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The Monmouthshire Show Society held an eventful AGM on Monday evening, 11th April when Mr David Bowen was elected the new Chairman of the Society for the 2011/2012 calendar.

Married to Cathy, and with three children, he farms at Penylan Farm, the Hendre nr Monmouth. David commented ‘It is an honour to be elected Chairman of such a wonderful Society. I am looking forward to a successful year ahead especially the show on the 25th August. David Evans has done a fantastic job in his year; many thanks must go to him.’

David has been involved with the Livestock Section of the Show for over 25 years and is part of the backbone of the Management Committee. Cancer Research is to benefit as the 'Chairman's Chosen Charity of the Year’.

The show is also delighted to welcome Mr John Pangbourne, a keen supporter of the Monmouthshire show for over forty years, as its new President.

In a surprise announcement Mr Gwyn Jones of Priory Farm, Monmouth declared his intention to step down as Patron of the Show. His chosen successor was Mr John Jenkins, a highly valued member of the Society. John paid tribute to Gwyn for his many years of dedicated and unstinting support, not only for allowing the Show to take place on his ground at Vauxhall but also for his continued support of the Show at the new Showground.

The evening also marked the retirement of two highly dedicated and long serving members of the Society. Mrs Ann Herbert joined the Committee in 1998 and has been instrumental in the development of the Countryside Area. She became Chairman in 2009 and it was with great sadness that the Society bade her farewell. Members sincerely hope she will find herself able to return in the future. Mr Lewis Jones, joined the Society as Treasurer in 1986 and continued in the post until 1991. He became Chairman in 1994 and he has been a valued member of the Management Committee ever since. John Jenkins praised Lewis ‘for his astute economic guidance and enthusiasm towards the show’. Both members will be missed by the Society.

The final farewell was dedicated to Mrs Kay Spencer, retiring Show Secretary. John Jenkins spoke for everyone present in saying that he considered that, “Kay has the words ‘Monmouthshire Show’ stamped through her like a stick of rock” and she has always put the Society at the heart of everything she does. The Society has been very fortunate with Kay’s input over the past 16 years and she will be regarded as a very distinguished Secretary in the Show’s history”.

The AGM and presentations to retiring officers were followed by an excellent buffet provided by Jane White Catering and , a slide show of photographs produced by Richard Webb, lead to much reminiscing over the past 16 years. Members expressed high hopes for the Society’s future and the 2011 Monmouthshire Show.

Every year, the Chairman of the Monmouthshire Show Society selects a charity for the Show to support during the year.

This year David Evans chose ‘Help for Heroes’, a charity which provides invaluable support to wounded service men and women, and their families, returning from active service. His decision was influenced, because his son, Philip Evans, is a Captain in the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh.

The monies raised were as a result of the Army Benevolent Fund arranging a fire-walk on Monmouthshire Showground, with the Show Society donating the venue.

The event was attended by several hundred people, and the profit was split between the two charities, ‘Help for Heroes’ and the Army Benevolent Fund.

As a result a Cheque for £650 was recently presented to Help for Heroes by David Evans, the Chairman of Monmouthshire Show Society.

Current management committee members, Steve and Barbara Hart, can trace family links with the Monmouthshire Show back at least 100 years with Steve being a second generation chairman of the committee in 2005, exactly 30 years after his father, Tom, held the position in 1975.

Steve and Barbara (nee Heath) farm at St Dials Farm, Monmouth, home of the “Actonelm” Holstein Dairy herd, with Mrs Betty Hart and their two daughters Kathryn and Isabel.

Barbara has been chairman of the Produce and Handicrafts committee for many years and leads her dedicated group to create an area of the show that is exciting and interesting to the thousands of visitors that attend the show each year.

Five generations of the Heath Family, from Barbara’s great grandfather George, grandfather Henry and parents Jack and Crink Heath have competed at the Show with Shire horses, beef and dairy cattle as well as exhibiting flowers and jams.

The Chairman and Committee of the Monmouthshire Show Society are pleased to announce that the new secretary will be Mrs Anna Williams. Anna will be commencing her duties officially on January 1st 2011 and in the meantime will be learning some of the ropes from Kay Spencer the secretary for the past 16 years who will then be taking a back step and a smaller role in the society.

Anna hails from St Weonards, Herefordshire and studied for a BA (Hons) in Business Administration at the University of the West of England in Bristol. She has worked at The Hill in Abergavenny organising events and conferences until its closure and has since been working with Wm Nicholls of Crickhowell, the well known agricultural feed merchants, so already knows many of the characters in the agricultural world. In Anna’s words -“I am so thrilled to have been given the opportunity to work with this wonderful show society and know that I will thoroughly enjoy the many challenges which lie ahead”.

Society Chairman David Evans has said that “Anna brings all the requisite skills for the role, which, coupled with an abundance of enthusiasm, energy and passion, will see her quickly settle and with great confidence”.

After 16 years at the helm of the Monmouthshire Show, Kay Spencer has decided that the time has come for her to take a back seat and give someone else the opportunity to have a lead role in the management of all aspects of this wonderful Show Society.

Kay took over the reins in 1994 after the Show had been through a turbulent period and when facing some financial challenges. The subsequent period however, has seen one success after another as the Show has both grown in popularity and had its overall financial position absolutely transformed. This was much in evidence back in 2006 when the Management committee made the courageous decision to move the location of the Show after a period of 150 years. The availability of 115 acres of prime agricultural land along side the Redbrook road just presented an opportunity too good to miss and the purchase proceeded smoothly and now provides the Society with a new and permanent home.

