July 29, 2026 Royal Welsh Show 2026
The sun shone on a super show of Charolais cattle at the Royal Welsh, judged by Jeremy Price of the Hereford-based Oakchurch herd.
Larahill Violet
Junior Female Champion Liscally Angel and reserve Moelfre Ava
Lifting yet another breed championship was Michael and Melanie Alford’s outstanding two-year-old heifer, Larahill Violet. She achieved the same accolade at the Great Yorkshire and before that, at the Royal Cornwall and Three Counties shows. But in Wales, she went one better by going onto secure the overall inter-breed title. Bred by John O’Connor and bought by the Alfords last year at Carrick-on-Shannon, this Neptune daughter is out of Ballydownan Maggie.
Stepping up to take the reserve breed title was the reserve female champion, Newhouse Urdu, from Brailes Livestock, Moreton in Marsh. This three-year-old, shown with her bull calf at foot, is by Ballinlare Phantom and out of the Maerdy Hearthrob daughter, Newhouse Natalie. Last year, she was champion of champions at Braco Show.
In the males, it was Thor Atkinson, Newland, Cumbria, that took the top title, with Goldstar Ulysses, a rising three-year-old that won the male and reserve overall titles at the recent Great Yorkshire Show. Previously, he was breed and inter-breed champion at Staffordshire County and South of England shows, and breed and reserve inter-breed at Devon County. Sired by Neptune, he is out of the Nadal daughter Goldstar Scarlette.
In the inter-breed contest, Ulysses teamed up with Larahill Violet to finish reserve inter-breed pair.
Reserve male champion was the 15-month-old bull Castellmawr Apollo, from Medwyn Williams, Pistyll, Gwynedd. Sired by Esgob Trebor, he is out of the Goldstar Gentleman daughter Castellmawr Lea. This young bull went onto take the junior inter-breed title.
Junior Bull Champion Castellmawr Apollo and reserve Gower Alabaslammer
Overall Female Champion Larahill Violet and reserve Newhouse Urdu
Leading awards:
Bull born on or before 31st December 2024:
1st Thor Atkinson – Goldstar Ulysses
2nd Gower Livestock – Maerdy Upbeat
3rd D Huw Jones – Caylers Uruguay
Bull born on or between 1st January 2025 and 31st March 2025:
1st V, S and T Corbett – Teme Athos
2nd DH Hinds and Son – Waldencourt Apollo
Bull born on or between 1st April 2025 and 31st July 2025:
1st Medwyn Williams – Castellmawr Apollo
2nd Kevin and Sioned Thomas – Moelfre Arkle
3rd Gower Livestock – Gower Alabaslammer
4th V, S and T Corbett – Teme Aesop
Cow in milk or I calf born on or before 31 December 2022
1st Coppinger Wyllie Partnership – Grinshill Tallula
Heifer in milk or in-calf born in 2023:
1st Brailes Livestock – Newhouse Urdu
2nd V, S, and T Corbett – Teme Unice
3rd Thor Atkinson – Goldstar Une Star
4th Paul Stobart – Kirklinton Ustar
Heifer born on or between 1st April 2024 and 31st Dec 2024:
1st M and M Alford – Larahill Violet
2nd Brailes Livestock- Brailes Violet
3rd William Tucker
Heifer born on or between 1st January 2025 and 31st March 2025:
1st M and M Alford – Uscally Angel
2nd Kevin and Sioned Thomas – Moelfre Ava
3rd Libby Watkins – Annanview Ambrose
4th V, S and T Corbett – Teme Aria
Heifer born on or between 1st April 2025 and 31st July 2025:
1st V, S and T Corbett – Teme Aphrodite
2nd Thor Atkinson – Goldstar April
3rd Coppinger Wyllie Partnership – Grinshill Aurora
4th Kevin and Sioned Thomas – Moelfre Affection
Junior Female Champion
M and M Alford – Uscally Angel
Reserve Junior Female
Kevin and Sioned Thomas – Moelfre Ava
Junior Male Champion
Medwyn Williams – Castellmawr Apollo
Reserve Junior Male Champion
Gower Livestock – Gower Alabaslammer
Overall Male Champion
Thor Atkinson – Goldstar Ulysses
Reserve Male Champion
Medwyn Williams – Castellmawr Apollo
Female Champion
M Alford – Larahill Violet
Reserve Female Champion
Brailes Livestock – Newhouse Urdu
Overall Champion
M Alford – Larahill Violet
Overall Reserve Champion
Brailes Livestock Newhouse Urdu
Charolais pairs champions
Moelfre Arkle and Moelfre Ava – Kevin & Sioned Thomas
Junior Interbreed Recorded Elite Bull Class
Reserve champion – Moelfre Arkle – Kevin & Sioned Thomas
Exhibitor Owned Group of Three Interbreed
Overall champion – Arradfoot & Newland Pedigree Livestock
Reserve Interbreed Pair Championship:
Larahill Violet and Goldstar Ulysses
