:00:23. > :00:29.The Royal Welsh Show marks a very special place in the Welsh
:00:29. > :00:32.agricultural, horticultural and social calendar. Some 8,000 animals
:00:32. > :00:40.and over 200,000 human visitors transform this rural mid Wales town
:00:40. > :00:46.into this, one of the most spectacular occasions of the year.
:00:46. > :00:49.Welcome to the 2011 Royal Welsh Show, now in its 107th year. We'll
:00:49. > :00:52.bring you the very best of the week's events, from the electric
:00:52. > :00:56.atmosphere of the Main Ring, to the quiet elegance of the Horticultural
:00:56. > :00:58.Marquee. I'll be taking up my favourite
:00:58. > :01:01.position alongside the Cattle Ring, but we'll also be exploring the
:01:01. > :01:07.whole Showground, meeting with old friends and familiar faces as well
:01:07. > :01:10.as some of the bright young stars of the future.
:01:10. > :01:14.The showmen and women of the Royal Welsh always make exhibiting an
:01:14. > :01:18.animal look easy. This year I've got the privilege - the rather
:01:18. > :01:21.terrifying privilege - of stepping into the ring to show an animal for
:01:21. > :01:24.the very first time. I think I'm going to discover that it's not as
:01:24. > :01:28.easy as it looks. On Monday morning, it's the Beef
:01:28. > :01:31.Breeds that start the proceedings in the Cattle Ring. With 15
:01:31. > :01:41.Pedigree breeds on display, all bathed and buffed, it's a terrific
:01:41. > :01:46.
:01:47. > :01:49.sight. The Battle of the Beef is friendly, but fiercely competitive.
:01:50. > :01:55.One breed drawing global attention here this year is the British Blues,
:01:55. > :01:58.once known as the Belgian Blues. Rhys Millichap from Tonyrefail is
:01:58. > :02:08.showing his own British Blue cattle here for the very first time and is
:02:08. > :02:20.
:02:20. > :02:28.This is a really impressive display. Party nerves this morning? Very bad.
:02:28. > :02:34.I was up at 5am this morning. a lot of work. Yes, it is a lot of
:02:34. > :02:44.work. It is not just today, it is months before. Tell me what you are
:02:44. > :02:50.brought to the show this year. have brought a four-year-old cow or.
:02:50. > :02:54.She has got a good track record. You what 23. I had been told that
:02:54. > :02:59.you are one to watch for the future. How did you get started in all
:03:00. > :03:09.this? I started off about eight years ago. I bought my first car
:03:09. > :03:12.with my birthday money when I was 16. They were something different.
:03:12. > :03:17.There was not a market for the pride -- the pedigrees in South
:03:17. > :03:27.Wales. I thought it was the best times -- best time to start. I hope
:03:27. > :03:34.
:03:34. > :03:40.you can control the nerves and good luck. He is in the Main Ring. I had
:03:40. > :03:47.bumped into his parents, Catherine and David. How is he getting on?
:03:47. > :03:56.is early days. It is a very strong class. The it is a strong turnout
:03:56. > :04:02.this year. Yes. The judges are casting their eyes over them again.
:04:02. > :04:06.He was quite nervous beforehand. Do you get nervous on his behalf?
:04:06. > :04:16.I do. We are wishing him the best and supporting him the best we can.
:04:16. > :04:21.
:04:21. > :04:29.This is his world. He sleet -- he wakes up, talking about cattle.
:04:29. > :04:36.an exceptionally strong class, the four-year-old cow came second in
:04:36. > :04:45.her class. Congratulations. You must be really
:04:45. > :04:54.pleased. There was a lot of moving around. Yes, she was moved back.
:04:54. > :04:57.But I am very pleased. She did you proud. Yes.
