Daily Post

Top Dogs Ready to Take Centre Stage ; National Trials Are Stepping Stone to World International

THE three-day Welsh National Sheep Dog Trials which gets under way in the parklands of Chirk Castle today will decide which 15 top dogs and their handlers represent Wales in the home international. The event will also provide automatic qualification for some 30 to 36 dogs for next year's World International in Tullamore, Southern Ireland.

Country Diary

JULY 29: British Show Jumping Association affiliated senior show, Bodafon Field, Llandudno. Details: Lynne Day, 01745 730259; Mr E Griffith, 01248 362173. 29-31: Welsh National Sheepdog Championships, Chirk Castle. Alastair Gilchrist, 01691 718191.

Wales to Host Big Beef Event

WALES is to play host to Beef 2005 when the National Beef Association's flagship technical event will cross Offa's Dyke for the first time. Robert Forster, the NBA's chief executive, says it will be on the theme Beef for a brighter future. It will open with farm walks, a conference and a dinner on June 8, followed by Beef 2005 on the Royal Welsh Showground, at Builth Wells.

Farmers Praised for Pollution Cut ; Serious Incidents Down by a Quarter in One Year

FARMERS have won a pat on the back from the Environment Agency for their efforts to cut pollution. Barbara Young, the Agency's chief executive, said: "The farming and waste management industries both cut the number of serious pollution incidents they caused by 25% in 2003. For farming, these are the best results for pollution since Environment Agency records began.

Dry Stone Wallers Battle to Do Snowdonia Proud

MICHAEL Hinds, a professional stone waller from Bethesda, won The Snowdonia Society's 21st Dry Stone Walling Competition held at Blaen y Nant, Nant Ffrancon, the National Trust organic farm that won the Snowdonia Society Farming and Landscape Award in 2002. Twelve competitors took part, with classes for professional and semi-professionals, who spent the day rebuilding a short section, under the expert eyes of judges Gareth Pritchard and Barry Roberts.

Potato Blight 'Still a Real Risk' This Season ; Later Infestations Could Be Hard to Spot

AGRONOMISTS throughout Britain are warning potato growers not to be complacent about the apparent absence of blight in crops this year. Experts say this has been an unusual year.

Antipodean Ace Sets World Record in Shearing Final

IT was standing room only when New Zealand shearing ace David Fagan took the stage in the Pavilion, in Corwen, during the two-day Cneifio Corwen Shears. And the capacity crowd saw him shear 20 lambs in 10 minutes and 36 seconds and set a new world record in winning the open final.

Ceredigion Top Table in Yfc Showdown

Ceredigion topped the league table with a total of 94 points in Wales YFC competitions staged at the Royal Welsh Show. Carmarthenshire were the runners up with Brecknock and Montgomeryshire sharing third place.

Individual Competition Winners:

Crafts(Commemorative Souvenir), 1, Llion Davies, Cards; 2, Catrin Vaughan, Pembs; 3, Lydia Williams, Gwent. Mr Ambassador, 1, James Healey, Brecknock; 2, David Oliver, Montgomery; 3, I wan Pennant Williams, Eryri.

Right Royal Success ; David Lloyd , Who has Reported On the Royal Welsh Show for Nearly 50 Years, Reflects On the Event That Marked the Centenary of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.

A BRACE of Royal visits endorsed the status of the Royal Welsh Show as the top box office event of its kind in Europe. The total attendance of 227, 360 over the four days, up by 13, 822 on 2003, was boosted by a visit by Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh and with the Prince of Wales present to open the show. Their attendance, to mark the Centenary of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, made what's widely regarded as Britain's "friendliest show" a truly smiley experience.

London Calling for Welsh Produce

Wales is establishing new footholds on the London food scene mark, farmers attending "meet the producer" sessions on the Marks & Spencer stand at the Royal Welsh. Having selected milk from South Caernarfon Creameries, on the Lloen peninsula, for use its in-store coffee shops, M&S are selling Welsh beef from North Wales under a "regional" label in selected London stores. While customers in Wales have usually been the first to sample locally sourced produce, M&S have found that the "regional" l...

