Young Powys farmer takes birthday cow to Royal Welsh Show
Shirley Gethin from Adfa near Newtown has been teaming up with her granddaughter Ashlee, 13, to take their Hereford cattle to the Royal Welsh Show after a special surprise gift four years ago.
Shirley, has been a farmer for decades, and her family run a farm between New Mills and Adfa.
'We have been farming 45 years, this is our fifth year at the Royal Welsh,' said Shirley. 'It' s a bit warm out there this week but it has been very enjoyable. It was good competition in the ring.'
Shirley and Ashlee have been exhibiting their Hereford cows for the last few years but have had an unusual start to their time doing agricultural shows.
'Me and Ashlee have been showing for five years but her mum and dad have been showing for about eight years,' said Shirley.
'We are a beef and sheep farm. We run a Limousin herd at the home farm but my granddaughter and I have always liked this breed so I brought her a Hereford for her ninth birthday – because she loved them and so do I.
'We have herd of seven Herefords now which are for showing now and we are just building it up.
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'I got her a cow with a calf and she broke into tears in the field when I showed her. We kept it on neighbours farm and then we took her there on her birthday.
'I said 'do you like that one Ashlee?' and she was like 'oh yes, she's lovely' and I told her 'she's yours'.
The pair started the week well picking up prizes on the first day in the ring but Shirley is hoping for more today (July 23) - 'We have had some prizes in the ring and we are putting together some more competitions on Wednesday.'
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