New Welshpool Livestock Market Opened by The Queen
2010-04-29

The Queen has unveiled a special plaque at Welshpool’s new livestock market to commemorate her visit to the new venue. Staff at the mart had worked overnight to ensure the building was ready for the Royals.

photos by Robert Smith Photography & Video

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were invited to the town yesterday to see the market at Buttington Cross.

Up to 300 people crammed into the mart’s auction room to see the Queen greeted by an enormous 1,500 kilo Charolais bull called Attaboy owned by Gareth Roberts, of Llangadfan, just before 11am.

She moved on to tour the site and discovered hundreds of children from local primary schools had also been herded into the complex.

She was presented with a bouquet and walked down a long corridor of children waving home-made union flags..

Further on the Queen met veteran farmer Arthur George, 80, of Pen-y-Banc Farm, who was showing two Welshbred ewes in an enclosure.

“She wanted to know how old they were and was very interested in the breed and how many we have at the farm.

Helen Carr-Smith

Honour

Helen Carr-Smith had the honour of being presented to the Queen as Secretary of The Bluefaced Leicester Sheepbreeders Association.

"I’m extremely pleased that Her Majesty stopped to talk, it was a great moment and a real honour for me, as she was very knowledgeable and interested in the breed" said Helen after speaking with the Queen.

The royal couple also met with Welshpool Livestock Auctioneers’ partners and staff.

David Pryce, the livestock market foreman, also spoke with the Queen.

“We had a sale here for 1,200 on Tuesday so I had to work overnight to make sure the building was spick and span for the royal visit. It was hard work but very well worth the effort.”

Richard Davies, a drover at the livestock market, also spoke with the Queen,

The Queen accompanied by John Jones

“She said she was very impressed with the facilities and I told her it was nice that the market was now under cover after centuries of it not being.”

Mr John Jones, the former senior partner of Welshpool Livestock Sales, accompanied the Queen on the tour.

He said: “The Queen said she was very impressed with the market and couldn’t believe how big it was.

“It was a great honour to have them both here and I hope they were impressed by what they had seen.”

Livestock on display also included a Welsh pony owned by Gaynor Vaughan, of Trefonnen near Oswestry.

The Queen left the livestock market in a dark burgundy Bentley for the short trip to Welshpool town centre.

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