After more than three decades at NSA Wales & Border Ram Sales, Executive Director Jane Smith is stepping back, bringing to a close a remarkable 32-year career in one of the UK’s largest sheep sales.

Jane, who began running the Main Sale in September 1993, recalls her first day vividly.

“It’s still very, very clear in my mind. I drove around that roundabout and I absolutely saw the enormity of it. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, what have you done here!’” she said.

At that first sale, she faced the challenge of managing 9,000 tups, alongside vendors, buyers and a sea of more than 22 marquees at the Royal Welsh Showground.

“I had a good grounding in logistics and organizing things, but this was a whole gamechanger," she said.

"I had no idea what I was doing here. But we did get through it, and the second year was almost worse, because I knew what to expect!”

Over the years, Jane has overseen highs and lows, including the Foot and Mouth outbreak, the Covid years, and her own serious bout of the virus in 2022. Among the highlights was the Princess Royal’s visit in 2018 to mark the sale’s 40th anniversary.

Jane was presented with a framed photograph of her with her favourite horse, Zeb, and Princess Anne took a keen interest in both the horse and Jane's riding background.

Drawing on her experience on the motor racing circuit with her late husband, Robin, Jane developed the skills to manage large-scale events, think on her feet, and anticipate problems before they became crises.

Stamina, good planning and a methodical mind are vital to the smooth running of the event. But while it was very physically demanding all those years ago, Jane feels it is "much more difficult" these days.

“I couldn’t have done then what I do now what I did 32 years ago. I wouldn’t have had the experience," she said.

“It’s very, very different now. People expect so much more. They expect a much higher standard of presentation and penning. Peoples’ expectations of a sale venue have changed dramatically over the years and we now aim to deliver a sale where rams worth many thousands of pounds can be shown off properly to prospective purchasers.

“In the old days if we had a wet sale we would be propping up the roofs of the tents and trying to divert water away from the sheep!”

As she prepares to step back, Jane is passing the baton to Helen Fairclough-Watling, who will take on much of the responsibility next year, with Jane supporting during the transition.

Reflecting on her career, Jane can take pride in the transformation of the sale, which has remained financially viable with a turnover exceeding £2 million, strengthened the Welsh sheep flock, and placed Wales firmly on the international stage. She also values the camaraderie the event fosters, saying it’s a place to “catch up with old friends and make new,” an aspect she savours as much as anything.