Kay has very much been the driving force and inspiration for much of the subsequent activity which has seen a further huge investment and emergence of what can truly be described as one on the best and most picturesque of Showgrounds anywhere in the UK. Kay has worked tirelessly to promote the Society’s charitable activities and also the Showground itself to bring new events into the county, and this year we will see a Kite Festival and Balloon Glow and an international Polo match for the first time.

Kay’s devotion and affection for the Show will forever remain undiminished and she will retain an active role supporting the new secretary and handing over the experience and knowledge of the past 16yrs. She will no doubt also offer her committee members the occasional word of advice!

David Evans, Society Chairman, said, ‘’On behalf of the Committee we can only extend Kay our best wishes and say a very sincere thank you for 16 yrs outstanding service and absolute loyalty to the Society – she will be missed more than I can ever convey’’ The post for a new secretary will be advertised shortly and it is hoped that interested candidates may visit the Show this year to gain a real insight into such an exciting and diverse role. Interviews will then be held immediately after this years show. Anyone interested in learning more about the position should contact the Chairman of the Show Society, David Evans on 07711034050.

As part of the ongoing development of the new showground and as a result of the generosity of contributors to the Showground Development Fund the committee were thrilled to see the start of construction of a building to be used for essential storage and office facilities. Under the invaluable direction of Brian Spencer, and with the help of Alan Cox and members of the Wyesham Wanders Football Club, the shed gradually started to take shape during May and June and a celebration committee meeting and supper was held in July, albeit by candlelight! The Shed will eventually house facilities for the Wyesham Wanders Football Club enabling them to offer the required standards to visiting teams as they follow their ambition to rise through the leagues.

Readers will remember the Pig Racing at the Monmouthshire Show this year – it was not only great fun and a wonderful crowd pleaser but also brought in some much needed funds for the Monmouthshire Show Charity of the Year the R.A.B.I. The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution will be celebrating 150 years of helping impoverished families from the farming fraternity albeit through death, debts or disease. Their aim is “To support the family and keep food on the table”. Although many people think that all farmers are well off this is not necessarily the case and between around £250,000 is spent each year in Wales in helping such families. The Monmouthshire Show committee were delighted to be able to present a cheque for £325 raised from the proceeds of the betting on the pig racing at the Show last August.

Picture shows Show Chairman Ann Herbert presenting the cheque to Erys Hughes, Regional RABI officer for Wales at the Management Meeting on Monday October 12th.

Mr John Biggs (Chairman 2008/9) presenting a cheque for £407.00 to representatives of the Wales Air Ambulance www.walesairambulance.com the Monmouthshire Show’s chosen charity for 2008.

Sir, I am writing ref. the |Monmouthshire Show 2007. I had the privilege to visit the 2007 Monmouthshire Show on 30th August and feel that I must give public recognition to both the outstanding standard of the show and the excellent new venue for this prestige event in the calendar of the agricultural community of South East Wales. It was a brave decision by the Show Management Committee to move the show to its new venue at Redbook Road in Monmouth, but this year’s top class show ably demonstrated the perfect visionary approach of the committee concerning this matter. The 2007 show marked the 150th anniversary of the event and it was therefore important that the day should be memorable and significant for everyone involved. I therefore offer hearty congratulations to the dedicated band of Management Committee Members and Organisers in achieving a notable and significant milestone in the standard and organisation of the 2007 Show.
Councillor Chris Woodhouse (Chairman of Monmouthshire County Council)

Praise for the Show Committee for their handling of the first show on the new site has come from Monmouth MP David Davies, A M Nick Ramsey and Monmouthshire County Council Leader Andrew Crump.

Mr Davies said: “the first show on the new site was an outstanding success and all of the organisers and volunteers are to be congratulated. Traffic congestion was kept to an absolute minimum by the police who manually controlled the traffic lights and a great day was had by all. It was a shame that there were no livestock due to the foot and mouth restrictions in place but there were plenty of other attractions to compensate. I think many will agree that the highlight this year was the Spitfire display. The pilot put on a spectacular display in a plane that was over 60 years old. It was also a reminder that in 1940 the freedom of this country was narrowly preserved by young men with an average age of 19 flying these machines at great risk to themselves. With the new site the show can look forward to another one hundred and fifty years”.

National Assembly member for Monmouth Nick Ramsay said: “I know that a lot of hard work has been put into creating this fantastic new site. It has been great to celebrate the show’s 150th anniversary. This popular event continues to go from strength to strength”. Mr Ramsay went on to welcome an announcement that restrictions on livestock markets and shows are to be lifted. Speaking from the showground Nick expressed disappointment that the news had not come in time for this year’s event. Nick said: “I am pleased that restrictions on livestock have finally been lifted following the recent foot and mouth outbreak. Whilst we can all accept that regulations needed to be put in place to prevent the further spread of this contagious disease, it will come as a relief to Monmouthshire’s farmers. It is however disappointing for the organisers of the Monmouthshire Show that restrictions could not have been lifted before this year’s event. Despite all this it has been a wholly enjoyable show at its picturesque new showground on the Redbrook Road”.”.

Councillor Andrew Crump, who was chairman of the Monmouthshire Show in 1990, also expressed his delight in the show’s success. “It was a delightful day and I’m very pleased it was so successful; hopefully this will quell the doubters of the last 12 months who were critical of the show moving from Vauxhall”.