Wales and Border Counties Agricultural and Horse Shows Association

 

The Wales and Border Counties Agricultural and Horse Shows Association was set up as the South Wales and Monmouthshire Horse Shows Association in 1945 to assist show secretaries and committees to organise their shows to avoid clashes of dates with other shows and to revive public interest and understanding in horse and pony showing.

 

The advantage of show affiliating was that the Association allocated points to the winners at affiliated shows, thus encouraging exhibitors to compete at shows which were affiliated and the increase in the number of entries at these shows was soon evident.  At the January 1947 AGM, the words "Agricultural and" were added to the title.

 

Also, every 1st prize winner was awarded a red Wales and Border Counties rosette with a white band in the centre on which the Wales and Border Secretary had written the name of the show and the description of the class.  We lived near Aberystwyth for the first period of 1945 to 1961 and were therefore out of the centre of the showing activities but joined the Association to get a handbook of the show dates and these much prized rosettes whenever we were successful at the South Wales shows.  Most shows in those days  only awarded prize-cards and to receive a red rosette was a real luxury and worth the extra travelling.  An indication of the value given to these rosettes is the fact that I have kept some to this day, sixty years later.

 

The first Presidents from 1945 were C. C. Llewellyn Williams, D. L. Major, J. W. Bishop, Captain H.C.R. Homfray,

Sir William A. Jenkins (Swansea), Mr T. Jenkin Jones, Major W.P.L. Jones (Ty'r Sais Stud, Abertillery), Mr T.H. Jones, MRCVS (Llandeilo), Mr Trevor Jenks (Rumney), Lt. Col. K D. Treasure (the Monmouth coroner), Mr John Williams (Llanelly, Shire horse exhibitor), Mr David Sallis (Bargoed), Mr Hubert Taylor (Southerndown), Mr Tom Norman Lewis (Bolgoed Stud, Merthyr),

Lt. Col. C.S. Woodward OBE (Bridgend), Mr R.W. Thomas (Church Village), Mr J.B. Price (Rudry), Mr W.J.E. Ward (Llandevaud),    Dr J.A. Emmanuel (Pontypridd), Mr J.P. Evans (Pontypridd), Mr F.M. Broome (Chepstow), Mr N.E. James (Cardiff), Mr Eddie Tamplin (Rudry), Mr Peter Curry (St.Brides Major), Mr Bryn Rowland (Bedwas), Mr Gwyn Evans (Llanmaes), Mr E.W. Berrington Haines (Caerphilly), Mr B Spernaes (Caerphilly) and I had the honour of being elected President in 1976.

 

The original hardworking secretary was Mr John H. Powis, Windsor Place, Cardiff assisted by Mr E. Bevan Thomas as Hon. Solicitor, Mr David Sallis as Hon. Treasurer, Mr William Moffatt as Press Agent and Mr R.G. Iles, Trebettyn, Newton, Cowbridge (father of Mrs Monica Thomas) as Hon. cinematographer.  The Annual Presentation of trophies/dinner dance was complemented by a film show of the shows of that year taken by Mr Iles either on the same evening or another evening.  Mr Iles' enormously interesting films, after his death, have been presented to the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth and have been catalogued and are available for viewing.

 

The Executive Committee was divided into two, one for the Eastern Section centred around Cardiff and one for the Western Section based in Swansea.  In 1950 the title of the Association was expanded from South Wales & Monmouthshire to its present Wales and Border Counties Agricultural and Horse Shows Association in the hope that interest from North Wales would appear but over the years, the Association has not gone much further north of Aberystwyth.

 

Representatives from the National Horse Breeds Societies and the BSJA were invited to sit on the Executive Committee in an advisory capacity and much benefit was derived from the guidance and advice given by these representatives.

 

The original 1945 trophies were purchased by the Association for Welsh Cob, Welsh Mountain pony (won in 1946 by Mr Matthew Williams' Vardra Nance, then Vardra Charm in 1947, Mr Kentley Tucker's Surprise in 1948 and Mr Norman Lewis' Ceulan Revelry in 1949 and 1950) and Childs Riding Pony.

 

In 1946 additional trophies were presented by members as follows:

 

Lt. Col. H.M. Llewellyn for Best Hack

Major J.W. Bishop for Best Hunter

Major R.T. Whitehead for Best Working Hunter

Mr Archie Light for Best Saddle Horse

Major W.P.L. Jones for 13.2hh Riding Pony

Mr Philip Phillips for 12.2hh Riding Pony

Mr H.G. Jenks, Lady Boothby, Gail Martin and Alma James for Jumping

Mrs B.M. Bolton for Best Hackney in memory of Mr David Williams

Mr John R. Hughes for Best Shire

Mrs May Evans for Best Colliery Horse in memory of Mr Morgan Joseph

 

In addition, Mr William Davies, Bryngwynmawr, Llanelly presented a trophy for the best in the Shorthorn cattle section,

Mr T. Jenkin Jones, Morriston for the best in the Ayrshire cattle section and Major W.P.L. Jones for the best in the Welsh Mountain Sheep section.

 

As there is no longer competition in the cattle and sheep sections, nor for the colliery horses or shires, these trophies have been re-silvered and awarded to other sections e.g. the Morgan Joseph Colliery Horse Cup to the Best Yearling Welsh Mountain Pony.

 

One trophy is no longer sufficient in some sections e.g. the original Association trophy is now warded for the best WMP stallion with additional trophies for yearlings, two and three year olds, barren mare, brood mare and foals.  The Welsh Cob Cup is awarded to stallions with a similar five additional trophies.

 

Currently, 105 trophies are offered with additional categories being added every year.

 

Dr Wynne Davies MBE

March 2010