Croeso y DBS Cymru
Area Representative: Kelly Roberts, Anglesey
You can contact Kelly by emailing info@donkeybreedsociety.co.uk
Anyone who feels they would like to act as an area representaive for the DBS in their corner of Wales should contact the Society Secretary for more details of what this involves
Dates for your diary:
Shows with Donkey Classes which have affiliated to the Donkey Breed Society in 2010
THREE COUNTIES SHOW - 20th June
The Showground, Malvern, Worcs.
C/d: 27 April.
Sec: Miss F Parker, Three Counties Agricultural Society, Malvern, Worcs WR13 6NW.
Tel: 01684 584900. www.threecounties.co.uk Judge: Mrs C Whiteway
HEREFORDSHIRE DONKEY SHOW -11th July
Coldnose Farm, Dewsall, Hereford.
C/d: 1 July.
Sec: Miss E Langford, Coldnose Farm, Dewsall, Hereford HR2 8DD.
Tel: 01432 353468. Judge: Mrs J Boyce
NEVERN SHOW - 4th August
Parc yr Ynys, Newport, Pembs SA42.
C/d: 28 July.
Sec: Mrs G Chalk, Ty Mawr, Cilgerran, Pembs SA43 2SN.
Tel: 01239 621431. email: gill.chalk@talktalk.net Judge: tba.
BRECON COUNTY SHOW - 7th August
The Showground, Watton Villa, Brecon, Powys.
C/d: 9 July.
Sec: Barbara Green, Brecknockshire Agric. Soc., Plas Gwyn, Saron, Llandysul, Carms SA44 5DZ.
Tel: 01559 371559. email breconshow@btinternet.com Judge: Miss E Langford.
Wales Regional Report for the Annual General Meeting 2008
How time flies, it is six years since I assumed the role of Regional Delegate, I am another six year older and my time on council is now drawing to close; sadly no-one has come forward to fill the vacancy so for the time being Wales is unrepresented, but hopefully not forgotten. If anyone out there feels they can take on either the role of Regional Delgate with its seat on council or as an Area Representative without the seat on council but lots of personal donkey contact then please do contact:societysecretary@donkeybreedsociety.co.uk
The poor summer with its huge rainfall apparently centred over Wales, has taken its toll of local events and sadly some larger ones across the South West and North West regions. One can only feel sadness where events have had to be cancelled, and great sympathy for the organising teams who have worked so hard to no avail. Let us hope that 2009 will be a little warmer and drier.
Even as I write this torrential rain is falling once again and severe weather warnings have been posted by the Met office, so it does not even bode well for an autumn of mellow fruitfulness. We finally made hay in our valley in mid September, unheard of apparently even in past years of bad weather; fodder will undoubtedly be of dubious quality and scarce in some regions, as particularly in Wales apart from the brief burst of September activity very little in way of hay making has taken place, and owners will by necessity have to find other ways of maintaining the fibre and nutrition levels so essential in the healthy donkey.
Despite the fact that this will be my last report as Regional Delegate for Wales, Rosemary and I will welcome your visits and phone calls. This has been a most enjoyable period in my life, enhanced by meeting so many Welsh members who enjoy their donkeys both at home and at shows and during which the Welsh region hosted the 2006 Annual General Meeting.
I wish you all much success and happiness with our long eared friends in the future.
David Harbinson Retiring Regional Council Delegate for Wales
Wales Regional Report for the Annual General Meeting 2007
All in all it has been something of a roller coaster year, good weather, bad weather, but rather more of the latter; shows deciding not to have donkey classes, other shows thinking they might; donkeys in foal, donkeys not in foal; members wanting donkeys and seemingly none to fill the vacancy; help with ailments, help with pasture, help with suitable fencing, help with suitable feed, find a farrier, find a dentist, all part of the job !!
Sadly our own DBS Championship Show became a victim of its own popularity and wide appeal ? strange when we are always ranting on about the need for support!! However the college have resident herds of susceptible stock, and the Principal felt that with people travelling from unidentified areas to attend the event the concerns over Foot and Mouth Disease being unwittingly bought into the area on transporting vehicles coming over a vast distance and from near to the exclusion zones were a greater risk than they could take. This did affect members travelling from Wales, just as from other regions, and yes there was much a feeling of sadness at the time, but they were supportive and what was needed to be done was done, and now we must look onwards to 2008 and ensure that the next Supreme Show will indeed be a ?supreme event? and one that will be worth waiting for.
Wales was in the full flow of its own local show season at the time; and circumstances found every village and small town having to adjust its programme of events to encompass the restrictions on livestock; but for the main part they managed to meet the need with a heavier emphasis on horticulture, culinary adventure and equestrian activities than might have otherwise been the case, and those that couldn't, cancelled, no angst just common sense.
Donkeys remain in short supply, despite the fact that Wales appears to be the centre of an unhealthy depository for equines from Europe and with little knowledge of where the huge numbers go next. I am often left wondering, having read the forum posts on our website why people in positions of authority feel the need to recommend the local dealer rather than the breeder.
