Record crowd numbers and outstanding entries at Pembrokeshire County Show, 2024
This year's Pembrokeshire County Show opened its gates to soaring temperatures and cloudless skies but as the final horseboxes pulled out of the showground on Thursday, the ground was sodden and the wind was strong.
Despite the weather contrasts, the exceptionally high standards that earn the Pembrokeshire County Show its reputation as one of Wales' strongest two-day county shows remained resolute.
"The weather was most certainly in our favour on Wednesday but sadly, the same couldn't be said for Thursday," said Mike Davies, chair of the show's board of trustees.
"But this has done nothing to take away from the fantastic efforts that have been made by absolutely everyone involved."
Wednesday's weather resulted in around 25,000 people visiting the showground.
"This meant that the trade stands did some tremendous business and we were certainly stretched for parking spaces, getting down to the very last remaining 50 in all the parking areas.
"But the high numbers also stretched our logistics, particularly in managing the traffic control. But once again, the police were there to accommodate us and at the end of the day, there's nothing like a man in a uniform to direct the public."
The traffic flow was also overseen by the show's excellent traffic management team plus the show security.
"So many different agencies have been working in conjunction with each other over the last six months, which has resulted in agency meetings every six or seven weeks, when 17 agencies have been coming together, including each of the emergency services and the Trunk Road Agency, so this doesn't happen by accident.".
But the backbone of the show is undoubtedly its massive team of volunteers who are constantly on hand to ensure that everything continues to move smoothly.
"These people are undoubtedly the heart of this organisation," said Mike. "We know have around 250 volunteers and this year it's been great to see an increasing number of youngsters coming on board.
"We've got some very strong YFCs here in Pembrokeshire, and we look after them as a society and we welcome them with open arms. These are the future of this society. "
Meanwhile, as the Pembrokeshire County Show team begins turning its thoughts to 2025, Mike is delighted that the show continues to play an integral role in the county calendar.
"It's so heartening to see that the county show is still bringing people in.," he said.
"Throughout the two days we'e seen a very good mixture of farmers as well as people from the urban community.
"There's so much for people to do in Pembrokeshire these days, whereas when I was a child it used to be either the beach or a day at the county show. But despite everything else that's going on, people are still fitting it into their itinerary,
"And the harvest has definitely worked in our favour, as the crops aren't ready to combine and the silage isn't on the ground waiting to be picked."
Mike also paid tribute to the exceptional quality of animals that were exhibited in the showring.
"Some of the cattle we've seen this year have been of an outstanding standard," he said. "The winner of the Holstein section owns the best Holstein herd in the world, with the only other herd coming anywhere close to them being in Canada.
"And there's also a tremendous amount of money involved when you look at the quality of equine stock in the ring."
Mike Davies' comments were echoed by cattle judge Phil Arrell, who oversaw the Jersey and Ayrshire classes.
"The standard has been superb, with at least two calves probably capable of being showed at national level," he said.
"But like a lot of shows, we're down in numbers. If you go back ten years, the county show used to have up to ten cattle in a class a few years ago.
"There's no doubt that TB are the two letters people don't like to talk about and it continues to be quite an issue all over the UK and here in south Wales. It stops people from showing because when farmers have to do a pre-movement test, they have to pay the vet which amounts to considerable extra cost but people also get nervous.
"But despite all these issues, the standard here at the Pembrokeshire County Show is still exceptionally strong. The standard has always been as good as anywhere in the UK and that certainly hasn't changed."
Record crowd numbers and outstanding entries at Pembrokeshire County Show, 2024
This year's Pembrokeshire County Show opened its gates to soaring temperatures and cloudless skies but as the final horseboxes pulled out of the showground on Thursday, the ground was sodden and the wind was strong.
Despite the weather contrasts, the exceptionally high standards that earn the Pembrokeshire County Show its reputation as one of Wales' strongest two-day county shows remained resolute.
"The weather was most certainly in our favour on Wednesday but sadly, the same couldn't be said for Thursday," said Mike Davies, chair of the show's board of trustees.
"But this has done nothing to take away from the fantastic efforts that have been made by absolutely everyone involved."
Wednesday's weather resulted in around 25,000 people visiting the showground.
"This meant that the trade stands did some tremendous business and we were certainly stretched for parking spaces, getting down to the very last remaining 50 in all the parking areas.
"But the high numbers also stretched our logistics, particularly in managing the traffic control. But once again, the police were there to accommodate us and at the end of the day, there's nothing like a man in a uniform to direct the public."
The traffic flow was also overseen by the show's excellent traffic management team plus the show security.
"So many different agencies have been working in conjunction with each other over the last six months, which has resulted in agency meetings every six or seven weeks, when 17 agencies have been coming together, including each of the emergency services and the Trunk Road Agency, so this doesn't happen by accident.".
But the backbone of the show is undoubtedly its massive team of volunteers who are constantly on hand to ensure that everything continues to move smoothly.
"These people are undoubtedly the heart of this organisation," said Mike. "We know have around 250 volunteers and this year it's been great to see an increasing number of youngsters coming on board.
"We've got some very strong YFCs here in Pembrokeshire, and we look after them as a society and we welcome them with open arms. These are the future of this society. "
Meanwhile, as the Pembrokeshire County Show team begins turning its thoughts to 2025, Mike is delighted that the show continues to play an integral role in the county calendar.
"It's so heartening to see that the county show is still bringing people in.," he said.
"Throughout the two days we'e seen a very good mixture of farmers as well as people from the urban community.
"There's so much for people to do in Pembrokeshire these days, whereas when I was a child it used to be either the beach or a day at the county show. But despite everything else that's going on, people are still fitting it into their itinerary,
"And the harvest has definitely worked in our favour, as the crops aren't ready to combine and the silage isn't on the ground waiting to be picked."
Mike also paid tribute to the exceptional quality of animals that were exhibited in the showring.
"Some of the cattle we've seen this year have been of an outstanding standard," he said. "The winner of the Holstein section owns the best Holstein herd in the world, with the only other herd coming anywhere close to them being in Canada.
"And there's also a tremendous amount of money involved when you look at the quality of equine stock in the ring."
Mike Davies' comments were echoed by cattle judge Phil Arrell, who oversaw the Jersey and Ayrshire classes.
"The standard has been superb, with at least two calves probably capable of being showed at national level," he said.
"But like a lot of shows, we're down in numbers. If you go back ten years, the county show used to have up to ten cattle in a class a few years ago.
"There's no doubt that TB are the two letters people don't like to talk about and it continues to be quite an issue all over the UK and here in south Wales. It stops people from showing because when farmers have to do a pre-movement test, they have to pay the vet which amounts to considerable extra cost but people also get nervous.
"But despite all these issues, the standard here at the Pembrokeshire County Show is still exceptionally strong. The standard has always been as good as anywhere in the UK and that certainly hasn't changed."