Preview Royal Welsh Show

On Monday, the Royal Welsh Show of 2016 held at Llanelwedd in Builth Wells will be in full swing.

Over the four days well over 200,000 people will visit.

Although I am better known as an international rugby referee,

I started my working life on a dairy farm in West Wales.

And the show has always been very close to my heart.

Today, the main arena is quiet and calm but in a few days' time,

this place will be noisy,

buzzing and full of action.

In this programme we will journey all around Wales to meet

those who have been intensively preparing over the past year

in the hope of winning that special rosette here at the Royal Welsh,

the largest of Europe's agricultural shows.

No area of Wales has been more actively preparing than Meirionnydd.

Each year one of the old counties of Wales becomes the host or

Feature County, raising money to maintain

and develop the showground, electing a president and an ambassador

that promote the values of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.

This year Meirionnydd plays host -

a county steeped in culture

and tradition with agriculture at its heart,

famous for its rugged mountains, its stunning castles

and golden coastline.

A land where farming

and tourism live side-by-side in an unspoiled landscape.

Meirionnydd hosts many familiar place names.

Trawsfynydd in the north, to Tywyn in the south and Corwen in the east.

The main towns being the old wool capital, Dolgellau, then Bala

and the old industrial town of Blaenau Ffestiniog.

The people take pride in this their show.

Nobody more than Sir Meuric Rees from Tywyn, a past president

and past chairman of the Council for the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.

The first time I went to the show I had a little pony,

a Welsh mountain pony.

And my father entered her and I took her to Aberystwyth. I was nine then.

1934. We all went as a family ever since then.

The Royal Welsh is very much a family show for one couple from Tywyn,

Hugh and Jessica Williams, as a meeting in the cattle ring led to

the exchange of wedding rings.

It is actually where we met 11 years ago.

We were showing cattle in the Welsh Black Cattle lines.

'We met there in 2005 and we got married in 2009 and then

'since then we've had twins William and Sara.'

Meirionnydd means a lot to us because we've both been born and bred here

and we're now bringing up our family here so it means a lot

and it's a very strong community here.

The show president this year is Richard Jones

known by all as Dic Jones an auctioneer from Dolgellau,

elected by the local Meirionnydd committee for the event.

To be elected as the president for Meirionnydd was unbelievable.

It took some weeks to sink in that I was actually the Royal Welsh

Show President for 2016, the Royal Welsh being the biggest show in Europe.

'The county is split into seven sections'

and every district has their different ways of raising money.

Fundraising is important to the local committee,

well on their way to reaching the goal of £200,000.

Events such as the National Grassland held at the Rhug Estate near Corwen where

large machinery is showcased was a great success drawing huge support.

But one of the most challenging events undertaken

was by Catrin Lisa Jones the Lady Ambassador for the county,

usually seen attending events before and during the show.

'The challenge that I've set myself is to kayak the Meirionnydd coast from top'

to bottom, roughly around 30 miles.

Originally we had planned to do it over two days

'but as it's forecast slightly strong winds tomorrow,

'we're doing it all in one day today

'so it's slightly more of a challenge now.'

The journey will take them from Borth y Gest to Aberdyfi.

Supporting her on this challenge is a friend

and two experienced kayakers from the Urdd youth movement.

First of all we have got the weather and the wind.

We have got the wind with us

for the majority of the day so hopefully that'll help us along.

It's been good.

We have just been nine hours now on the sea

and we've just pulled in to Tonfanau. Just a short break.

It's been a new experience.

Kayaked a bit before but not at this long duration so it is

a challenge and we're looking forward to the finishing line at Aberdyfi.

Final three hours now. We'll just crack on and get on with it really.

'We've just arrived at Aberdyfi, our finishing point,

'so I'm feeling that we've reached our goal and finished the challenge.'

It feels an achievement and very thankful to all

the members of the team who have completed it with me.

Waiting for her at Aberdyfi were Catrin's proud parents and friends.

'Yes, it's been quite an ordeal for us as well thinking that she's'

been out on the sea all day. And we are very proud.

I can't believe she decided to take on such a challenge.

It's an absolutely amazing achievement and really put

Meirionnydd on the map. Fair play to her.

Yes, a remarkable achievement.

Someone else who has a very important role at the show

each year is Hugh Williams, Jessica's husband.

'I'm one of the official veterinary surgeons at the show.

'It will be my tenth year as one of the official vets.'

There is a team of six vets there and it's an honour to do the job

and a privilege looking after some of the best cattle and sheep

and horses in Europe, if you like.