Yes the equine dealer may be a name that is known to many and have a role to play, but it is worth remembering that they are there to make a living for themselves and have no real interest in where the donkey they are selling either came from or is going to, and after sales service could prove non existent or costly. The breeder on the other hand will at least be able to offer you sight of the parent or parents and give you some history behind the pedigree, and will be on hand with advice in the future. The majority of breeders work within the recommendations of the Society Stud Book with regard to in breeding and are seeking to improve the breed along a path of judicious choice of parents. I trust everyone has had a year to remember, and for good rather than unpleasant reasons.
Earlier concerns that hay might prove to be the miracle crop this year with the excessive rainfall that filled our lives during June, July and early August reducing the crop, have largely proved not to be the case, and late cuts and successions of dry baling times have filled barns. However on the down side it was the rain that will remain memorable for many and filled rather more than they would have liked and I am sure all of us would extend our sympathy to members and their animals who suffered loss of vehicles, buildings and grazing during the downpours and subsequent flooding. I am sure that as a result there could still be some animals in difficulty this winter and it goes without saying that it falls to us all to be responsible animal owners, and to extend a helping hand in times of need; whether it be the offer of a bale of hay or some temporary stabling and grazing.
I wish everyone good health for themselves and their donkeys in 2008 and success in whatever they may be doing.
David Harbinson: Regional Council Delegate for Wales
Wales Regional report for Autumn 2007
Sadly our own Championship Show became a victim of its own popularity - strange when we are always ranting on about the need for support!! However the college have resident herds of susceptible stock, and the Principal felt that with people travelling from unidentified areas to attend the event the concerns over Foot and Mouth Disease being unwittingly bought into the area on a transporting vehicle were a greater than they could take. We must look onwards to 2008 and ensure that the next Supreme Show will indeed be a 'supreme event'and one that will be worth waiting for. Wales is in the full flow of its own local show season; every village and small town seems to have had to adjust its programme of events to encompass the restriction on livestock, but have managed to meet the need with a heavier emphasis on horticulture, culinary adventure and equestrian activities I trust everyone one has had a pleasant summer.
Hay has assumed the role of the miracle crop this year with the excessive rainfall that filled our lives during June, July and early August. For some the rain filled rather more than we would have liked and I am sure all of us would extend our sympathy to members and there animals who suffered loss of vehicles, buildings and grazing during the downpours and subsequent flooding.
Although circumstances and availability of winter feed appear to have improved in recent weeks, there could still be some animals in difficulty this winter and I think it goes without saying that it falls to us all to be responsible animal owners, and to extend a helping hand in times of need; whether it be the offer of a bale of hay or some temporary stabling and grazing. Let us hope that Autumn does indeed prove to be the season of calm and mellow fruitfulness. David Harbinson Regional Council Delegate for Wales
Wales Regional Report Spring 2007:
"Spring is sprung the grass is ni, and now the snow's arrived on high", with apologies all round - but you get the gist; just as we all thought that we were about the emerge from Winter into Spring down it all came, great vast blankets of the stuff. Not the usual - waking up to a white world that had been transformed overnight, but snow with a vengeance and during the daytime, coming down so heavily that the corner of the house only yards away was barely visible through the swirling flakes. The weather man of course got the blame for it all having predicted an overnight covering which turned into four inches, with a further five the next night, followed by six during the next day. Donkeys of which we have four and Springer spaniels of which there are three, are unique though in their vision of the playtime possibilities of this newly emerging white world and even Genivive, although another year older and probably nearer forty than thirty can join in snow ploughs and snow rolling with the best of them, with little thought for the human element nobly manouvering the wheelbarrow, between stables and muck heap. Wales has sadly lost another show for this season at least, with the United Counties Agricultural Association having cancelled their show for 2007, but hoping to restage the event in 2008. Pembrokeshire and Nevern being the only events where donkey classes are held. By the time you read this the Donkey Breed Society will have reached the grand age of 'Forty Years' so celebrations are in order, and given the old adage of 'Life begins at Forty' can we hope to encourage more donkey ownership and DBS membership throughout Wales. It has been my real pleasure to try and help members with their donkey problems and even to suggest with a fair degree of success where donkeys can be found for those seeking long eared friends, and hopefully I will get to meet some of you in person during the year. David Harbinson Regional Delegate for Wales
Autumn 2006 - How time moves on!
As you sit reading this the Supreme Show and Donkey weekend will be but just a distant memory and our Welsh based Annual General Meeting will be upon us, and I will have bitten my finger nails to the quick and be wondering whether I should have booked a conjuror as well as any other form of entertainment and taken up flower arranging.
Welsh Members do not benefit from a flowing or even stationary motorway system, so social meetings do not happen outside of shows. When you find that there is a barrier of mountains dividing both North - South and East - West it indicates that the members in the counties within Wales, stay exactly where they are within their counties.
However we do have some very lively telephone conversations and email communications with exchanges of photographs so we are working together in a manner appropriate to the terrain.
Wales as a Principality boasts a very busy local show season, the villages around Llanfyllin where I am fortunate enough to live, competing amongst themselves to play host to the best of the flowers and vegetables from the local gardens, as well as small and large animals in some cases, whilst the counties have their larger Agricultural Shows.
