The very well attended annual general meeting and dinner of the Pembroke Farmers Club took place recently at Pembroke Town Hall. A warm welcome was extended to all present, members and guests, by Mr Richard Prout, chairman, whose family have had strong connections with the club over many generations.

Officers elected for the coming year were: president, Mr Edward Morris; chairman, Mr Chris James; secretary, assistant secretary and treasurer, Mrs Elizabeth Minchin, Mrs Kathleen John and Mrs Angela Lewis were all re-elected.

The guest speaker was Mr Meurig Raymond, president of the National Farmers Union of England and Wales who recalled visiting the south of the county on many happy occasions when his elder brother, Leslie, had farmed for many years at Hazebrook.

He was warm in his congratulations and spoke highly of the remarkable achievement of Pembroke Farmers Club each year, over a period of 200 years, building on the successes of the local show and south Pembrokeshire agriculture in general.

Miss Lauren Davies, chairman of South Pembrokeshire Young Farmers Club also presented a report of the activities and successes of the club over the past year and toasted the guests. Mr Chris Doyle, consort to the deputy mayor of Pembroke suitably responded.

The club's annual award for "services to agriculture in Pembrokeshire" that is recognised in no other way was presented to Mr W W (Bill) Morris of Bowett Farm, Hundleton, which has been farmed by the Morris family since 1923.

Mr Morris is a stalwart of Pembroke Farmers Club and was its chairman in 1979. He had previously been a keen member, official and leader of South Pembs YFC and progressed to hold office as chairman of the Pembrokeshire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs.

He is married to Ann, formerly of Gilfach, Lampeter Velfrey – now farmed by their son Paul – whilst their other son, Richard, and his partner, Claire, farm at Bowett. Paul and Vicky have two daughters, Megan and Bethan.

Mr Edward Morris commented afterwards on how appropriate it was that they were able to hold their dinner at the Town Hall which was just seven doors down from The Green Dragon where Lord Cawdor had called the first meeting on August 9, 1817. The Town Hall itself had also been the site of the former fatstock market until the new building had been erected in 1954.

Club competitions – potatoes (judged by Robert and David Phillips, Windsor), cereals (William Lawrence, Pointz Castle), grass, maize and silage (Daniel James, Gelliolau), roots (Nigel Allum, Hereford) and dairy cows (Keith Williams, Haverhill)– resulted as follows: Potatoes, open – Walter Simon, under plastic – Simon Davies and Richard Hayman (shared), salad varieties – Barry Hathway.

Workmanship – Richard Hayman.

Cereals, overall – Edward Morris, best individual crop – Harry Thomas.

Grass, overall – David and Andrew Phillips and Simon Davies (shared).

Roots, overall – Barry Hathway.

Silage, clamp – Philip and Roger Lewis, baled – Rachel Batchelor, arable – James Bros, Langdon Mill.

Forage maize – James Bros, Langdon Mill.

Most points overall – Simon Davies.