Royal Welsh Showground to host Agricultural Shows Conference of Wales

Up to 80 show and event organisers from across Wales and influential speakers are due to attend a conference in Mid Wales next week.

The Agricultural Shows Conference of Wales will be held at the International Pavilion on the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells on Friday, April 26.

Supported by the  Association of Shows and Agricultural Organisations (ASAO) and the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS), the conference brings together representatives from Welsh agricultural, horticultural, equine and countryside events. They work together to share best practice between agricultural societies and related organisations.

The conference is a great opportunity for ASAO members to meet and discuss upcoming agricultural shows in Wales.

RWAS chief executive, Aled Rhys Jones will welcome delegates before Amy Smith from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), gives an update in a session chaired by Dafydd, RWAS vet.

Other morning speakers are Hannah Thomas, ITV Wales rural affairs correspondent, who will deliver a media session on protests, politics and the media, ASAO secretary Paul Hooper, who will provide an update.

The afternoon will see addresses from Caroline Westwood, senior lecturer in events management at Sheffield Hallam University and Dr Greg Langridge-Thomas, of Builth Wells Event Safety Group, who will speak about the changing roles and expectations of agricultural shows.

Jon Williams, Powys County Council’s economy projects support officer, will talk about grant funding opportunities in session chaired by Wales YFC chief executive Mared Rand Jones, followed by an open forum, chaired by Geraint James, RWAS Festival honorary director and closing remarks from Rachel Powell, RWAS head of operations.

The conference is sponsored by Event Operations Specialists (EOS), TICKETsrv, Fingers & Forks, Orion Print, Entrymaster and DCRS Radios.

Entrymaster offers online competition, event and registration solutions with bespoke software branded with your logo, to seamlessly connect with your website. DCRS services include the hire and sale of voice and data radio communication systems, bodycams and applications.

Register attendance for free at https://rwas.ticketsrv.co.uk/tickets/ASAO2024 .

To view the full event programme please go to the RWAS website: https://rwas.wales/whats-on/asao-agricultural-shows-conference-of-wales/ . For further information, contact Helen Evans at helen@rwas.co.uk.