Brecon Show celebrated the 250th anniversary of its society, the oldest in the United Kingdom, with record crowds of at least thirty thousand. The gate was more than thirty per cent up on last year's 22,200 which had in its turn been a record.

The quality of the livestock was outstanding, with an unprecedented 621 horses and 560 sheep entered. But above all it was a happy day for Society members and the general public.

A two year old Aberdeen Angus heifer, bred at nearby Llanwern, was the Interbreed cattle champion. Dark Lane Jasmin was bred by Norman and Brenda Pittams of Cwmbrook, and had been breed champion at the Royal Welsh.

"It's fantastic to have done this in the 250th anniversary year", said a delighted Norman Pittams. "We bought her mother from a breeder who had imported her from Canada. The cow was related to a cow we had owned and had liked a lot.

"We also knew she had bred a bull that had won the Aberdeen Angus championship at the Royal Show. He was huge. They ran a sweepstake on his weight and he turned out to be 1.4 tons!"

The couple will keep the heifer, despite having been offered 'substantial sums' for her. They hope to produce a new line of winners.

Also celebrating in the cattle lines were first time exhibitors, the Price family of Felindre, Swansea. H M and J Price of Gelliwern Ganol Farm took the Commercial Cattle championship and the Reserve Interbreed with a three-quarter Belgian Blue.

The calf handling class was won by Angharad Jones.

A Charolais ram bred by Worcester breeder Percy Tait took the Supreme Sheep Championship. The reserve went to a Brecknock Hill Cheviot bred by H E Havard.

It was a good day too for Society Administrator Janet Vaughan, who is stepping down after thirty years. She and husband Peter won the Francis de Winton Memorial Perpetual Challenge Cup for the best group of Three Texel Sheep, as well as the Reserve Texel Championship, and three firsts and two seconds.

Janet will continue to support the show but in many ways it is the end of an era. She became involved to help her father, the late Frank Gittoes of Llyswen who was a forward thinking stalwart of the society and tireless fundraiser. He set up the Society Fund raising Committee of which his daughter Janet became secretary, before becoming show secretary in 1978.

Brecknockshire Agricultural Society President William Legge-Bourke said it had been a 'marvellous day' with the highest attendance ever. The quality of stock had been great, particularly in the sheep lines.

"It's been a very happy day for everybody", he added. "There was a lot of excitement in the ring in the afternoon and good support for which we are grateful to the people of Breconshire".

Other winners include:

Champion Welsh Mountain Pony
Section A Blaenau Ffiona owned by Glyn Greenow, Blaenau Mawr, Cwmdu, Crickhowell

Section B Rhydspence Sweet PeaMr and Mrs C J Gibbons, Nant-y-Cwm, Rhydspence, Whitney on Wye, Hereford

Section C Menai Lady Conspicious Peter and Ann Jones Menai Stud, Pantydefaid, Llandysul, Ceredigion

Tom Evans Perpetual Challenge Cup Maesyfelin Harlequin H Hudson, Maesyfelin, Llandovery

Suffolk Sheep Champion D Lynch , Glanpant Fields, Bwlch, Brecon

Clun Forest C & A Meredith, Altbough, Hoarwithy, Hereford

Radnor Sheep Champion Katy and Rhianna Jones, Castell Ddu, Cwmwysg, Trecastle, Brecon

Brecknock Hill Cheviot H E Havard, Cwmbrynich , Sennybridge

Talybont Welsh Sheep Richard Rees, Pencrug

Texel Champion G J Williams, Cwmpadest, Crai, Brecon

Black Welsh Mountain K J BowmanPenrhiwllwythau, Abercrave

Bleu de Maine I J Davies Cysgod y Brwyn, Llandyfriog, Newcastle Emly,n

Lleyn R & J Gunn, Ardencote Farm, Shellfield Green, Alcester

Any other breed Rouge de l'Ouest Percy Tait, Worcester

Champion commercial sheep - D I L & E Jones Llanilltyd, Libanus, Brecon

The Cooper Perpetual Cup for Upland sheep went to HE Havard, Cwmbrynich, Sennybridge

Hereford Cattle Ford Abbey W S C Richards, Lower Hope Farm, Ullingswicke, Hereford

Welsh Black Doug Rowbotham, Penwernhir, Pontrhydfendigaid, Ystrad Meurig, Ceredigion