THE Royal Welsh Smallholding and Countryside Festival livestock, poultry, woolhandling and equine schedules have been published.

Being held on Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19, at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, the festival is gearing up to be the ultimate celebration of smallholding and rural life.

The weekend will be packed full of hundreds of hotly contested competitions with competitors coming from far and wide to the hills of mid-Wales, in the hope of going home with a sought-after Royal Welsh title and rosette. Not only could you be adding a prize card to your collection, but thanks to the continued support from our sponsors, you could also benefit from the vast array of prize money, vouchers and special mementos up for grabs.

With nearly 400 classes and special awards for sheep, pigs, goats and cattle, many of which are for traditional, rare and native breeds, the Smallholding and Countryside Festival livestock schedule is available on the event website from today (March 1).

Including new sections for Hebridean Sheep and Longhorn Cattle, along with extra classes in the goat sections and we are pleased to host the Dairy Goat - British Alpine Breed Society, Toggenburg Breed Society and Anglo-Nubian Breed Society Regional Shows on Saturday, not forgetting the young handler classes, there’s an opportunity for everyone to get involved.

New for 2019, we have introduced woolhandling competitions to the festival. There will be novice, intermediate and open classification classes and chances to qualify for the Welsh Circuit, all held during the festival on Sunday, May 19.

On the Saturday, visitors to the festival will be able to watch blade shearing and woolhandling demonstrations and learn all about the history and the vital role of the British wool industry.

“Livestock, smallholders and country life have always been at the heart of the event” said Honorary Festival Director, Kay Spencer, “and this year in no different.”

“We are delighted to support the smallholding and farming communities with a dedicated event packed full of competitions and activities. Each year we review and add to our ever increasing list of competitions, and with such an excellent number and mix of classes throughout the two-days, there is something for everyone to get involved with and enjoy.

“We already have a very impressive number of entries and we are very fortunate to have loyal competitors, old and new, who continue to support this celebration of smallholding and rural life.”

For the equestrian enthusiasts amongst us, this year’s festival equine schedule, also available online from today, has more than 120 classes.

Along with show jumping, working hunter, heavy horses and shires, foreign and rare breeds and novice and young handler sections, we are hosting CHAPS Mid Welsh Regional Show, classes for the British Miniature Horse Society, Donkey Breed Society, and Veteran Horse Society Area Qualifier, the Moorbennhall Irish Draught Youngstock Challenge qualifier, the Blue Chip & Irish Draught Horse Society (GB) £2,000 Challenge, the Classical Ladies Side Saddle Qualifier, the British Arabian Championships and, new for 2019, a section for Mountain and Moorland ponies (excluding Welsh breeds and Shetlands).

Entries are also open for Poultry and Waterfowl classes in the Welsh Federation Spring Show, to be held at the festival on Saturday, May 18, and the Premier Open Dog Show held on both the Saturday and Sunday.

Along with all the competitions, the festival will be packed full of interesting things to see, entertainment, delicious food and drink, live music, country sports, shopping, a Saturday auction, demonstrations and fun, have-a-go activities - the perfect day out for all.

For copies of the schedule and entry forms, please visit www.rwas.wales