Countess of Wessex joins crowds at Royal Welsh Winter Fair
Special guest The Countess of Wessex joined thousands of people on the opening day of the Royal Welsh Winter Fair today.
Arriving by helicopter, the countess was driven onto the Llanelwedd showground by car.
Wearing a duck egg blue polo neck jumper, a navy coat and black boots and with her hair tied in a low knot, she was introduced to officials by the Chairman of Council for the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, David Lewis.
They included Powys High Sheriff David Price, Chairman of Powys County Council Councillor David Meredith and Builth Wells deputy mayor Councillor Gwyn Davies.
While at the fair, the countess had a non-stop agenda with a visit to the new start-up farmers' market where she met amongst other traders Jess Goodwin from Hindwell Farm, Presteigne, who was selling Aberdeen Angus Herd Welsh beef and Kate Pinder of Llangadfan, Welshpool, the proprietor of Cegin Kate, who was at her first show with her bespoke celebration cakes.
The countess spent some time with children from Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd in Newtown who were singing. They sang ‘Away in a manger’ in Welsh and the countess looked at a song sheet with youngster Libby Locksome.
In the gifts and crafts hall she chatted with last year’s Powys High Sheriff Susan Thompson, who was manning the Royal Welsh Show shop with other volunteers.
Competitions
On her second visit to the showground, her first to the Royal Welsh Show in 2003, The countess also visited the impressive trophy room the homecrafts and horticulture displays and presented prizes in the cross bred section of the pig competitions.
Later she went along to the Winter Fair Taste Test competitions and visited the event’s star attraction, the cattle, sheep and horses.
This year’s show was opened by Maurice Jones, a successful farmer and businessman whose roots lie deep within this year’s feature county of Montgomeryshire. In partnership with his son, Fraser, Maurice currently farms over 2,000 acres in the heart of the area.
Along with the usual packed schedule of competitions, classes, exhibitions and displays the two-day event was packed full of festive celebrations including free late night shopping and a fireworks display on Monday evening.
Away from the judging rings, the very best Welsh food producers showcased their produce and Christmas shoppers explored hundreds of trade stands, demonstrations, exhibitions and displays.
