Defying the odds to back native breed

It started out as a hobby – his working life revolving around haulage and farm contracting, while she was headteacher at the local primary school.

They just wanted a few cows, possibly to take to local shows, and also to make full use of their 14-hectare (34-acre) tenanted smallholding in Pembrokeshire’s Gwaun Valley, near Fishguard.

They have the same area of ground today, but 18 years on they also have one of the country’s top rated pedigree Welsh Black herds.

They may only have 10 females – but the high regard in which Gwynfryn and Marian Phillips are held is justifiably reflected by their unanimous election as joint presidents of the Welsh Black Cattle Society.

It is the first time in the society’s 105-year history the much sought-after honour has been shared – and by a husband and wife team at that.

Recognition of the couple’s Dancoed herd comes in the wake of significant successes, both in the sale ring and at local and national shows across Wales and in England.

That has not, however, been without some difficult times, the likes of which would have seen many equally determined and dedicated people giving it all up.

Tragedy struck in 2002 when following an accident with a cow standing on Gwynfryn’s foot, the injury turned septic and then during a spell in hospital the situation worsened following an attack by the MRSA bug.

It was a choice of losing a leg or maybe his life. The only option was the amputation of his right leg just below the knee.

“It turned our lives upside down and posed the question as to whether we carried on keeping cattle or not,” says Gwynfryn.

“But because we had put so much effort into breeding the type of cow we really admired it was decided to soldier on as best we could.

“At the start it meant a great deal of additional work falling on Marian’s shoulders.”

In order to get to a show she had to learn to drive the lorry, prepare the cattle and then parade them in the ring.

Hindsight

“With the help of family, friends and fellow breeders we persevered – and with hindsight the decision to carry on was the right one. We have learned to live with my disability and if anything the setback gave us additional determination to succeed,” says Gwynfryn.

Succeed they certainly have. Recent years have seen them winning an endless list of awards and prizes, including both of the breed’s prestigious bull and female of the year awards and the breed’s supreme championship at the Royal Welsh Show.

We have learned to live with my disability and if anything the setback gave us additional determination to succeed

Gwynfryn Phillips

Another of Gwynfryn’s competitive activities also came to an end with the disability. His many successes in the world of competitive ploughing are highighted by a very full display cabinet of trophies – among them the All Wales Ploughing Championship.

The couple joined the breed society in 1992 after deciding to start keeping a few pedigree animals more as a hobby than anything else.

“While still at home in my younger days I had been regularly showing pedigree Jersey and Holstein cattle, even to the extent of winning the Royal Welsh championship with Jerseys one year,” says Gwynfryn.

“It got to the point when I really missed the competitive spirit of going to shows and Marian suggested we buy one or possibly two maybe Limousins or other Continentals to satisfy my yearning.

“My reaction was they would probably starve under our farming conditions and that what we really needed was a hardy breed with the ability to largely fend for itself.

“We picked up a Dolgellau sale catalogue and for my 60th birthday Marian bought me the reserve champion animal which was from the Caran herd.

“To us at that time the 1,050 gns price tag seemed a hell of a price to pay but we started showing her with some success – and that is how the pedigree breeding bug began in earnest.

“We then bought a few more animals and a female that did very well for us also came out of the Caran herd.

Seisiog Cymro 61

“Mostly we have used selected AI bulls though eventually we bought Brysgaga Bleddyn 17, who was followed by Brysgaga Bleddyn 23 and then Seisiog Cymro 61 – the one who really put the herd on the map.

“He was the last to go through the sale ring and I bid just 700 gns for what at the time was not really a very impressive looking young bull.

“But what a bull he turned out to be, taking both the bull of the year title and the Royal Welsh male championship twice.

Since then his son, Dancoed Cymro 13, has also been bull of the year.

“In 2008, his daughter – Dancoed Ceridwen 3 – was female of the year and last year Dancoed Mair 8 was overall breed champion at the Royal Welsh, the pinnacle of our show ring successes.”

Supreme breed championships also came their way at the English Royal Show.

Taking on the presidency does mean that competitive outings this year will be few and far between because their duties include attending as many shows and events as possible to meet society members.

They will also be heading-up the on-going fundraising activities for a major make-over of the society’s headquarters building on the Royal Welsh Showground at Builth Wells.

Currently in the final stages of design and planning, it is hoped to make a start on the project by the end of the year.

Ceremonial duties during school term times will also have to be fitted around Marian’s current educational role as a schools adviser, which entails visiting 14 primary schools across Pembrokeshire in a mentoring capacity.

One other dilemma they face is just who will be wearing the presidential chain of office at official gatherings. There may be a clue in what Gwynfryn told fellow members when making his acceptance speech at the society’s annual meeting.

He said that, as with Royalty, he was working on perfecting his walk – but was not quite sure just how many steps behind he should be.

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