Nominations now open for RWAS awards and bursaries

NOMINATIONS are open for four Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS) bursaries and awards.

The 2017 Sir Bryner Jones Memorial Award will be presented to someone in Wales who has made and continues to make an exceptional contribution to the dairy industry in Wales.

It is awarded in honour of Sir Bryner Jones, who was Agriculture Commissioner for Wales in 1912 and later became Welsh Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture.

He shaped the direction of the RWAS for 50 years and was president of the society during its golden jubilee year in 1954.

The trophy was given to the society in his memory by his daughter in 1957.

Nominations for the award close on April 7 and it will be presented at the 2017 Royal Welsh Show in the autumn.

The theme for this year’s Dr Emrys Evans Award is shepherding skills. The award will be offered to a person under 35 years of age who lives and works in Wales and who has contributed in an exceptional way to rural skills.

The judges will be assessing the candidate’s skills in animal husbandry, veterinary record keeping, shearing ability, working with sheepdogs, and preparing sheep for market and shows.

Dr Emrys Evans was the chairman of the RWAS board of directors. He died in office on the eve of the Royal Welsh centenary show in 2004 and the award was introduced in his memory two years later.

Closing date for nominations is April 7 and the award will be presented at the 2017 Royal Welsh Show.

The John Gittins Memorial Award was introduced in 2000, in memory of the late John Gittins of Meifod, and is awarded to a person born working or living in Wales who has made an outstanding contribution to the Welsh sheep industry.

Closing date for nominations is October 2 and the award will be presented at the 2017 Royal Welsh Winter Fair.

The final award is the 2018 Oxford Farming Conference Bursary.

The Oxford Conference, held annually in early January, is one of the most important of its kind bringing together farmers, politicians, scientists and others to discuss the future development of the agricultural industry.

To qualify for the award candidates must be between 25 and 35 years old and working in a landbased industry.

Closing date for nominations is October 2.

All Royal Welsh advisory committees can nominate candidates for this award. The successful candidates will be presented with their bursary at the 2017 Royal Welsh Winter Fair.