This year again Hugh and Jessica will show their Welsh Black cattle at the show.

And because of their busy schedule,

rely on the help of their friend Gareth in preparing.

We breed Welsh Black cattle and we've been showing there

over the years and this year we've decided as it's Meirionnydd sponsoring

that we'd like to support the show and get back into showing Welsh Black cattle.

The show has a hold on people and succeeds in drawing them

back year after year.

I still go to the show. I'm keeping my eye.

I can't go round as much as I used to. Now I can only have one or two days.

That will be my limit. We will see.

The majestic spirit of the Feature County Meirionnydd

will most definitely be felt at this year's show.

Now we head into the neighbouring county.

Last year was an exceptional year for the young couple Dorian and Michelle Lloyd

from Llansantffraid in Powys.

Not only winning the best mare

and stallion in the Welsh Cob classes but crowning the day off by winning

the prestigious George Prince of Wales Championship Cup with Perthog Gwenan Mai.

It's going to be impossible to top the year

we had last year in all fairness.

The Royal Welsh for us last year was a year that we'll never forget.

An amazing year.

'It has been done once in the history of the show.

'And youngest ever female to win it, youngest ever owners

'and breeders ever to win it

'and everything that goes with it, it's just an amazing year.

'We will probably never top it.'

And it's been 62 years since the same breeder won the male

and female championship in the Welsh Section D Cob competition.

A truly amazing achievement - indeed the stuff that dreams are made of.

The Welsh Cobs started with myself at home. Home for me originally is Machynlleth.

We had couple of little young cob mares

and they weren't doing much

so we started breeding and it snowballed from there really.

Not that long ago really, about 15, 16 years ago,

we started breeding cobs and we've now got a Prince of Wales winner.

'The Royal Welsh is something else.

'How you feel leading up to the

Royal Welsh that we've done every

year, it's an unbelievable show to compete at

'and to have that buzz of actually doing well in the show

'as well is a feeling that you don't get anywhere else.

'And it is the showcase of the cobs.'

'Yeah, running round the main ring at the Royal Welsh is just an'

unbelievable feeling.

It's probably a feeling that words couldn't describe, to be honest,

in front of that grandstand. We were fortunate that we had

'the crowd behind us last year, and running in front of that grandstand with

'the crowd cheering behind you is an unbelievable feeling.'

I normally keep cobs here on the farm.

But my everyday work then, I work out as a farrier,

which comes with a bit of an advantage for myself obviously

because it is important to get them well shod and you can get

that extra 10% out of their performance and I suppose I've got

a bit of an insight to the industry so I use it to my advantage.

We make all our cob shoes for the section Ds and the Cs,

and everything we shoe, everything going to the Royal Welsh,

we try and spend that little bit more time shoeing them

to make sure that when they're performing in the main ring

they're trotting on that main ring with my name on their feet.

'This year we'll be taking another three-year-old filly, Perthog Doli.

'We are quietly ticking over with her now.

'A little bit of pressure on our behalf as she is a sister to Gwenan Mai that won there last year.'

But we'll see how we get on.

Now, one of the areas of the show that attracts

a lot of visitors is this horticultural marquee with its

beautiful flower arrangements and colourful characters.

One of those characters is Donald Morgan of Llanrhystud near Aberystwyth.

Donald, who is flower-mad, runs a flower shop in the village

and has already achieved a great deal of success this year.

Today I am playing around with an idea for the Royal Welsh.

We've got a variety of designs to do

but it's also a lot of

preparation and planning and trying out and seeing if it works or not.

Because every design is made from different plants,

forms of plant material, textures and, of course, the flowers.

And if it doesn't work in a preparation, it's not going to

work at the Royal Welsh.

I'm sure every flower arranger will tell you exactly the same.

We start off with an idea

and by the time we get there it is totally, totally different.

My greatest achievement was winning one of the awards for the best

use of garden plant material back a couple of years ago

but my greatest, greatest achievement to date is of course

winning the gold medal at Chelsea this year in May,

where it was the team for the

Three Counties and South Wales Area of NAFAS.

And we staged an exhibit 20 foot square and it was called

Victorian Revival - The Past Returns.

Donald has had a lot of local support but his biggest

fans are the children at the local primary school

where he spends time teaching them how to grow flowers and vegetables.

Well, we have a card received from the school in Llanrhystud which is my old primary school, of course.

And the children were over the moon with the success of hearing

I was going to Chelsea.

