23 August 2004
Room at the Inn for Welsh Black celebrations

Guests at Carmarthen’s Boar’s Head Hotel could be forgiven they were seeing things when a Welsh Black heifer paid a visit to mark the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Welsh Black Cattle Society.

The 17th century coaching inn was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the WBCS a century ago, on August 24, 1904, and to mark the milestone representatives of the Society along with Hafodesgob Branwen - a three year-old in-calf heifer from the Berem Herd - returned to where it all began.

“We wanted to mark the anniversary day in a more unusual way, and since it is all about the breed we thought we would bring a Welsh Black heifer along,” said WBCS chief executive, Andrew James.

“The Boar's Head has a long association with the farming community. Both the Welsh Black Cattle Society and the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society met here,” said landlord, Bill Hunter.
“Drovers used to gather here and their animals would be on the land behind the hotel where the Tesco store stands today.”

At the inaugural meeting 100 years ago 25 breeders from north and south Wales decided to form the Society. Today, active membership has grown to 870 of whom 20 are overseas, and the Prince of Wales is the Society’s Patron.

“The Society has had a tremendous year so far with important wins at shows across the country including the Royal of England Show and of course the Royal Welsh Show where Welsh Blacks took the Supreme Beef Championship title, the FitzHugh Perpetual Championship Trophy for the best beef pair and the Marks & Spencer Native Group of Three title,” said Mr James.

“We have a number of shows and special events yet to come including three ‘centenary’ sales this autumn in Abergavenny, Llandovery and Dolgellau.

While the Society’s celebrations are to be featured shortly in a television programme made by Llandeilo based company Telesgob.”
Hafodesgob Branwen’s owner, Pontyberem businessman and Welsh Black enthusiast, Enzo Sauro, said he was honoured to be associated with the Society’s celebrations.

“I think Welsh Black Cattle are the best beef breed, and they are coming back after a period of decline,” said Mr Sauro who in January this year bought the bull Hafodesgob Harri, for 22,000 guineas (£23,100) the highest ever priced Welsh Black animal.

This autumn Mr Sauro will open a meat processing plant at Cross Hands catering primarily for Welsh Black Cattle. The first phase of his venture, a Welsh Black steakhouse and café, will open in the next few weeks.

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