Royal Welsh Show Blog

My name is Tegan, and I am a trainee at Swansea Community Farm. I am also a on the Green Careers Pathway project in partnership with @codi, and through this project, I have had the exciting opportunity to attend an event that I've wanted to go to since I was little- the Royal Welsh Show! It was an amazing day out, learning about different agricultural professions, watching various acts and getting up close and personal with a range of livestock.  

It turns out that the Royal Welsh is much bigger than I anticipated. There were so many things to look at, it was hard not to get distracted. Stalls selling everything, from couches to cow print shorts, and people everywhere, either dressed in their tweed finery or workwear that had seen better days (farmers are a diverse bunch!) I'm still shocked at how many organisations and businesses there were. It really put it into perspective how so many aspects of society link to agriculture and farming, and how the majority of our products have an element of farm life linked to it and really opened my eyes to all the green jobs out there! 

We finally got to the livestock area, and of course, got COMPLETELY sidetracked by the pigs. I have never, in all my life, seen pigs that big before. Or that small! The little baby piglets were absolutely adorable. I could have taken them all home. I don't know what I would have done when they grew up to be the size of a hippo though- in hindsight, it's a good thing I didn't bring anything to transport them with! 

After spending a while with the piggies, we finally found Kate Gibbs and the goats. And as nice as it was to see her, I can't lie- there was a huge male goat in the shed called Apollo that totally stole the limelight. For me, petting the goats took precedence over talking to our CEO- I suppose if anyone would understand this, it would be Gibbs (Let's hope anyway. I don't want to get fired for this). One thing that did grab my attention (in between playing with my new best friends) was Kate's friend Elliott, the goats' owner. He answered a lot of our questions about goat care and characteristics, and we also found out that Apollo's distant nephew Gizmo will be our billy this autumn - EXCITEMENT OVERLOAD. I hope he's just as handsome as his uncle!  

When we eventually left the goats, we went over to check out the cattle- specifically, the cows. I got up close and personal to my favourite breed, the highland cow! Here, Kate introduced us to Emma, who has cows in the Gower. Emma and her friends were so knowledgeable and told us all about their experiences caring for these animals, and the amount of responsibility that goes with it. I loved hearing the stories- and thankfully, we managed to arrange a visit to go and see Emma's cows grazing in the Gower. Another exciting opportunity! 

On our way back to the main arena, we came across a sheep shearing competition. This was fascinating for us, as we have previously completed a sheep shearing course and got our Blue Seal qualification. Despite gaining this, I can safely say that sheep shearing is NOT for the weak- it was challenging, hard work and required a lot of technique. Despite two days of shearing, it still took us a good while to shear a sheep safely and correctly- nothing like the professionals we watched. 5 minutes per sheep? I have no idea how that is even possible. Huge respect for them! 

We then bumped into other staff who were on their way to watch the pole climbing competition, and so we joined them, before attending a falconry display. I've always loved birds of prey, and to see an eagle owl and a falcon flying around the arena was amazing. We also had a sneak peek at the Quack Pack duck display and got to see Cassie the sheep dog herd the ducks. What a talented, well-trained pup she was. It's hard to get my lazy, stubborn furbabies to sit for a treat sometimes... I can't imagine them learning all the whistles and words to herd! 

For me, experiences like this offer more than just knowledge, or a good day out, or a shopping opportunity. The Royal Welsh visit demonstrated just how important and diverse agricultural work is. It's more than just caring for animals. The relationships between farmers, the raw talent in rural skills, and the passing on of these skills to the younger generation is a big part of the farming community. Rooted in it all is nature and humanity, connections and wildlife. Overall, it was an unforgettable experience. I have a much greater appreciation for Welsh agriculture, new knowledge about what being a farmer truly means, and a better understanding of livestock and farming practices. I can't wait to go again!!