A quick glance through the catalogue of entries for last week’s Pembrokeshire County Show revealed that livestock exhibitors came from practically every county in Wales, as far away as Suffolk amongst the 10 English counties and another one in particular traveled well over 600 miles from Caithness in Scotland.

Amongst the other visitors to the three-day attraction were annual supporters amongst the holidaymakers to West Wales, farmers from across South Wales, the West country and Ireland and even a few from distant countries around the world.

Such is the fascination with the premier county, the friendliness of its people and the steady, calm manner of living - the County Show is certainly not just an event where farmers meet, but a highly significant social occasion.

A wide range of things to see and do throughout the period of the event was evident for all and a full and interesting programme was aimed to please all ages and to encourage all to return again next year!.

This year’s president was Mr. Dennis Reed, a very well-known figure across West Wales with strong connections over very many years on both his parents sides with the show organisers, the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society.

A keen sportsman Mr. Reed, of Trevayne Farm, Saundersfoot, is not only as a knowledgeable and successful south county farmer, but also has an inborn interest in horse breeding, racing and steeplechasing. He modestly claims that he owes much of his considerable public awareness to having been a member and official of the former Tenby Young Farmers Club and he was later elected as chairman of the movement’s county federation.

As a member of his local YFC, he had gained prominence as a public speaker and developed an enthusiasm for amateur dramatics and remains an important figure with the popular and highly-acclaimed amateur entertainment group, The Musichall Players.

Reflecting upon the show, he marvelled at just how lucky they were to experience three dry days which he looked upon as ‘the three most precious days of my life.’

The president’s luncheons held, each day at The Pavilion, were attended by official guests, sponsors and friends and were addressed in sequence by local businessman, Brian Harries, the president-elect of the 2017 Royal Welsh Show, Mr. Brian Jones, and by Mr. Simon Hart MP.

Mr. Reed was, he said, very grateful to have the support of his two very dear daughters, Georgina and Lois and also his grandchildren. He was also most thankful when, in carrying out his official role, he was also assisted by the society’s lady ambassador for 2016, Miss Kim Griffiths, and the president-elect, Mr. Richard Cole and his partner, Anne Hewings.

In leading up to the County Show, he had set himself three charity events to arrange: a trivia quiz with 39 teams from across show members and officials, the farming unions, the hunts, YFC, Rotary and several others actively participating and which was eventually won by team raised by Dick Davies, former president.

The second had been a variety show with the Musichall Players at Folly Farm which raised some £5,500 for the Dai Rees Foundation - a close friend and former neighbour who worked as a paramedic and was tragically drowned whilst teaching first aid in the Maldives. The third event was a well-supported barbeque at Trevayne farm.

At the showground on the Sunday evening before the event, members and non-members attended the annual religious service - the last to be conducted by Rev. Geoffrey Gwyther before his retirement - at which a very well-received sermon with a touch of humour was given by Rev. Paul Davies, former rector of Jeffreyston. The offertory amounting to some £1,200 is being donated to the president’s charity.

Of the show itself, the coveted horse and pony championship was awarded to Leo Bowen’s 10-year-old chestnut Show Hunter, Golden Tasset, ridden by his daughter, Olivia, with reserve going to Joyce Canton’s eight-year-old Palomino mare, Briolen Chloe, with her granddaughter, also Olivia, in the saddle.

In the cattle division, the prestigious team of five awards, with animals selected by the judges, went to the Limousins in the beef section and to the Holsteins amongst the dairy exhibits.

A record number of more than 600 sheep from 90 individual breeders came out on the last day with the supreme championship going to a young Suffolk exhibitor, Steffan Thomas. Taking both the pairs and group of three awards was Euros Jones with entries from his Welsh Mountain flock.

All the results from the first day and most of the second day appeared in last week’s Observer.

Main awards:

HORSES

Supreme, Leo Bowen (Open Show Hunter Pony).

Shires, Newnham and Godden.

Hunter, in-hand, Ashley Davies; under saddle, Leo Bowen; side saddle, Gemma Rees.

Retraining of Racehorses, Givern and Scrine.

Welsh Cob, Section D, S. E. and S. J. Bigley.

Welsh Pony (Cob type), Section C. Reed and Co.

