The 34th Royal Welsh Winter Fair got underway in sunshine and beefy showers on Monday.
The 34th Royal Welsh Winter Fair celebrating shopping, food and entertainment got underway in sunshine and beefy showers on Monday.
The 34th Royal Welsh Winter Fair celebrating shopping, food and entertainment got underway in sunshine and beefy showers on Monday.
The showground at Llanelwedd was bustling with visitors, exhibitors, prize-winning livestock and Christmas shoppers..
As one of the finest prime stock shows in Europe, the Winter Fair draws crowds from far and wide to enjoy two-days packed full of competitions, festivities, food and drink, and shopping.
At this year’s event shopping, food, and entertainment come together for a joyful two-day celebration!
This year, there were 1500 livestock entries, more tradestands than ever before provided visitors with endless opportunities for early Christmas shopping.
The new Gwledd | Feast area, located in the Shearing Shed, was a vibrant hub of local Welsh food, featuring everything from savoury bites to festive treats including crepes, pizza, hog roast and Chinese dumplings.
Visitors also enjoyed a variety of live entertainment on the Shearing Stage, including school choirs, the Welsh Whisperer, the Welsh Symphonic Brass Ensemble, Llanelwedd Church in Wales School and Builth Wells Male Voice Choir, adding a festive glow to the atmosphere.
Santa made an appearance, welcoming children to visit his grotto, and delightful bandstand performances including from Llandrindod Wells singer Holly Richards spread festive cheer across the showground.
The Foodhall showcased Wales’s finest food and drink, with artisan cheeses, traditional Welsh cakes, and much, much more.
The Welsh crafts section was filled with handmade treasures, perfect for unique Christmas gifts.
Late-night Christmas shopping on Monday, November 25 extended until 7pm, and the night was expected to close with the legendary Winter Fair fireworks display set to a musical backdrop, providing a spectacular end to a day filled with festive spirit.
This year’s fair was officially opened by Steffan and Elin Rattray, a 23 and 22 year old brother and sister who were brought up on a small farm, Ffosyfuwch, in the Ystwyth Valley, near Aberystwyth.
The family run a butchery business, Rattray’s Butchers, in the middle of Aberystwyth, and both have shown a keen interest in the farm work and in the family’s butchers’ business.
They attended Llanfihangel y Creuddyn Primary School and Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig, before going on to study “Agri-Food Marketing & Business” at Harper Adams University.
As part of their degree courses, both spent a year working in industry. Steffan worked at Dunbia in Llanybydder and Elin worked for Whoodhead Bros (Morrisons) in Leicestershire. Steffan graduated in the summer of 2023 and Elin is in her final year. Through the University, both won the 2022 ‘Butchers & Drovers Charitable Institute Scholarship from the ‘Worshipful Guild of Butchers.
Since graduating, Steffan has returned to Aberystwyth to take care of the butchery business, Ratrray’s Butchers.
Steffan is responsible for the day to day running of the business, which employs five full-time members of staff, selling meat to the public from the shop and to catering customers from the meat unit, which is situated on the farm at New Cross.
Steffan buys cattle, lambs and pigs from local farms, which are processed at a local abattoir in Tregaron, before preparing it at the meat unit at New Cross, and then sending it to the shop in Aberystwyth.
The main aim of the business and what Steffan takes most pride in, is the ability to produce and provide local meat of the highest standard to his customers.
Elin is currently in her final year at Harper Adams University.
Both spoke in the presence of the Welsh Government’s Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, about their interest in agriculture and they said it is shared by many other youngsters.
Elin said the next generation need security and support and urged everyone present to support the industry and consider the future of farming for the next generation.
“We need to make sure the future is in safe hands so that we will be producing food for future generations,” she said as the siblings opened the fair.
