WELSH WINTER FAIR AIMS FOR TH UK PRIMESTOCK HEIGHT

WELSH WINTER FAIR AIMS FOR TH UK PRIMESTOCK HEIGHT BY ROBERT DAVIES

THE 14th Welsh Winter Fair will take place at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society”s showground on November 29 and 30.

Located at Builth Wells in Powys at the junction of the A470 and A483, the Wye Valley site is readily accessible by road from Wales and England.

Showgoers can also use the Heart of Wales railway line that runs between Shrewsbury and Swansea, although the service is limited.

Competitive classes for cattle, sheep and carcasses are spread over the two days, young farmers clubs stage their own programme and there is a linked horse show.

A winter poultry show takes place on day two, there are sections for produce and handicrafts and antiques, and a Christmas shopping pavilion.

Car parking is free and adults pay £8 a head for a day ticket, or £14 for a two-day pass. Senior citizens are charged £7 or £12. Children under four years old get in free and those aged between five and 16 pay 2.

 Most cattle championships are staged on the second day, starting at 10am. The sale of cattle kicks off at 3pm when the record price to beat will be the £12,000 paid by butcher Gerald David from Minehead, Somerset, for the animal he chose as supreme cattle champion in 2003.

 Lamb carcasses will be judged on Monday from 9am. Last year”s supreme champion, exhibited by veteran showman David Bishop from Malvern, Worcester, was knocked down for £400.

Live sheep start parading on Monday November 29 at 9am and the supreme championship will be auctioned the next day. In 2003 the top entry realised £1840.

When the live pigs judged on the first day go under the hammer 24 hours later, the owner of the champion pair will be hoping to top last year’s £215 price.

There are also classes for pork pig carcasses and ribs of beef.