A VETERAN sheep breeder who stormed out of a ring at this year’s Royal Welsh Show will resign from a major sheep society.
Guilsfield farmer Richard Powell, who refused to accept a judge’s decision when beaten at the Royal Welsh Show, will resign from the Kerry Hill Flock Book Society, stating: “There is a small minority in the group who are dead against me because they can’t beat me”.
The 83-year-old showman’s conduct came to a head at a recent society meeting at the Blue Bell pub in Churchstoke last week.
Tempers flared during disciplinary proceedings and Mr Powell – a five-time ‘Best in Show’ winner at the Royal Welsh Show – says he will now resign from the society. He also admits that he is likely to be banned from showing.
“I will resign from the Kerry Hill board before the next meeting,” he said from his farm in Guilsfield.
“And if I’m banned from showing, I’ll put the flock in my wife’s name and take it from there. I’m 83 now, so it doesn’t bother me if I can’t show my sheep.
“It takes me three days to prepare them – it’s a big effort.
“It’s their loss because no-one has done more for Kerry Hills than me – at the Royal Welsh Show they call me Mr Kerry Hill.”
Mr Powell refused to attend the meeting when the society’s board were discussing his behaviour.
“They begged me to go in there but I refused twice, but I did send my wife to listen to what they might be saying behind my back,” he continued.
“Some reports say I was thrown out of the pub but I wasn’t, I left on my own accord, but I have since sent the landlady a bunch of flowers because I think the episode may of upset her a bit.
“The majority of people in the society are on my side but there is three or five per cent of them who want me out because they can’t beat me.”
Both the judge and the breed society have now reported the matter to the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.
Mr Powell is already on a final warning following a similar incident at a Royal Welsh Smallholders and Garden Festival.
Despite the backlash to the incident at this year’s Royal Welsh Show, the veteran showman has already won four interbreed sashes this season with a ram he spotted at last year’s Merioneth Show – including Oswestry Show.
Mr Powell says he will now dedicate more of his time to helping youngsters to learn the art of showing Kerry Hill sheep.
The Kerry Hill Flock Book Society refused to make any comment when contacted by the County Times.
The secretary of the society, Mrs Pam Chilman, said: “It is none of your business and I am not willing to talk to you. It is society business and not for the public to know about.”