:04:57. > :05:01.The Royal Welsh is the largest display of sheep breeds in the
:05:01. > :05:06.world. There are people in this ring who have been doing it for
:05:06. > :05:09.decades. So there's not much about sheep they don't know. Me, I'm more
:05:09. > :05:13.used to slithery snakes than woolly ruminants - but later on today I'm
:05:13. > :05:23.going to be competing with the best of them, thanks to a family from
:05:23. > :05:27.
:05:27. > :05:32.west Wales who trust me to look as if I know what I'm doing.
:05:32. > :05:42.It is back-to-school for me today. How long have you been showing
:05:42. > :05:43.
:05:43. > :05:48.sheep? Six or seven years. How many this year? Third T2. I am keen to
:05:48. > :05:56.get on Today. What is the first task of the day? Finish the cup of
:05:56. > :06:05.tea and out to the shed. Goodness me. Do not tell me I have to do
:06:05. > :06:15.this. Therefore, that ammendment falls., you do not have to do this.
:06:15. > :06:19.
:06:19. > :06:28.Is this the sheep I am going to be showing. Is he over there? It is
:06:28. > :06:35.that one over there. Hello! You do not look as if you will be half as
:06:36. > :06:43.much trouble. Am I wrong? Yes! he a bit of a handful? Yes, I am
:06:43. > :06:53.afraid so. This is so much harder than it looks. Can you imagine if I
:06:53. > :06:58.
:06:58. > :07:08.had a bigger sheep. It is so strong. The sheep is doing OK but he has a
:07:08. > :07:09.
:07:09. > :07:19.long way to go! Girls, the Show is in full-swing and I'm really
:07:19. > :07:19.
:07:19. > :07:29.getting quite nervous now. you'll be fine. We've got to get
:07:29. > :07:37.you ready and looking the part. One thing we didn't mention, you're
:07:37. > :07:41.actually showing one of our best Balwen sheep. So I'm letting you
:07:41. > :07:44.down if I don't do it justice? Pressure's on. And whilst I learn
:07:44. > :07:47.the tricks of the trade with these sheep experts, throughout the week
:07:47. > :07:49.we'll be divulging some of the trade secrets of the exhibitors in
:07:49. > :07:52.other sections. Find out how to make a cow
:07:52. > :07:55.perfectly fluffy later on in the programme!
:07:55. > :07:59.Birds of a feather certainly flock together in the Royal Welsh Fur and
:07:59. > :08:02.Feather Pavilion on Monday morning. Some 850 poultry and 240 pigeons
:08:02. > :08:11.have come from every corner of Wales and beyond, ready to be
:08:11. > :08:21.judged. One who hasn't travelled too far is Gethin Lewis from
:08:21. > :08:23.
:08:23. > :08:32.Rhayader. It is just as well that you have not far to come. How many
:08:32. > :08:40.have you got? About 30 in total. What is that one? What time do you
:08:40. > :08:46.have to get here? I usually have to get here quite early, around 7am.
:08:46. > :08:52.The time soon flies! How long have you been doing this? Since I was
:08:52. > :08:57.about seven. What do you enjoy about it so much? I enjoy the
:08:58. > :09:05.experience of winning competitions and prizes. It is such a lot of
:09:05. > :09:09.hard work. I would think that you have some help. Yes, I have some
:09:09. > :09:14.help from my aunt and my friends. Your mother does not like birds
:09:14. > :09:20.very much. It is a struggle to get her anywhere near them. This is
:09:20. > :09:25.your mother. It is nice to meet you. What is it about the birds that you
:09:25. > :09:31.do not like very much? I do not like the feel of the feathers. I
:09:31. > :09:36.really do struggle. I really have to psych myself up to come in here.
:09:36. > :09:40.When they are flapping in each cages, I do not like that at all!
:09:40. > :09:46.If he needs any help, I will put the gloves on and probably just
:09:46. > :09:51.hold one of them to help him. But we have always supported him in his
:09:51. > :10:01.hobby and his interest. You will be glad to know that the judging is
:10:01. > :10:06.
