2003 News

AGM 2003
Gwenfair is new Welsh Black president
Bala farmer, Mrs Gwenfair Jones took over as president of the Welsh Black Cattle Society when members gathered at Thame in Oxfordshire, for their 2003 annual meeting.

Together with her sons Meredydd and Gwilym, Mrs Jones farms some 760 acres on four adjacent farms, run as a single unit. The home farm at Hafod yr Esgob is rented off the Rhiwlas Estate and has been home for her family for many generations. The other three farms are owned.

All the land is with the LFA with some Grade 3 land being the best on the farms. Rainfall is heavy at 80-90in annually with the land rising from 1000ft to 1250ft at the highest point.

Beef production is based on 60 Welsh Black pedigree breeding cows with 10 to 12 in calf heifers retained annually as replacements All calves are registered as pedigree.

The farm also carries a flock of 1000 hill ewes. The 300 on the highest farm are pure Welsh Mountain, while half the remaining ewes have been crossed with the North Country Cheviot and half of them put to a Texel to produce a stronger more commercial ewe.

She takes over from Oxfordshire smallholder, Les Preston, who has played a key role in the development of the breed in England.
Retiring president, Les Preston, hands over the chain of office to new president, Gwenfair Jones at the Welsh Black Cattle Society AGM in Thame, Oxfordshire.

Looking ahead to 2004, the Society’s centenary year, the meeting chose farmer and Welsh television broadcaster, Dai Jones of Llanilar, Aberystwyth as its president-elect.

The meeting also awarded life membership of the Society to Miss Beryl Jones of Ruthin, Denbighshire and to Mr Emlyn Ellis of Bryncrug, Tywyn, Merionethshire for their services to the Welsh Black breed and to the Welsh Black Cattle Society.

Financially the Society recorded an operating surplus of £7,156 on the year to December 31 2002.

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Prizes
Bull of the Year: P.I. Arrowsmith,, Doldowlod, Llandrindod Wells, with Caerynwch Tywysog 6. Also NatWest bronze bull and Wm Stow Innes trophy for highest points.

Female of the Year: G. Jones a’i Gwmni, Nebo, Llanrwst with Seisiog Memi 26.

Lloyds Bank awards for successes at qualifying shows during 2002.
Bull of the year: £150 to P.I. Arrowsmith,, Doldowlod, Llandrindod Wells, for Caerynwch Tywysog 6; £60 to Gareth and Diane James, Tufton, Clarbeston Road, for Syfni Seraff; £40 to P.I. Arrowsmith for Yrallt John Boy 3.

Female of the year: £150 to G. Jones a’i Gwmni, Nebo, Llanrwst for Seisiog Memi 26; £60 to Gareth and Diane James for Graig Goch Marian 28; £40 to Mrs Eirian Griffiths, Llangybi, Lampeter for Eirianfa Caryl.

Herd of the year: Mrs Gwenfair Jones and Sons, Bala.

Herd of the year (Small herds): W.M. Stewart, Colwyn Bay.
Highest price bull sold at an official sale: Emyr Jones, Nebo, Llanrwst for Graig-Goch Twm 34 at 4,200 gns.

Highest price female sold at an official sale: Mrs Gwenfair Jones and Sons for Esgob Sarah 36 at 2,650 gns.

Highest price heifer under two years sold at an official sale: Mrs Gwenfair Jones and Sons for Esgob Sarah 36 at 2,650 gns.

Farmers Marts awards: G. Jones a’i Gwmni, £200; P.I. Arrowsmith, £100.
John Evans £25 awards: bull, Mr and Mrs Gwynfryn Phillips, Cwm Gwaun, Pembrokeshire for Seisiog Cymro 61; female, Emily Evans, Llanwddyn, Oswestry for Gwerncynyddion Cerys.

Farmers Union of Wales awards for the Royal Welsh Winter Fair 2002: G. Jones a’i Gwmni for champion with Seisiog Bedwyr (£350); P.I. Arrowsmith for reserve with Yrallt Jenny (£150) also E. Wyn Jones, Bla, for Waedog Addewid 30 and Waedog Banner 11 (£140); W.J. and M.A. Davies, Ponterwyd, for Coedllys Dico and Coedllys Deio (£140); C.B. and G.G. Morris, Llanstephan for Cwmmawr All Black and Cwmmawr Crackerjack (£140); and M. Wyn Jones and Sons, Penisarwaen, Caernarfon for Deniolen Dark Destroyer (£70).