Livestock schedules for this year’s 25th Royal Welsh Winter Fair have been sent to over 5,500 potential exhibitors.
First staged in 1990, this year the Winter Fair is celebrating its silver jubilee anniversary and is hoping to once again attract over 1,250 top quality livestock entries which gives the event the enviable reputation of being the finest prime stock show in Europe.
Taking place on the showground in Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, on 1 and 2 December, the Winter Fair will host 198 livestock classes, special awards and championships, all listed in the special silver jubilee edition of the schedule. The closing date for entries is 22 October.
The first Royal Welsh Winter Fair was a modest one-day event which attracted an impressive 500 livestock entries and an attendance of over 6,000 visitors. This year the entries will still be impressive, but will hopefully number over 1,250 with nearly 30,000 of visitors attending the annual two-day event.
In nostalgic recognition of the outstanding quality of stock entered, judged and sold at the past 24 events, the front cover of this year’s special edition livestock schedule features a photo of the very first Royal Welsh Winter Fair Supreme Champion, ‘Lucky Lad’. The 19-month old Charolais sired steer out of a Charolais cross Belgian Blue dam was entered jointly by Shropshire based owner and breeder, John Dennison and show presenter, Doug Lloyd. Weighing in at 645kg, the champion beast went on to be sold to Pontardawe butcher, Howell Mayberry for £7,500.
Along with the ever-popular livestock classes the fair also hosts competitions for produce and handicrafts, poultry, horticulture, ice-cream, beer and cider, meat, sausages and cheese. There is something for everyone to get involved in. Schedules are available online – www.rwas.co.uk
Away from the judging rings the very best of Welsh food producers will showcase their produce and Christmas shoppers will be able to explore the hundreds of tradestands, demonstrations, exhibitions and silver jubilee celebrations, including late night shopping and a celebratory firework display on the Monday evening.
