Gynulleidfa fyd-eang i Bencampwriaethau Cneifio’r Byd
Llanwrtyd Wells, the smallest town in Britain (population 607 at the last census) will accommodate more international guests than ever before during the four-day Royal Welsh Show at nearby Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, in July.
Two hundred and forty beds have been booked in and around the town by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society for teams of competitors from the 27 nations taking part in the 2010 Golden Shears World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships which are being held at this year’s show. The shearers and their supporters will converge on the town from countries around the world from the Falkland Islands to Finland, and New Zealand to Norway.
Llanwrtyd is used to welcoming crowds of visitors drawn to the Victorian spa town every year by its 12 annual festivals, but this will be the first time for it to host such an international gathering and every available hotel room and B&B in the area has been reserved.
“Tourism is our industry in Llanwrtyd and we are delighted that so many overseas visitors are coming here,” said Bernice Benton, who runs the local independent tourism and information centre. “We are always full for Royal Welsh week which is our busiest of the summer but this year there isn’t a single bed to spare and the No Vacancy signs went up early.”
A spectacular opening ceremony is planned by the RWAS for the World Championships on the first day of the show – Monday, July 19. The teams representing each of the 27 competing countries will be led on stage at the showground’s Meirion Shearing Centre by young attendants dressed in traditional Welsh colours and introduced individually to the audience. The event will be declared open by Alun Evans, the chairman of the RWAS Council, to a fanfare of trumpets, and following the national anthem, clog dancers from Ceredigion, the feature county, will give a performance. Later, there will be a welcoming dinner organised by the Royal Welsh for visiting competitors and officials.
The shearing competitions have attracted support from more than 50 sponsors and some 2000 sheep drawn from strong-woolled Welsh breeds will be shorn during the event which will decide who will win the coveted titles of World Champion Blade Shearer, Machine Shearer and Woolhandler.
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