Welsh Mountain Pony, Section A, A. Overton-Ablitt.

Welsh Pony, Section B, Miller and Davies.

Cob, under saddle, K. Palmer.

Welsh Breeds champion, A. Overton-Ablitt.

Welsh breeds, under saddle, Bethan and Marged Simons.

Welsh part-bred, Eirian Wyn Williams.

Palomino, Eirian Wyn Williams.

Working Hunter Pony, Leo Bowen.

Sport Horse, Amy James.

Arab, E. J. Jones.

Arab, part-bred, S. Quiney.

Coloured, Claire Edwards.

Riding Pony Breeding, Kathy Hall.

Show Hunter Pony, Newnham and Godden.

Open Show hunter Pony Givern and Scrine.

Children’s Riding Pony, Paul Isaac.

Mountain and Moorland, in-hand, Debbie Thomas, Working Hunter Pony, Amy Tough.

Shetland, standard, Hodge and Walters, miniature. Jacqueline Percy.

Private Driving, Christian Teitge.

BEEF CATTLE

Hereford, Doris and Aled Jones.

Welsh Black, Marion Phillips.

Longhorn, Bernard and Margaret Llewellyn.

Beef Shorthorn, Keith Jones.

British Blue, Randall Williams.

Any other native breed, Paul and Kirsty Westaway (Aberdeen Angus).

Limousin, Delyth Price and Ivor Griffiths.

Simmental, Aled Davies.

Murray Gray, Wendy Finucane (Otter and Co).

Any other continental breed, Carol Tucker (Charolais).

Commercial, Dai Thomas.

Group of five: Limousins

Young handler, Andrew Phillips.

Cattle Lines, George, Ionwy and Non Thorne.

DAIRY CATTLE

Ayrshire, Philip and Stuart Williams.

Holstein, Hefin Wilson and Son.

Jersey, James Evans’s Future Dreams Partnership.

Brown Swiss, Clive and Pam Davies.

Dairy Shorthorn, Simeon and Eleanor Thomas.

Group of five: Holsteins.

Young handler, Nia Thomas.

Cattle Lines, Kevin Thomas.

SHEEP

Suffolk, Steffan Thomas.

Hampshire Down, Eirlys and Barry Jones.

Ryeland, Neville and Jayne Morgan.

Poll Dorset, Llyr James.

Welsh Mountain, Euros Jones.

Black Welsh Mountain, Bethan Davies.

Lleyn, Roger and Helen Wells.

Badger face, Aled Groucott.

Jacob, Owain Jenkins.

Kerry Hill, R. Powell.

Rare breed, M. R. Thomas (Hill Radnor).

Texel, Catrin Reed.

Charollais, Lionel Organ.

Beltex, Aled Groucott.

Any other breed, J. H. Lewis (Blue-faced Leicester).

Butcher’s lambs, Adrian Windsor.

Special awards: supreme, Steffan Thomas; Inter-breed pairs and group of three, Euros Jones

Young handlers’, senior, Emyr Harris; junior, Carwen Harries.

PIGS

Modern, Jay and Corrina Taylor.

Traditional and supreme, Mike and Lucy Georgiou.

CRAFT

Sticks, Richard Evans; best item, B. M. Thompson; novice, David Thomas.

Woodwork, Dai Davies; best item, Jerry Owen; carving, David Thomas.

Metalwork, G. Evans.

Handicraft, Katie Eynon,

Children’s craft, Poppy Doward, Ellie Rose Rowe, Harriet and Jessica Hope.

Photography, monochrome and colour, Dylan Harries; Photoshop, Richard Grosvenor; best print, Graham Thomas.

Children’s classes, under 11 year, Lukas Tyrrell; 11-16 years, Katie Hansell.

Children’s Photoshop prints, under 11 years, Jacob Eynon; 12-16 years, Ruby Kelly.

HORTICULTURAL

Vegetables, Richard Davies; onions, Eirian Jones; novice, Wyn Jenkins.

Cookery and preserves, Susan Neal.

Flowers, Mair Evans and Barry Woodford; dahlias, Richard Davies; tea rose, Ron MacFarlane.

Floral art, Sarah Reed; novice, Alexandra Prichard.

TRADE STANDS

Large, J. E. Lawrence and Son.

Small, Fenton Vets.