Brecknock will take centre stage as the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s Feature County in 2026, following the conclusion of a highly successful year for Caernarfon.

The official handover was marked at the Society’s Annual Council Meeting at the showground on December 6, celebrating Caernarfon’s achievements and welcoming the new team set to lead Brecknock through a year of events and fundraising.

Caernarfon’s Feature County year under President John Owen and Ambassador Rhys Griffith brought the community into sharp focus. Their calendar of events, including hill farming showcases, auctions, quiz nights, fashion shows, concerts, and the first-ever Heavy Horse Village at the Royal Welsh Show, raised an impressive £252,774. The county also commissioned a ‘Cerdd Groeso’ - a Welsh welcome poem by renowned Bard Myrddin ap Dafydd - to mark their year in the spotlight.

During his final address, John Owen said: “It has been a truly special year. Although it began with a few challenges, it has grown from strength to strength, and I am incredibly grateful to the Society for its support throughout. Our year as the Feature County has created a wonderful sense of pride and community within Caernarfon and beyond. It has also underlined the importance of the Society - not only to the agricultural industry, but to Wales as a whole.

“One of the most encouraging things has been seeing so many young people involved at Society events, their faces lighting up in the ring when they receive that red card. They are the future of farming.”

Turning to the future, Brecknock’s Feature County year promises an ambitious programme under President Gethin Havard. Based in the Sennybridge area, Gethin farms alongside his two brothers, managing a beef suckler herd and breeding ewes. With 17 years as Chairman of the Brecon and Radnor Suckled Calf Rearers Association and 12 years as South Wales representative on the British Wool Marketing Board, he brings extensive experience and knowledge to the role.

Gethin, supported by his wife Ceri, a Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Powys, and their three daughters, said: “This is a tremendous privilege, and I would like to thank my wonderful family, friends, and the mentors I have been fortunate to have along the way, for all their support.

“We are looking forward to hosting the Grassland event at Cwmbrynich Farm. We’ve held a series of events already, and we haven’t forgotten the lost community on Mynydd Epynt. If everything goes to plan, we’ll have our launch on the Epynt next summer – it’s a very special place.”

Brecknock’s Ambassador for 2026, Teleri Haf Thomas, will play a key role promoting the county’s activities and representing it at society functions. Teleri, a first-class Aberystwyth graduate and Social Media Lead for Menter a Busnes, plans to reconnect rural and urban communities through initiatives such as a livestock parade around Cardiff Bay, highlighting Welsh food, farming, and rural skills.

The Council meeting also looked ahead to 2027, welcoming Susan Jones and Mari Llifon Jones as President Elect and Ambassador Elect for Anglesey.