Prince Charles opens virtual Royal Welsh Show with tribute to farmers' resilience
Handy cooking demonstrations, a tour of the trophy room and video interviews with experts are available this week to fill the hole left by the Royal Welsh Show's cancellation.
The 101st show had to be cancelled because of coronavirus but the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society adapted to put on a virtual extravaganza. It includes live seminars, pre-recorded interviews and demonstrations from 8am to 8pm this Monday to Friday, when the show would have gone ahead.
The show was officially 'opened' today with a series of video messages from senior figures including the Prince of Wales.
Show director Richard Price said in his video message: "I can thank and commend the skeleton staff in the show office, together with a few volunteers... they've pulled together some wonderful content for this virtual show.
"I think we'll all enjoy it, it'll be fun, nostalgic, educational, enlightening.
"We're all going to miss the summer show, the physical show this year. Not just the camaraderie and the intense competition in the show rings, the busy bustle of like-minded people around the site, but also the bigger stuff.
"We're the biggest shop window for Welsh agriculture and the Welsh countryside.
"I'm really looking forward to next year, the 2021 show... but in the meantime please enjoy the virtual show.
"I think it's got something for everyone and I think it has almost everything that the physical show can offer."
'The farming community is nothing if not resilient'
Charles, Prince of Wales, said in his address: "A great deal has changed, I fear, since my wife and I attended last year's Royal Welsh Show.
"As we celebrated the society's 100th show together with thousands of show-goers, no-one could possibly have predicted the immense disruption that, less than a year later, would be caused due to a worldwide pandemic.
"Nonetheless, the farming community is nothing if not resilient, and nowhere is that more true than in Wales, so it is very heartening to know that the show will go on this year, albeit in this virtual form.
"One consequence of the pandemic seems to have been the growing appreciation of locally-sourced food and drink.
"I can only hope that once this crisis is over, customers will continue to support the local farmers and village shops whose value has been proved beyond all measure by this emergency.
"Agricultural shows are the lifeblood of rural societies, and of our culture and language. They bring people together, often from isolated family farms, creating a much needed sense of wellbeing.
"More than ever at this challenging time, we need that sense of belonging – of what in Welsh is called 'yn perthyn', that is such a vital feature of our communities.
"That is why I am so glad to be able to introduce this digital show which will educate, entertain and provide a platform for knowledge transfer within the industry."
To learn more and see what is on offer throughout the week, visit royalwelsh.digital/. If you miss live streams, you can catch up on the website.
