Crowds descend on Royal Welsh Winter Fair

As one of Europe's finest prime stock shows, the Winter Fair draws crowds from far and wide to enjoy two days packed full of competitions, festivities, food and drink, and shopping.

Alongside livestock competitions, it hosts a huge variety of classes and demonstrations, including equine, the hound show, dressed poultry, butchery, meat hampers, cookery, produce and handicraft, horticulture and floral art.

There was also a great chance to pick up some unique Christmas gifts while warming up with a mulled wine and listening to a variety of carol singers including Holly Richards from Llandegley and Builth Wells Male Voice Choir, while Santa greeted children in his grotto.

The Food Hall was packed with producers from across Wales showcasing their culinary delights, offering tempting tasters and a range of demonstrations.

At the official opening ceremony, Chairman of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, Nicola Davies said the fair was going from strength to strength with record entries in the sheep classes, high pig entries, the highest equine entries since 2015 and 350 trade stands.

Vintage tractors dressed in Christmas lights were also a new feature.

But she said the Royal Welsh Society had been thrust into a debate about the summer show after the Welsh Government announced a consultation on changing school summer holidays.

In the presence of Welsh Government Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths, Ms Davies said there was concern about the effect of the proposals on cultural events in Wales, particularly the summer show which attracts thousands of pupils and students to learn about agriculture. She encouraged everyone to respond to the consultation so a strong rural voice is heard.

The fair was officially opened by National Farmers Union Cymru President Abi Reader,

As well as farming in partnership with her parents and uncle Abi is a co-founder of Cows on Tour, a successful project aimed at improving knowledge of farming for all children, especially in urban areas, an Open Farm Sunday host, and a former NFU Cymru Wales Woman Farmer of the Year.

She is fiercely passionate that all young people should have a basic awareness of agriculture techniques and an understanding and appreciation of the ‘end product’ i.e., food, environment, horticulture, and land management.

Montgomeryshire farmer Glenn Lloyd was announced as the winner of the 2024 Oxford Farming Conference bursary.

A third-generation farmer from Llandyssil, Montgomeryshire, he will have the chance to attend the conference next January.

Glenn is currently self-employed between three businesses. The primary business is the farming side which he has been in partnership with his father since 2011, working to increase the size of the dairy herd and converting to organic.

As part of the farm diversification, Glenn and family launched Daisy Bank Dairy in 2020. The successful enterprise pasteurises and distributes organic milk and milkshakes to shops and wholesalers across Wales.

Glenn said; “We're very keen on regenerative agriculture, improving soil health, using rotational grazing and growing grass crops that have as little impact on the environment as possible. This helps to reverse the effects of air pollution, using herbal and clover pastures, to increase cow health and pull carbon out of the atmosphere and use it as fuel to grow our grass organically.”

Glenn and family have also recently taken over Trefaldwyn Cheese, an award-winning company that produces one of the best cheeses in the world.

The Oxford Farming Conference, held annually in early January, has established a reputation for strong debate and exceptional speakers. The conference is one of the most important events of its kind, bringing together farmers, politicians, scientists and others to discuss the future development of the agricultural industry.