blackspirits Queen of Diamonds, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Donkey Breed Society Championship
Champion - Clare Humphries with Lottie, Wiltshire
Reserve - Karen Palmer with Chocolate Penny, Carmarthenshire
CHAPS Mid Welsh Regional Show, Supreme Ridden
Champion - Sophia Chambers with Cilmaengwyn Romany Lad, Powys
Reserve - Wayne Rees with Hollyland Maystar, Rider - Sian Warman-Randall, Powys
Hacks & Riding Horses
Champion - Zara Owen with Hide N Seek, Powys
Reserve - Jessica Cox with Rainstown Dazzler, Monmouthshire
Side Saddle
Champion - Mr & Mrs Gough with Nolton Hareton, Rider - Kate Mills, Powys
Reserve - Rachael Forkings with Parys Lad, Powys
Arabs
Champion - Molly Walsh with Romanno Hot Spot, Pembrokeshire
Reserve - Rhodri Jones with Jasmine Al Wallian, Handler - Rhiannon Jones, Carmarthenshire
Veteran Horse Society Area Qualifier – In-Hand
Champion - Sue James & Carwyn Williams with Mas Mitch, Handler - Jonathan Jones, Carmarthenshire
Reserve - Julia Rudall with Gryngallt Peridot, Caerphilly
Veteran Horse Society Area Qualifier – Ridden
Champion - Gemma Rees with Banjo II, Pembrokeshire
Reserve - Elizabeth Powell with Edw Cream Cracker, Rider - Mya Perry, Powys
Irish Draught
Champion - Zara Owen with Griffin Bridge, Powys
Reserve - Emma Allum with Foxridge Archibald, Rider - Shelly Higham, Carmarthenshire