:10:06. > :10:09.just about to get started. That means that we can go! Best of luck!
:10:09. > :10:12.No exhibitors are allowed in the Pavilion whilst the judging happens
:10:12. > :10:15.but our cameras have had special permission to see behind the scenes.
:10:15. > :10:17.Each bird is examined individually. And after much deliberation and
:10:17. > :10:27.scrutiny, the prizes are awarded, but the competitors won't know the
:10:27. > :10:28.
:10:28. > :10:38.results until those doors are re- opened.
:10:38. > :10:39.
:10:39. > :10:47.It is so awful. Where are we going next? Look! That is fantastic.
:10:47. > :10:53.have three firsts, two seconds and a third. You must be thrilled.
:10:53. > :11:03.I am. A has that inspired you even more for next year? Yes, I will be
:11:03. > :11:05.
:11:05. > :11:14.back next year. Fantastic. Very well done. Congratulations.
:11:14. > :11:24.You want to look at the head. Plenty of soap! To get them clean,
:11:24. > :11:30.we need to get them really white. We used white soap and rub on.
:11:30. > :11:37.is night -- nice and white. We like to have the white cattle looking
:11:37. > :11:47.white. Still to come on tonight's programme, the coloured horses make
:11:47. > :11:51.a pretty patchwork in the Horse Ring. And in the Horticultural Tent,
:11:51. > :11:54.things are blooming. 3000 horses are competing at the
:11:54. > :11:57.Show this year. Whilst the Welsh horses and ponies captivate
:11:57. > :12:01.spectators around the Main Ring, there are some other hotly
:12:01. > :12:07.contested classes in the Horse Ring. One mother and daughter team hoping
:12:07. > :12:10.to take home a coveted red rosette is Jane and Imogen Purcell White.
:12:10. > :12:20.They've come all the way from Sussex with their Coloured Pony,
:12:20. > :12:24.Amakane Painted Lady, better known at home as 'Pippa'. The first time
:12:24. > :12:28.I came to the Royal Welsh Show was last year. It was better than me
:12:28. > :12:34.could have ever expected. We had such a fantastic time. We would not
:12:34. > :12:39.miss it now. It is a brilliant show. Imogen is my daughter. She is 15
:12:39. > :12:45.years old. She has done this pony on alone. She has been doing it
:12:45. > :12:53.through rain, hail and snow. She has an incredible Trust with the
:12:53. > :12:59.pony. The pony came over last year from Ireland. It is a three-year-
:12:59. > :13:06.old. It came over really green, Rhyd snorting. It is a different
:13:06. > :13:11.pony now. Imogen has created a really special pony. She does
:13:12. > :13:21.everything for me. I really love her. She jumps, she can do showing.
:13:22. > :13:26.
:13:26. > :13:36.She is just a fantastic pony. She How are you feeling? Ready to go?
:13:36. > :13:37.
:13:37. > :13:46.Yes, she has settled down now. icy you are lunching her. You are
:13:46. > :13:55.setting off some steam? She is very in experienced, so we have got to
:13:55. > :14:01.take that into account. COMMENTATOR: We are starting off
:14:01. > :14:07.with the ponies. So, here we are, 8 o'clock in the morning, and there
:14:07. > :14:14.is nothing else to do that offer moral support! The yes, just hope
:14:14. > :14:20.and pray! The pony is going quietly. It is just a case of keeping out of
:14:20. > :14:26.the way of the other horses. One horse is screaming, so we do want
:14:26. > :14:33.to get near that one. It is only her 5th show. And that is a very
:14:33. > :14:39.big show. There is lots going on. Why do you like coloured horses so
:14:39. > :14:45.much? I had a fantastic cupboard pony when I was a child. I did
:14:45. > :14:51.everything with her. She was very rare in New Zealand in those days,
:14:51. > :15:01.where I grew up. She took me to go top. It was a love-affair with
:15:01. > :15:05.
