2024 President – Denley Jenkins
As a Farmer who has always lived and farmed within Ceredigion, it is my pleasure to represent my county in its Feature Year. I deem it a great honour to have been chosen as President for 2024.
I feel that having a feature county is such a good idea, with each of the Welsh Counties contributing in turn. This provides an opportunity to get people out together in each of the areas, with varied events and something to suit everyone’s taste.
I was born and bred in the heart of Ceredigion, in the village of Mydroilyn. Believe it or not, I was milking approximately 100 cows on the home farm before we got married in July 1979.
They say that the YFC movement is a marriage bureau and it was true in our case. Brenda was County YFC Queen in 1978 and I was County Chairman in 1977. We both are very indebted to the YFC movement.
I firmly believe that supporting the local shows is key to producing a certain standard, and maintaining that standard, for the Royal Welsh Show. What a platform this is – the best platform!
The Tivy Side Show is very close to my heart and I take great pleasure that the committee has produced three Royal Welsh Presidents. They were the late Mr Tom Evans, Troedyraur, in 1995, Mr Seimon Thomas, Drysgolgoch, 2019. And I am very fortunate to follow in their footsteps in 2024.
I take pride in the fact that I am a member of the first committee to have established the Winter Fair back in 1989. At the 2022 Winter Fair, I was fortunate enough to receive an award, alongside Gwyn Edwards from Clwyd, in recognition of our services to the Winter Fair over 30 years.
On a personal level, the highlight each year for me is the Winter Fair and it is great to see it develop from year to year and that it’s now attracting exhibitors from Scotland and Ireland. The Fair’s future looks very positive, as we see so many of our youth coming forward to compete in the main rings in each section.
The Winter Fair wouldn’t be such a success were it not for the leadership of the Chairpersons over the years. They are the late Verney Pugh, the late George Hughes, the late Emyr Lewis and, currently, we have the robust leadership of Mr Alwyn Rees.
Brenda and I were very fortunate to have the opportunity to celebrate a milestone in the society’s history in London with representatives of the Royal Welsh Show. The event marked the Society’s 120th anniversary. We had a very interesting afternoon in Committee Room 12 at the House of Commons, Westminster, hearing all about the history of the beginnings of the first show in Aberystwyth in 1904 and reading about it.
We are very grateful to the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth for its willingness to support us with our work and for preparing the historical information for us as the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.
As in any successful business, teamwork is essential, and I am eternally grateful to my own team. My wife Brenda, our children Teleri, Teifi and Tomos and their families have been very supportive and are always at hand to help me in any way.
I would like to thank all officials and members in Ceredigion for the fun and friendship we have shared during the fundraising events and, of course, those in Llanelwedd who have helped us on the way. Chief Executive Aled Rhys Jones, Chair of Board of Directors, Professor Wynne Jones, and Council Chair, Nicola Davies, and all the staff have been a nonstop help.
Brenda and I look forward to seeing you all at the 2024 events and I again thank my Ceredigion friends for doing me the great honour of choosing me as your President.
Denley Jenkins FRAgS
2024 Ambassador – Esyllt Griffiths
As a fervent supporter of the Royal Welsh Show, it is an enormous privilege for me to be elected RWAS Ambassador in Ceredigion’s feature year.
Although I now live in Llanwenog, with my husband, Llŷr, and small son, Osian, my roots are deep in the north of the county. I was brought up at Pantlleinau farm and attended the primary school in Llangwyryfon.
I attended Penweddig School, before graduating from Trinity St David’s University, Carmarthen. I’ve been working for Menter a Busnes for several years as a Farming Connect Events Co-ordinator.
I have many fond memories of attending the show every year since I was born, caravanning with my family when I was a child, then with my friends and now with my own little family. The last time Ceredigion sponsored the Show in 2010, my two brothers, Dyfan and Rhodri, and I were celebrating our eighteenth birthday. What better present could there be for we three triplets than to receive Life Governor membership as a birthday gift.
My interest in the Society’s Ceredigion activities began back in 2010 when I joined the Cardi’s Show Ladies’ Committee. Soon after, I joined the RWAS Ceredigion Advisory Committee and I continue to be a member of that committee.
It was nice to be part of an enthusiastic, hard-working, team raising money across the county. I’m joint secretary of the Mid-County Fundraising Committee, and Chair of the Criw’r Cardis Committee, responsible for the Sioe’r Cardis marketing materials.
We are very grateful to Ifor Williams Trailers for loaning the trailer to store and transport the goods to various events and to Cynnal y Cardi for the marketing materials, from the gazebos to the various banners.
The trailer was seen darting across the county every week, from the Speed Shearing evening and the Tractor Racing day at the southern end of the county, to the Fashion Show and the YFC Rally in mid-county, to Talybont Show and the Sioe’r Cardis Concert in the north of the county.
Personally, attending the shows was a special opportunity for me to promote the work of the society. I could also appreciate the contribution of everyone who works tirelessly in their communities to keep the small shows going. I’ve also competed, stewarded and judged in a number of local shows.
For several years, I’ve been a member of the Society’s Future Generations Committee, with the future of the society and its events central to committee deliberations. Our contributions have fed into the deliberations of the Board.
I’m also a member of the Homecrafts Committee, having stewarded and competed regularly in this section. It is a privilege to represent Ceredigion on the Board and as a young and new member of the committee, I look forward to the next four years.
I was very fortunate to be chosen for the Rural Leadership Programme in 2022 and thank Glamorgan Feature County. It was a full programme of training, mentoring, support and leadership over three intense residential sessions. Aimed at inspiring future leaders in agriculture, it was an opportunity to network and it has given me a perfect foundation for my year.
The opportunities and experiences as a member of the YFC have been invaluable. At a very young age, I realised that, in addition to the social and competitive aspect, I loved the policy and administration. I was given an opportunity at club, County and Wales level to contribute by being a member on various committees.
The County Youth Forum meant I learned how to chair a meeting and at the end of my period as a member, I became Chair of Ceredigion County for two years. Another privilege was being County Queen.
I took advantage of every opportunity to travel, through the foreign trips programme, and went from Scotland to Canada. I was Chair of the International Committee on a Wales level, so it was nice to welcome foreign members and their guests during show week in Llanelwedd. I continue to support the YFC, as an associate member and leader of the Llangwyryfon Club.
The project I chose for my year was ‘The Show’s Contribution to the Mental Health Welfare of countryside people’. It was very relevant as we responded to the consultation to reform the school year.
It became obvious what the show means to a number of people, whether they are visitors, members, competitors, stewards, stall holders or stakeholders. I felt awareness needs to be raised about the society’s contribution to meeting these needs and also to raise awareness and work together with partners such as DPJ, Tir Dewi and RABI. It was a lot of fun publishing the Naked calendar, with a percentage of the profits going to these charities.
As ambassador designate, I had the opportunity to meet so many hard-working and inspiring people. It has made me realise how much hard work, dedication and commitment is put in behind the scene in every one of the events.
I look forward to promoting and raising the profile of the society and meeting with you in the Spring Festival, the Royal Welsh Show and Winter Fair. Thanks to Jacob for showing me the ropes and being great company last year.
Esyllt Ellis Griffiths