And the headmistress came here on the Friday before with this

big, massive card and she said, "You have to read every little message."

And there are about 90-odd children in the school

and everyone had put a small, tiny message which was very emotional and

a lot of them were saying then that there was a gold medal coming back.

'Well, when I got to the school, it was like a stampede of children

'running towards me. I just feel as if I'm a local celebrity.'

HE GREETS THEM IN WELSH

'He comes quite often'

to the school. He comes, say, about once a month

and the children love him.

He works so well with the children and they really enjoy...

They learn loads about different vegetables

that they are growing in the garden, at the moment.

And learning about plants and different parts of the plants.

It is very hands-on, so they get a lot from it.

And he is a lovely character and the children really look up to him.

HE SPEAKS WELSH

'When I go there, I give them the tips

'that are required for the future generation of gardeners

'or flower arrangers in Great Britain,

'because once you have got them'

at that young age, of five, six, seven, you know,

they will get that interest and hopefully, they will enjoy

that interest and carry it through.

Now, next week, this shed will be full, with over 40 different breeds

of sheep, with exhibitors coming from all over Britain.

Amongst them, there will be two generations of the same family

from Blackwood, Gwent, who formed a special bond

by competing with a South Wales mountain sheep.

Though traditionally an industrial area,

the people of the valleys of South Wales strongly support

the show every year, not only by attending,

but also by competing.

The hilly region of Blackwood in Gwent is an ideal area for

the South Wales mountain sheep.

We keep South Wales mountain sheep. They are a very special breed to us.

They live here. They are very hardy.

And we are very fond of them.

SHE CHUCKLES

'I am showing in name only this year.

'My granddaughter is doing all the work.

'I guess my interest has just'

been with my grandmother and my mother both breeding

the South Wales mountain. I have just been integrated into the life,

their life, and I have been working with the sheep since I could walk.

So, I guess it has just carried on from then.

I started showing in 1999 -

first time I entered the Royal Welsh.

We have won the Breeders' Cup for quite a few years.

We have won quite a number of championships and reserves.

I won the Queen's Cup with one ram.

And we have done quite well.

My highlight there has been winning

the Shepherds' Contest, in 2002.

'I have learned a lot from Nana Shirley.

'I have learned how to pick out the best sheep,'

I have learned how to show,

obviously, through years of experience in watching.

I am very proud to be following in Nana Shirley's footsteps.

It is an honour to be showing with her, showing her sheep.

I hope she will be very successful as well!

The Royal Welsh is very close to the heart of so many exhibitors

and Nana Shirley is no exception.

The Royal Welsh is a very special show.

It is the first show of the season for us and we meet a lot of friends

there - old friends and new.

We really enjoy the week up there.

Whitland in Carmarthenshire is an important farming town.

Adrian and Amanda run a dairy unit nearby,

but also keep pigs and sheep.

Over the years, they have encouraged youngsters

who show an interest in farming to further develop their skills.

'They just watch me.

'They come to the shows with me.

'Basically, they are learning all the time, because they are watching'

and I let them have a go themselves. They do a bit of showing

and then they come back to the farm and I let them get on with it

themselves and learn how to trim themselves. The only way to learn

anything is actually do it yourself.

Harry and Ryan are nephews of mine and Taylor lives in the local town.

They just get on with carding out, to start with and, later on,

they are going to have a go at trimming, I suppose.

They have been coming here now to prepare the sheep and whatever,

really, since the lambs were born, but they are helping me all the time

doing different jobs. It isn't just this,

so they have actually been preparing the sheep, feeding the sheep,

getting them ready, sorting them out,

finding which are the best ones. When they go the Royal Welsh,

hopefully, they are going to be showing the Blue Texels themselves.

That is the idea of them getting them ready and whatever,

-so it is in their hands, then.

-So, we are doing this

to try and make it flat and show where the meat is on this lamb.

It is a big show and you get to see loads of other people

with the same breed as you and talk about your showing experiences

-with them.

-Yeah, I like showing sheep, cos it is eventful.

You get to see other people's sheep and how well they have done.

And get to meet new people.

You put a lot of hard work into the sheep, feeding them and everything,

and then, when you win at the shows, it is nice to see all of your

hard work paid off.

Got quite a good chance. Last year, we did all right,

but I think, this year, our ram's definitely better.

As well as helping youngsters and looking after all the livestock

on the farm, Adrian also makes time to serve as a retained fire officer,

on call with the local station.

