Royal Welsh Show attracts record crowd

The Royal Welsh Show attendance record was exceeded by early afternoon on the fourth day, and the final total is expected to top 241,000, or almost 10,000 higher than the record set in 1995.

The figure was achieved despite blisteringly hot temperatures that peaked at 37.1C. First aiders were kept busy treating over 600 people for heat and sun related problems, including a large number with blisters.

Dehydration was also a problem and this led the local Radnorshire Mineral Water Company to donate 2000 bottles of water to showground first aid centres.

An extra 193,000 gallons flowed through the show’s water meters on the first three days, much of it used to hose down livestock. The time of pig classes was brought forward to reduce the risk of sunburn.

But most judges and stewards stuck to the dress code and traditional bowlers became much appreciated sun hats.

However, one unnamed young woman threw caution and her clothes to the wind when she did an impromptu strip tease in one of the cattle sheds during a celebratory party for Welsh Black breeders.

The breed society plans to hold an investigation of the incident that occurred after breeder/butcher Enzo Sauro signed a contract to sell Welsh Black beef through 16 Marks and Spencer stores.

Mr Sauro insisted that the strip, which ended with the woman being hosed down, had nothing to do with him or the breed society.

Within hours of the performance Black breeders were celebrating again after winning the interbreed championship for native British breeds, but all of them appeared to retained their modesty.

David Walters, the show society’s chief executive, thanked the hundreds of volunteer officials and workers for their resilience and commitment, and the paying public for making the Royal Welsh the most successful farming event in the UK.