BBC TV FARM PROGRAMME PRESENTER WINS NEW FUW AWARD

The poignant manner in which TV farming programme presenter Adam Henson reported on bovine TB testing on his Cotswold farm was one of the reasons why he has been chosen as the first winner of the Farmers' Union of Wales Bob Davies Memorial Award.

In a recent episode of BBC ONE's popular Sunday evening Countryfile programme, Adam could barely disguise his emotions after losing one of the two splendid Longhorn steers he spent months training to work as draft oxen.

The award - in memory of Farmers Weekly Wales correspondent Bob Davies, of Welshpool, who died last November, aged 69 - is offered to a media personality who has raised the public profile of Welsh farming.

Adam has delivered thousands of lambs on his 1,625-acre farm in the Cotswolds. As well as managing more than 1,000 sheep, his farm also includes the Cotswold Farm Park, which has more than 50 flocks and herds of rare-breed farm animals including 198 pigs, 14 Highland cattle and 15 different breeds of sheep.

His passion for rare breeds was passed down from his father and, since 2001, Adam has been a regular presenter on Countryfile, reporting on his own fortunes in the regular feature Adam's Farm.

He has also reported live from Jim and Kate Beavans' sheep farm near Abergavenny for BBC TWO's recent BBC Lambing Live series. The Beavans are a sheep-farming dynasty in the foothills of the Brecon Beacon where they run two farms as one business.

Lambing Live reported live from the main farm where Jim is responsible for the day-to-day running and he and Kate took on the lion's share of training Adam's co-presenter Kate Humble how to deliver lambs.

Adam was unavailable to receive his award from FUW president Gareth Vaughan at a reception during the Royal Welsh Show this evening (Wednesday July 21 at 6.30pm) due to a busy filming schedule for Countryfile.

However, in true Hollywood Oscars style, a DVD clip of his acceptance speech was played to guests at Mr Vaughan's reception and the Beavans accepted the award - a shepherd's crook made by Hywel Evans of Capel Dewi, near Aberystwyth - on his behalf.

"Adam Henson fully deserves to receive this inaugural award because he has clearly met the criteria of raising the public profile of Welsh farming through his programmes which are watched by a huge audience throughout the UK," said Mr Vaughan.

The Bob Davies Award recognises the major contribution made to agricultural journalism in Wales including 44 years as the Farmers Weekly's accomplished Wales correspondent. His widow Jennifer and daughter Emma attended the presentation ceremony.

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