It is just the camaraderieship. It is working together with a bunch

of boys, which I wouldn't have on the farm, cos it is quite

a lonely job, being out there by yourself most of the time

or you have somebody with you, but not very often. When you're on this,

it's just that buzz as well, like an adrenaline rush, when your pager

goes off. It is just a totally different concept of life.

It is brilliant. Best thing I ever did.

How are you getting on with it, boys? All right?

While Adrian is away with the firefighters, overseeing the boys

is Alex Payne, who has had years of experience on the farm

with the Windsors.

It has built my confidence, doing stuff like this,

because I used to be a shy person. I'd never do anything like this.

Since I have been coming here and doing stuff with the sheep,

my confidence has built and built. The boys seem to be enjoying it

and, if they enjoy it, they may as well carry on with it.

-Pull it away.

-I'll just do it.

They think they are going to win the championship and be supreme champion

sheep in the show, but I don't see them getting that far, but they'll

-have some fun doing it.

-We'll catch up with the Windsors

and the young handlers at the show next week.

Our journey leads us back to Llanfair ym Muallt - Builth Wells -

where the whole area is in preparation mode.

Come on!

None more so than local hotelier Alison Parker,

who runs the Greyhound Hotel in town.

I have been at the Greyhound for 14 years.

So, this is my 14th Royal Welsh Show.

And it gets bigger and better every year.

In Builth, you go from Christmas to the Royal Welsh, you are thinking

six months in advance all the time. So, yes, it is...

I mean, without the showground, I don't think

we would survive as a town. It brings in so much business

to the town. We are very, very lucky to have it.

For the last 14 years, I have had the same people stay and it is

wonderful, because it's like an extended family.

When they start closing the road off on Sunday afternoon,

I get this tingle, because I know my boys are coming!

It is lovely. This is why I say it is like an extended family

and it's marvellous. You know who you're going to have

and it is great! The Royal Welsh Show helps my business enormously.

Penmaenau Farm, which is owned by the Morgan family,

work closely with the show, providing land for caravans.

It has grown in popularity over the years.

The caravan park came about in

the mid-1970s, just because friends were competing in various things

to do with the YFC and they needed somewhere to stay.

It grew more rapidly in the 1990s and especially when my children came

into it as well. Without all of the family contributing,

right down to the smallest, we would struggle.

We also have tremendous staff, casual staff, that just come in

just for the enjoyment of taking part in setting up.

And we also have students that come along. It is vast and we start

middle of June, right through until the day we open.

Along with the preparation in town, things are hotting up

at the showground. Leading from the front are the chief executive

Steve Hughson and his assistant Aled Jones.

As you can see, the place is a hive of activity at the moment.

It started about two years ago, really, and we have got, obviously,

all the sites set up. You can see the marquees behind us.

We have got new stables arriving and all the various things about pens.

We've invested heavily in infrastructure. Fantastic cattle

and sheep buildings and, this year, one of our major projects

is the equine project - increasing the capacity of stables,

recognising the increase we have in our entries in the equine world.

We are always trying to be ahead of the game, ahead of the curve.

It is a fantastic place to be when you have got such loyalty

-and support from exhibitors throughout the UK.

-And we have

an opportunity, as a society, to showcase what is best

in agriculture, the latest technology, the systems,

and to bring the public closer to the livestock and the farmers,

to understand the benefit of agriculture to our wider community,

but specifically here in Wales.

One of the most difficult jobs at the show was the one facing

Bryan Pugh, who has to find over 4,000 sheep for one of the show's

most exciting competitions, which is held over the four days -

the sheep shearing.

There is a lot of work beforehand,

with farmers helping out

and a lot of very early mornings and trying to get the sheep dry

for us to shear there. We start before six in the morning,

to get the places organised for the sheep to come in

and they start coming in just after six.

And they have all got to be in there before eight o'clock in the morning.

So, it is pretty hectic from the word go

and there is no trial run. It is the real thing.

And we have actually had a phone call, the second day of the show,

at four o'clock in the morning, to say, "My battery's flat

"in the lorry. I can't pick the sheep up.

"Where are they supposed to be going?"

So, we have to ring round, to find alternative transport,

to bring the sheep in.

So, yes, the show can be very stressful.

Now that the showground, the area, and the competitors are ready,

it's time for the show to begin. On Sunday, the 8,000 livestock

will arrive, along with their handlers.

At eight o'clock on Monday morning, the competitions will begin.

And remember to join Sara Edwards,

Rachael Garside and Gareth Wyn Jones

on BBC Two Wales every evening, for the day's highlights.

See you at the show.