:15:05. > :15:15.coloured horses. Imogen has moved up to 5th. We are
:15:15. > :15:16.
:15:16. > :15:21.thrilled to bits. Big show, begat Whilst the competitions and
:15:21. > :15:24.displays make this Show a spectacle, it's the people who make it great.
:15:24. > :15:27.There are certain faces that have become part of the fabric of the
:15:27. > :15:37.show. One of those is Patrick Tantrum, Chief Steward in the
:15:37. > :15:41.
:15:41. > :15:50.Cattle Ring. How long have you been doing this job? 48 years. That is
:15:50. > :15:57.long-service! I was a running boy in the early years, I was helping
:15:57. > :16:04.to pen of the cattle - - if pen of the cattle and put the cards have
:16:04. > :16:10.an front of them. I then moved to being in charge of the cattle ring.
:16:10. > :16:16.I have to praise the stock men. The corporation we get from them is
:16:16. > :16:23.unbelievable. I treat this almost as a birthday party. I love to see
:16:23. > :16:30.all my friends and I had made so many over so many years. So, you
:16:30. > :16:35.are the birthday boy! It makes your job damages you as well. Yes, yes.
:16:35. > :16:41.We have a marvellous band of helpers. We're just one very big
:16:41. > :16:45.team. Everybody has got their set jobs, but if anybody gets into
:16:45. > :16:50.difficulties, they will immediately go and help out the other people.
:16:50. > :17:00.Thank you for taking time out to talk to us and I will come back and
:17:00. > :17:04.
:17:04. > :17:10.see you on your 50th year. I hope Still to come tonight, when
:17:11. > :17:18.racehorses become a showman, and the Llanwenog sheep. If you miss
:17:18. > :17:21.anything you can catch up on iPlayer. Horses are extraordinary
:17:21. > :17:24.animals that have been domesticated and trained by humans for millennia.
:17:24. > :17:27.Here at the Royal Welsh we can see some of the best-trained show
:17:27. > :17:31.horses in the country. But training a racehorse is a very different art
:17:31. > :17:33.to training a horse for the show ring. This year, a Retraining of
:17:33. > :17:36.Racehorses Class has been introduced to the Royal Welsh for
:17:36. > :17:39.the first time, and I've come to find out more.
:17:39. > :17:42.Rachel Thomas from Bridgend has been competing in Retraining of the
:17:42. > :17:52.Racehorse classes in other shows for a few years now with her ex-
:17:52. > :17:57.racehorse Sherkhan. This retraining the racecourse is a new competition.
:17:57. > :18:06.How does it work? Every year there are about 4000 horses do, do
:18:06. > :18:10.training and we need to find another job for them. It is all
:18:10. > :18:16.about retraining a racehorse of the track to turn it into a horse that
:18:16. > :18:22.can do another job. Today the class is aimed at a show horse, so we are
:18:22. > :18:27.trying to turn it into a show horse. High tea you then turn that into a
:18:27. > :18:32.competition? What are they looking for? This took me into show horse
:18:32. > :18:40.class they are looking for a horse that moves nicely and anything you
:18:40. > :18:47.would look for in a standard show horse class. Today the judge will
:18:47. > :18:52.actually write the exhibits and he will have a feel. This is a
:18:52. > :19:00.beautiful horse. What is his racing history? He ran on the flat and he
:19:00. > :19:04.was pretty useless, finishing last tour last but one on every occasion.
:19:04. > :19:10.Horses that haven't been any good often tend to get overlooked and
:19:10. > :19:15.didn't get good homes. We found him on a Welsh hillside in he was
:19:15. > :19:22.really thin. We felt sorry for him so we bought him and hope that we
:19:22. > :19:26.could retrain him. Unfortunately, he has been with us now for six
:19:27. > :19:33.years and he still hasn't gone because he has been really good.