Llanfyllin Horticultural and Agricultural Society hosted a qualifying heat for the National Shearing Competition and the urgency of the commentators voices, rang out across the hillside all day long. Amongst the competitors were the English National Champion, the Welsh National Champion and the New Zealand and Australian National Champions so the familiar soft Welsh vocal lilt was supplemented by the more stringent consonants of the New World. With large cash prizes as well as the all important title to be won, the competitions are rapid and the stands have a guaranteed audience several tiers deep from early morning to early evening. However the cut and thrust of the mechanical shearing where it takes less than three minutes to shear a sheep is truly surpassed by the hand shearing which takes place in the main ring ? well, after the majority of the competitors have been extracted from the beer tent, I say most because it is a delight to see some teenage competitors amongst the old timers and to recognise that this art is one that won?t die out just yet. It is enthralling to watch the careful snipping and patting into place of cut ends that produces the perfectly shaped hand sheered fleece, in the space of 45 minutes!!.
Donkeys too have their part to play in this agricultural extravaganza with the gentle and traditional donkey rides still as popular as ever with the youngsters, even in this era of the computer game and non stop television. It never ceases to amaze that the donkeys are able to judge the exact length of the ride and when not in demand casually graze the grass close to their stand. Even where a ride isn?t required it is noticeable that seldom does anyone pass a donkey without a pat and a friendly comment. I trust everyone one has had a pleasant summer.
Hay seemed to come rather easily this year, with hot sun at the right times, although the volume was noticeably less and so winter feed may be scarce, harvest too came early and straw will hopefully be in good supply. In Wales we certainly have been fortunate for the last eight winters with little or no snow, so let us hope that the early and fruitful Autumn bodes well and we will not pay for the hot summer sun. As I said in the opening paragraph the final hurdle for the Welsh hosted Annual General Meeting is in sight, the bookings are in, the menus are planned, so bring on those donkeys and dragons.
29th October 2007......................The AGM - We did it!!!!
A brilliant weekend - yes it had its hiccups, but what good event doesn't.
Those members who were staying in the country house attached to the Brigands rather than in the hotel itself, started the weekend without heating, locks on their bedroom doors, or toiletries, causing one or two acerbic remarks to be made, however the heating was kick started into action, and the roaring fire in the lounge with access to private bar facilities did much to improve the sensibilities. One or two judiciously chosen raffle prizes made up for the shortfall in other areas, and the group settled into a comfortable existence.
The formal meeting went smoothly, with the Chairmkan making her introduction in Welsh, the new President took up office graciously and the displays showing all that the various elements of the Donkey Breed Society working during 2006, located around the room.
The food was to die for and the truly 'Welsh Experience Dinner'was opened with a Grace said in Welsh followed by one said in English from the Reverend Fooks. The room was decorated with Welsh flags, dragons floating from the ceiling, love spoons as tokens on the meal table, appropriately coloured floral arrangements on the tables, and dinner was eaten to the accompaniment of the Harp.
A quiz to test the Englishman's knowledge of Wales rounded off dinner, and the headbangers moved in for some rousing music for dancing at 10.30pm, the bar still doing a roaring trade at 2.00am!!!!
It was a truly great weekend, and my sincere thanks go to all the members who travelled from afar to make it what it was, and to those who helped me fulfill all the obligations of host, and to prepare the room for dinner, I'm just sorry about the weather.
Photographs from the event will be posted on a special AGM gallery.
Sorry you missed it - I can't send you the food or even the music but if you fancy testing your knowledge on all things Welsh the quiz follows.
What Do You Know About Wales?
- Where is the Welsh National Library located?
- How many 'Blue Flag Beaches' are there in Wales?
- How many Horse Racecourses are there in Wales?
- Where was the ancient capital of Wales?
- What game is played at the Cardiff Arms Park?
- Where is Offa's Dyke?
- How high above sea level is the peak of Snowdon?
- How many people do records show as living in Wales?
- Other than the South Wales Valleys was coal mined anywhere else in Wales, if so where?
- How many sections of Welsh Ponies are there?
- How many people are recorded as attending the Royal Welsh Show annually?
- What do Welsh people traditionally wear on St David?s Day?
- Who is the Leader of the Welsh Assembly?
- What feature makes the Millennium Stadium unique in the United Kingdom?
- Who was the last Welsh Prime Minister?
- Which famous Welshman was born at LLanystumdwy?
- What is Blaenau Ffestiniog famous for?
- What is the Native Breed of Cattle of Wales?
- How many sheep are recorded as living in Wales?
- Which Welshman was the brains behind the National Health Service?
- Who is Wales? most famous poet?
- Who was the Chief Engineer responsible for building the Pontyscylte Aqueduct on the
- Llangollen canal?
- What is celebrated at the Welsh National Eisteddfod?
- Which English King was responsible for building a series of Welsh Castles?
- What is the Welsh word for 'donkey'?
Post AGM Diet
For the lady who bemoaned the fact that she had added 4 lbs to her weight over the weekend - sorry, but the food excellent!!!
