RADNORSHIRE-BORN sheep farmer Tom Evans has put pen to paper and written an autobiography of his farming life, which is to be published officially at the Royal Welsh Show this week.

Tom, from Beulah, is well-known in farming circles, and is renowned as the ‘voice of Welsh shearing’, having commentated for nearly 40 years at the Royal Welsh Show, the Three Counties Show and world championship shearing competitions across the globe.

He has been at the heart of the iconic event for well over three decades, teaching generations of future farmers sheep shearing and hedgelaying.

The 80-year-old was presented with an MBE in 2020 by King Charles, who was at the time the Prince of Wales, at Buckingham Palace for services to farming heritage.

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He is also a champion hedge layer, a previous winner of both the UK National Hedgelaying Championship and the Welsh national competition on several occasions.

Since his retirement from competing, he has judged competitions across the UK.

Tom’s autobiography, ‘Where the Hell’s the Time Gone: A Life in Farming’, will be available from Friday but, fittingly, will be officially launched by Y Lolfa at the Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwedd.

Tom’s story is fascinating, with his life not always easy. As a child things were very tough post-war. He grew up without a mother, tractor or car, and in the book he recounts having to catch rabbits to sell to provide an income to live on for himself and his two sisters who were being bought up by various housekeepers in the absence of their mother.

During his teenage years, Tom fondly remembers his days on shearing gangs and in hedgelaying competitions far and wide, he talks about his own sheep farming and commentating commitments, as well as his impact on policy through work with the National Farmers’ Union.

County Times: Tom Evans has been at the heart of the Royal Welsh Show for almost 40 years Tom Evans has been at the heart of the Royal Welsh Show for almost 40 years (Image: None)

Tom has travelled extensively and has interesting tales to tell of travels to Europe, Australia and New Zealand to see their farming practices and much more.

He has also been widely recognised for his work with the Young Farmers Club movement, both within the community and for the Royal Welsh Show.

In 2015 he received a ‘Circle of Life’ award from previous Prime Minister David Cameron at the show. He has been awarded Royal Welsh honorary life governorship for services to shearing and at the 2017 show was presented with the Certificate of Fellowship, making him a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society.

More recently, Tom received a Silver Medal and lifetime membership from the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society to mark his service to the event.

Tom will be signing copies of Where the Hell’s the Time Gone: A Life in Farming at the Welsh Books Council’s stand at the Royal Welsh Show from 11am on Tuesday, July 25.

The famous four-day event takes place next week, from Monday to Tuesday, July 24-27.