:19:33. > :19:39.he is now a appearing at the Royal Welsh Show! Have you got high hopes
:19:39. > :19:46.for him today? I have really don't know. Racehorses can be very
:19:46. > :19:53.unpredictable. He has already won once this year, but I would love
:19:53. > :19:59.him to win on home soil. At the end of the day, it is only one person's
:19:59. > :20:03.opinion, so as long as it goes well we can ask for any more. Best of
:20:03. > :20:06.luck! Whilst Rachel and Sherkhan are old hands at competing in this
:20:06. > :20:13.kind of showing class, Petra James and her horse, Laugharne Park, have
:20:13. > :20:19.never, ever stepped into a show ring before! This is your first
:20:19. > :20:27.time here, isn't it? So you're starting at the top! Something like
:20:27. > :20:32.that. Preparations have been going well. He is fairly calm, but we
:20:32. > :20:39.will see. He are more used to eventing. Is that a very different
:20:39. > :20:46.discipline? It is more individual. You're on - - you are in the ring
:20:46. > :20:51.on your own. To be with a group of horses is more daunting then when
:20:51. > :21:00.you are a single. In the retraining to race was class today there 18
:21:00. > :21:05.horses entered. It is a lot of horses. What was this was buzz bike
:21:05. > :21:10.racing history? Not very good. Three races on the flat and three
:21:10. > :21:20.over the hurdles and he never did very well. But, let's hope he is
:21:20. > :21:27.
:21:27. > :21:34.better here. After a very rigorous competition, Rachel and Petra were
:21:34. > :21:39.placed 4th and 5th respectively, both in their top of their class.
:21:39. > :21:47.That that very tough, Rachel. was very tough. We were really
:21:47. > :21:53.peered through our paces. He is a fairer judge. Petra, your first
:21:53. > :21:58.time here. What type of experience was it? I was so glad he kept the
:21:58. > :22:07.lid on it. He was fresh in there, but he kept his cool and did me
:22:07. > :22:12.proud. He behaved really well. They are quirky creatures, likely to
:22:12. > :22:16.blow at any moment! The Horticultural Marquee is awash
:22:16. > :22:19.with colour. From radiant roses to fabulous fuchsias, each and every
:22:19. > :22:23.flower here has been grown with this day in mind, the day of
:22:23. > :22:25.judgement at the Royal Welsh. One man who knows more than most about
:22:25. > :22:28.exhibiting flowers at the Royal Welsh is Gareth Davies from Brecon
:22:28. > :22:35.who's been competing here for an amazing 40 years without missing
:22:35. > :22:38.one single year! But Gareth doesn't just like showing off his floral
:22:38. > :22:48.creations here at the Royal Welsh, his garden at home is also the
:22:48. > :22:57.
:22:58. > :23:03.Today is one of those days in the calendar that I have probably been
:23:03. > :23:08.thinking about for 12 months. For the last 18 years we have opened
:23:08. > :23:18.our garden under the National Garden Scheme. It gives me at
:23:18. > :23:25.
:23:25. > :23:31.targets, I know why have to get my The key to my enjoyment is the fact
:23:31. > :23:34.that growing from seed, going from cuttings, perhaps in the autumn are
:23:34. > :23:39.from January and February, you are seeing the development from the
:23:40. > :23:44.beginning. You see the plants and you think, that is it, that is what
:23:44. > :23:52.I was aiming for! The Royal Welsh Show has a very important place in
:23:52. > :23:55.my hearts because I started exhibiting in do show 40 years ago.
:23:55. > :24:00.The Royal Welsh Show has been an opportunity to rub shoulders with
:24:00. > :24:06.lots of other people who exhibit, to chat, to socialise and have a
:24:06. > :24:14.bit of fun. I love working up there as well, seeing the people coming
:24:14. > :24:22.and going. I am hoping to take some fuchsias, some roses, it all
:24:22. > :24:28.depends on the weather! Some other pot plants, foliage plants,
:24:28. > :24:34.begonias. That is what I hoped to be able to do.