A Tradition Worth Persevering with ; an Essay Competition for the Rwas Centenary Attracted a Strong Entry On the Theme Rural Wales -- Future Threats and Opportunities. Here Are Extracts From the Specially Commended Essay of James Healey , 15

JAMES, now studying for his GCSEs in Builth Wells, has seen major changes in his life and now rural Wales is going through major change too. "These are very difficult times for farming, but I strongly believe that there is a future for agriculture, " he writes. But farmers must change the way they think about their farms and recognise that farming is their business and not just a way of life. "They will have to look at their businesses and cut costs, whilst still producing good quality produc...

Gaerwen Livestock Market Picture Special

Passport Threat to Mountain Ponies ; Horse Whispers

HUNDREDS of free-running mountain ponies could disappear forever from the hills of Wales unless the Welsh Assembly allows exceptions to new Equine Passport regulations. New EU rules coming into force soon could mean owners spending up to pounds 25 to buy a document to identify an animal which can sometimes be bought in markets for nonsensical sums -- sometimes as little as pounds 5.

Forestry Commission Deal Gives Riders Better Woodland Access

EFFORTS to turn Wales into an international destination for horse riding received a boost at the Royal Welsh Show which should give greater access to woodlands. Forestry Commission Wales and The British Horse Society Cymru signed a concordat which lends weight to the Wales Tourist Board's existing strategy for horse riding in Wales called Saddling Up For Success.

Chance O Test Flock Used for National

THE Cymdeithas Bugeiliaid Y Berwyn Sheepdog Trials has fast gained the reputation for being one of the best and most challenging trials in the country and this year's event was no different. This two-day competition is organised by the two well-known trialling brothers, Alun and Glyn Jones and their families. Once again, the trial attracted a full entry of top competitors from across Wales and England -- many eager to see how the sheep would work as they will be part of the flock used at the ...

Sheepdog Trial Results

Cymdeithas Bugeiliaid Y Berwyn Field 1 1 G. Ll. Jones (Cwmtirmynach) Dafydd, 7 olf; 2 I. G. Jones (Llangadog) Cap, 7; 3 G. L. Jones (Llanarmon D. C. ) Roy, 8 1/2 olf; 4 D. I. Morgan (Aberystwyth) Ned, 8 1/2; 5 E. L. Morgan (Aberystwyth) Fred, 9; 6 H. G. Jones (Bodfari) Moel Mirk, 10 1/2; Field 2 1 G. B. Jones (Llanarmon D. C. ) Jill, 8; 2 M. Jones (Llanelli) Nan, 9; 3 D. Evans (Libanus) Floss, 10 olf; 4 H. G. Jones (Bodfari) Moel Taff, 10; 5 E. W. Edwards (Ruthin) Clwyd Jac, 12 olf; 6 A. Owen...

Back Home From Brussels: Former Plaid Mep Eurig Wyn , Who This Month Returned Home From Brussels for the Last Time Following His Five- Year Membership of the European Parliament's Agricultural and Rural Development Committee, Assesses the Future Challenges Facing Welsh Agriculture

THE first major debate I was involved with in the European Parliament -- some four or five years ago -- dealt with EU marginal land. I and others were involved in protecting the interests of Welsh farmers dependent on earning a living on such land. The aim was to protect Welsh growers interests -- you may remember the debate on whether support could be provided for the growth of flax and hemp -- and Welsh Leader groups played an important role in ensuring we included vital amendments to defen...

People Detective: Who Knows Anthea From the Antelope?

TODAY we are hoping to find Anthea Turner, no, not the former GMTV presenter but someone a lot nearer to home. This lady's parents used to run the Antelope Inn, on the Bangor side of Menai Bridge for many years. Gaynor Graham, nee Marshal, now living in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire wrote to me, asking for help in finding her friend Anthea. They both attended Llandudno Catering College in the early 1960s.

People Detective: Don't Let Long Odds Frighten You Off the Search

Over the past two years I've been involved in some unusual searches that have brought people together against the odds. One I particularaly remember is when I reunited a father and daughter, who met for the first time in over 30 years, live on television.