Radnor Young Farmers Club members have celebrated a successful rally season, with more than 400 competitors taking part in the organisation’s 78th Annual Rally at Wernheulog Farm, Llanfaredd.

The event, kindly hosted by the Davies family and jointly sponsored by Caleb Roberts Insurance Ltd and Sunderlands Rural, brought together members from across the county to compete across a wide range of disciplines, including stock judging, shearing, wool handling, cookery, crafts, singing, woodwork and stage competitions.

The annual rally was preceded by a series of pre-rally competitions throughout May, sponsored by Hay and Brecon Farmers, McCartneys, T H White, Hafren Vets and Mid Wales Sign and Print.

The pre-rally events included stock judging competitions featuring Welsh Black cattle, Welsh Section A mountain ponies and Suffolk sheep. Aberedw YFC claimed the West Bromwich Building Society Trophy after gaining the highest number of points across all the stock judging competitions, with Howey YFC finishing second and Cantal YFC third.

Radnor Valley YFC won the pre-rally dancing competition, while the tug of war saw strong performances across the categories. Rhosgoch YFC took victory in the men’s competition, Aberedw YFC won the ladies’ section and Radnor Valley YFC claimed the junior title following a closely fought contest involving 11 teams.

As rally day itself arrived, competitors were greeted by windy conditions in the morning before the sun appeared to create a memorable day at Wernheulog Farm.

Members, supporters and visitors enjoyed a packed programme of events and saw a high standard of competition across all sections.

The shearing and wool handling competitions proved particularly popular, with record numbers of junior competitors taking part and creating a spectacle in the shearing shed.

Competition results

In the senior shearing competition, Sam Bridgewater of Aberedw YFC took first place. The Ian Jones Perpetual Cup, awarded to the tidiest shearer, went to Tom Evans of Howey YFC, who also won the intermediate shearing competition. The junior shearing title was won by Meurig Rees of Rhayader YFC.

The Cwmyrhiedre Shield for senior wool handling was awarded to Annie Fairclough of Llanbadarn Fynydd YFC, while Ellie Jones of Edw Valley YFC won the Lauren Morris Shield in the junior wool handling competition.

There were also successes across the craft and creative competitions. Knighton YFC won the senior woodwork competition, while Aberedw YFC claimed the junior woodwork title for the second year running.

Eve Watkins of Dolau YFC won the Caleb Roberts Shield for the yearbook cover, while Rhian Hughes of Cantal YFC took the Andrew and Janet Abberley Cup for best soloist. Rhayader YFC’s girls won the group singing competition.

Dolau YFC also claimed the Mrs B I Roderick and Mrs Lawrence Novelty Shield for their Main Ring Display, while Howey YFC gained the highest combined score in the cookery and craft sections.

The scrapbook competition was won by Eve Watkins and Tilly Lawrence of Dolau YFC, who lifted the C W Hulin Cup.

Penybont YFC won the T O Nicholls Trophy for stock judging on rally day, while Rhayader, Howey and Dolau jointly won the Efficiency Cup for the best kept minute and attendance books.

Edw Valley YFC, the host club, enjoyed a successful home rally, taking home several trophies including the P R H Tantrum Cup, the Rachel Bufton Cup for the floral section, the Glenda Lawrence Cup for the promotional sign and the Ian Inglis Cup, which they shared with Aberedw YFC.

Casey Rees of Cantal YFC and Jack Nixon of Dolau YFC were also recognised for achieving the highest marks across all stock judging classes with reasons, taking home the awards for the top female and male competitors.

The overall club competition was closely contested. Edw Valley YFC finished third with 2,913 marks, while Radnor Valley YFC took second place with 2,932 marks.

The winners of the 78th Annual Rally were Aberedw YFC, who secured the title with an impressive score of 2,988 marks.

Howey YFC was also recognised for its achievement as the highest placed smaller club outside the top three.

Royal Welsh successes

Following the county rally success, winners went on to represent Radnor YFC at the Wales YFC finals held during the Royal Welsh Show.

Radnor members continued their strong run of form at the show, with Tilly Lawrence and Louis Watkins taking first place in the cookery competition, while Sam Bridgewater and Ryan Jones claimed victory in the junior woodwork competition.

Radnor YFC members enjoyed further success at the Royal Welsh Show, with Louis Watkins and Tilly Lawrence of Dolau YFC winning the cookery competition and Sam Bridgewater and Ryan Jones of Aberedw YFC taking the junior woodwork title
Radnor YFC members enjoyed further success at the Royal Welsh Show, with Louis Watkins and Tilly Lawrence of Dolau YFC winning the cookery competition and Sam Bridgewater and Ryan Jones of Aberedw YFC taking the junior woodwork title (.)

Rhayader YFC achieved a second place certificate in group singing, while Tom Evans of Howey YFC and Sam Bridgewater of Aberedw YFC both finished second in the shearing competitions.

Cantal YFC juniors also enjoyed success, with Ellen Nicholls and Scarlett Bowen taking second place in the Junior Generation Game and Casey Rees finishing runner-up in the under-16 Welsh Black stock judging.

Dolau YFC secured third place in both the Main Ring and scrapbook competitions, while Edw Valley YFC members Ruby Jones and Flo Price also achieved third place finishes in the craft and under-21 Section A pony judging competitions.

Overall, Radnor YFC finished fifth out of the 12 counties competing at the Wales Young Farmers Club finals at the Royal Welsh Show.