:24:34. > :24:41.Still, Gareth, what an incredible mix of colour! You have got the
:24:41. > :24:46.little Mini standards there. The large bush varieties. Our range of
:24:46. > :24:52.colours from the red and white, through the lavender and purple,
:24:52. > :24:56.the pinks. Gone are the days when you just had red and purple. One of
:24:56. > :25:00.the things I have always wondered, you're so clever you to produce
:25:00. > :25:04.these beautiful blooms for us at this time of year because recently
:25:04. > :25:10.we have been getting very early summers, which means that the Royal
:25:10. > :25:16.Welsh Show is actually quite a tonne in the year. It is a very
:25:16. > :25:20.good point. You have got to try and hold things back a little and try
:25:20. > :25:24.to prune at the plants at the right time. You have got to keep them in
:25:24. > :25:28.a temperature at a minimum of 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter
:25:28. > :25:32.and in during that the plants grow very quietly so they're off to a
:25:32. > :25:39.head start in the spring. By the time you get here to the show, it
:25:39. > :25:46.is about the theatre of the display. That is eye-catching. This has long
:25:46. > :25:50.tubular flowers and despite the sub-tropical appearance. It has a
:25:50. > :25:54.tendency to flower right through until the frost, but then in the
:25:54. > :25:58.winter I have to give it more water than they do the others because
:25:58. > :26:04.this that could stop rising and it could just drive off completely.
:26:04. > :26:10.What ever you are doing, it is working! Very impressive prizes for
:26:10. > :26:18.you this year? 13 first prizes! Congratulations to you and your
:26:18. > :26:21.wife. Since I'm going to be showing a
:26:21. > :26:25.sheep at the show I thought I'd spend as much time as I can down
:26:25. > :26:27.here in the sheep section, watching the experts at work! I've come to
:26:27. > :26:37.meet Huw and Lynwen Jenkins and daughter Heledd, who are exhibiting
:26:37. > :26:49.
:26:49. > :26:54.What makes this breed so distinctive? It is milky, with the
:26:54. > :27:04.good mothering instinct. It is from a small village in West Wales
:27:04. > :27:06.
:27:06. > :27:11.called Lan ml - - Llanwenog. police and tips for showing a sheep.
:27:11. > :27:16.Always hold the sheep on the right side, so the judge has to go round
:27:16. > :27:24.the other side. I didn't know that! You might have saved the day
:27:24. > :27:31.When they say behind its every great man, there is an even better
:27:31. > :27:37.women. To be honest, I would prefer to be out there. I am more nervous
:27:37. > :27:42.standing here. How is it going? Ram is looking quite good. It is
:27:42. > :27:48.one few Jews out of the field in the middle of the week. He will be
:27:48. > :27:53.new to this game, but hopefully he will do all right. So, you have
:27:53. > :28:02.been at this for 2 1/2 RS night. You must be shattered. I am going
:28:02. > :28:07.to sit down now! I had the second, a third, a 4th, and two fifths.
:28:07. > :28:15.knee in the bank for you! Hopefully it little bit, but it is not about
:28:15. > :28:17.the money. You have had a good time today? Absolutely great.
:28:17. > :28:22.Congratulations. Well my moment of reckoning is
:28:22. > :28:26.about to come. Very shortly I'll be going into my class. See how I get
:28:26. > :28:30.on in tomorrow night's programme. All I can say is wish us luck!
:28:30. > :28:33.It's been a magnificent opening day to the Show. We will be back again
:28:33. > :28:36.tomorrow night on BBC Two Wales, but at the earlier time of 7.30pm.
:28:36. > :28:39.In addition, Daf and Caryl will be live from the showground tomorrow
:28:39. > :28:44.morning from 8.30 on BBC Radio Cymru. If you miss any of our