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8 January 2005 Mr Tudor, who farms a 250 acre hill farm with his wife at Trawsfynydd, has represented Merionethshire as a WBCS Council member for 30 years. It is a position his late father William held before him, and together they have notched up half a century of Council service. Mr Tudor follows in his father's presidential footsteps too. William Tudor was Society President 1964/65, and his son is President elect, and will follow the current holder Dai Jones MBE, ARAgS, Llanilar. The Tudor family's association with Welsh Black Cattle stretches back 80 years when his father bought a pedigree Welsh Black bull with a Ministry of Agriculture grant, and the ‘Aber' herd was formed. Mr Tudor and his father began breeding Welsh Blacks in 1940, starting with 20 cows, and through the decades the family's involvement with the breed has grown. They were regulars at the Welsh Black sales at Menai Bridge during the 1940s, and supported the sales when they moved to Dolgellau in 1954. The 1970s and 80s were a successful time for the Aber herd, and Mr Tudor believes those halcyon days have returned. “They were the best years for cattle sales and the current boom is reminiscent of 20 and 30 years ago,” he says. “A good example was November's (2004) sale at Dolgellau which saw 107 females average 1,077 guineas.” A Welsh Black judge at the 2003 Royal Welsh Show, Mr Tudor has also been actively involved in herd inspections – visiting herds which have let their registrations lapse, or which require pedigree status, or who wish to register their cattle after years of no official cattle recording. “The latter is a common case and currently requires a lot of time from Council members,” says Andrew James, WBCS chief executive. “However, Merionethshire is a very popular county for breeding Welsh Black Cattle. It is hoped that with so little extra work required to record cattle details for pedigree status over and above that is already legally required then we will witness more farmers telephoning for this service of farm visits from the Society and taking the opportunity to grade up.” Mr James adds, “Registration of bulls and females is widely recognised by most pedigree cattle breeders and breed societies, but the WBCS goes a step further. “Steers from pedigree dams are also registered at a cost of £3 per head. This pedigree certificate then accompanies the steer to its final destination and confirms full details of sire, dam, date of birth, farm details, and any movement. “With traceability of paramount importance to both the beef industry and the consumer the WBCS urges all members to get their paper work in order and certainly register their steers. “After all the mere £3 registration is more than justified when compared to the premium prices paid for pedigree steers.” Thirty-seven strong elected WBCS Council represents all the Welsh counties, and includes representatives from England, with elections taking place every three years. Council members are elected by Society members from their home county, and all their work and time is given voluntarily. Mr Tudor succeeds John Pryse Rees of Brysgaga Farm, Bow Street, Aberystwyth who held the position of chairman for two years, including the majority of the Society's centenary year. Phillip Arrowsmith of Bwlch-y-Diarth, Doldowlod, Llandrindod Wells, was elected Vice Chairman of Council.
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