Pembrokeshire farmer Kathy Joules has been crowned Wales’ top dairy stockperson after impressing judges with her stockmanship, resilience and sheer determination to keep her family business thriving.
Kathy, who runs a 650-acre mixed farm at Castell-Y-Gwcw, Llandeloy, near Haverfordwest, took home the NFU Cymru / NFU Mutual Dairy Stockperson of the Year Award at the Welsh Dairy Show in Nantyci, Carmarthenshire. She received a £500 prize and a Welsh slate engraved cheeseboard in recognition of her work.
The annual competition, now in its 12th year, celebrates the vital role skilled stockpeople play in maintaining herd health, welfare and efficiency across Wales’ dairy farms.
Kathy milks 160 cows supplying to First Milk and also runs a 70-head bull beef unit, finishes 50 grass-fed beef heifers, and keeps 45 dairy followers with a Hereford bull as a sweeper. The farm also grows wheat, oats, barley and fodder beet to support its livestock system.
In recent years, she has diversified into bull beef to tackle ongoing bTB challenges, rearing and finishing calves on-farm to strengthen the business. She’s also part of a Farming Connect Agriscôp group working to develop practical approaches to disease control in Pembrokeshire.
Kathy’s success is all the more remarkable given the personal challenges she’s faced. After losing her husband to Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2018, she took on full responsibility for running the farm and has since raised thousands for MND charities through local fundraising events.
Jonathan Wilkinson, NFU Cymru Dairy Board Chair, said Kathy stood out as “a dedicated and progressive farmer who has shown impressive resilience.”
He added: “Her drive, practical mindset and contribution to Welsh agriculture make her a deserving winner. Her passion and positivity for the future of the dairy industry here in Wales meant she stood out during the judging process.”
Rhys Williams, NFU Cymru / NFU Mutual Group Secretary and one of the judges, praised her practical skill and forward-thinking attitude.
“There are some fantastic people working within the dairy industry here in Wales and Kathy is testament to that,” he said. “She has a superb range of skills and a clear vision for how to make her business more efficient and sustainable.”
Kathy now plans to continue developing her dairy and beef enterprises while championing innovation and knowledge-sharing within Welsh agriculture.
