Planning, co-ordination and organisation are just some of the key attributes needed to pull off an event to the scale of, the Royal Welsh Show – particularly the livestock section, with its own set of specific requirements.
And while this will be livestock officer Charlotte Hughes’ first show in the role, a background in showing stock and years spent working and exhibiting across the show circuit, including 12 years stewarding at previous Royal Welsh Shows, has given her plenty of experience in the field.
Ahead of the show later this month, Mrs Hughes says: “There is a bit of nervous excitement as the show approaches and especially since we have not had an event for the past two years but at the same time the excitement of being able to host rural Wales’ flagship event again is taking over.
Behind the scenes
“There is lot of behind-the-scenes admin work that goes on to ensure the smooth running of all the different competitions and classes across the four days but we have a good team in the livestock office, with myself working alongside Bethan Jones and Chloe Lewis.”
Ensuring the smooth running of the livestock sections sees many elements organised a year or two ahead, including judge selection, which means the 2023 judging panel has already been confirmed.
Champion rosettes, pen infrastructure, entries and catalogues also need to be organised well in advance of the show, while cattle passports, movement licences and other paperwork is done as stock arrives.
Entry numbers for this year are looking strong, says Mrs Hughes, particularly in the sheep section, given this will be the first show in two years.
“Uncertainties earlier in the year and the lead time needed to prepare show stock will have no doubt had an impact on the numbers of stock forward this year, while bTB continues to be a major issue in the region, which will have had a bearing on cattle numbers being down slightly.
“The dairy section too is well supported; we do not have any cancellations or withdrawals at this stage; it is looking good.”
Special awards
A big number of special awards make up the prize list in each of the livestock sections, with several breeds celebrating milestones this year, including the Bluefaced Leicesters, which are celebrating their diamond anniversary and the Beef Shorthorn Society, which is celebrating its 200-year anniversary in 2022.
Other notable prizes to watch for include the Queen’s Cup for the best Welsh-bred animal, which rotates around the Welsh breeds in each livestock sector. This year will see it awarded to an animal in the Welsh pig section.
A new award this year from the Welsh Pony and Cob Society is a bespoke medal for the champion young handler, with 2022 marking the first time the medal will be awarded to an individual rather than an animal.
The 2022 National Southdown Show will also take place at the Royal Welsh Show this year.
April 2021 saw Whitland-based Meurig James appointed as chairman of the livestock committee at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS).
Mr James, who is head of breed development at Holstein UK, has been a member of the committee since 2012 and sits on the RWAS council as well as being a familiar voice in his role as commentator at the show.
All told and the anticipation of being able to gather once again on the showground is certainly building.
Mrs Hughes says: “We had the smallholders’ festival on-site in May and there was undoubtedly an excitement and buzz in the air as people looked forward to the main show this month.
“It is something which has been missing from the farming calendar – it is primarily a stock show, but it is also something so many people look forward to in a busy farming calendar to catch up with old friends. It is good for our well-being as an industry.”
