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from left: FUW deputy president Glyn Roberts, Kath Shaw, Fran Shaw and FUW vice president Lorraine Howells with hand reared yearling Pickles[/caption]
Farmers' Union of Wales Brecon and Radnor county vice chairman Kath Shaw opened the doors to her deer farm near Builth Wells to showcase her herd of over 40 home-bred breeding hinds.
Kath, 37, was born and grew up near London and whilst she did not come from a farming background, she was always encouraged to be outside and nurtured a healthy obsession with horses until the age of 16.
After gaining an A-level at the local comprehensive school, she realised she wasn't academic enough to be a vet and applied to Myerscough College (formerly the Lancashire College of Agriculture and Horticulture) where she completed an HND in Agriculture.
As part of the course, she gained a placement with ADAS on their experimental deer farm in Herefordshire.
After finishing her HND she went to Sparsholt College in Hampshire to complete an ANC in Deer Management. As part of that course she worked part-time on a deer farm in the New Forest.
After time spent working in orchards Kath was offered a job as deer herdsperson on the JCB Estates in Staffordshire.
But in the autumn of 2004 Kath and her parents Fran and Kingsley Shaw, who were looking for a retirement project, bought Blaenhow farm, Llandeilo Graban. A field was quickly fenced and the first 12 hinds were introduced soon afterwards.
Sadly, Kath's father was killed in a car accident the following spring after completing the conversion of existing buildings to suitable winter accommodation for the deer.
The herd has now grown to 45 home-bred breeding hinds and two breeding stags, run in two groups, and Kath shares her farming duties with a job as administrative assistant at the FUW's Brecon and Radnor county office on the Royal Welsh Showground at Llanelwedd .
While working for the Salmonella Research and Development Department of the Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge, Surrey, Kath realised she wanted to farm deer more than anything and is hoping to further develop the business.
She said: "We now have about 75 acres fenced for deer, along with a purpose-built shed for winter accommodation, and have planning for a similar shed to be built this autumn.
"In the future I would like to expand the deer herd slightly by buying in other bloodlines and also expand into store lambs to manage the grass more effectively."
All the venison animals are sold live to the Welsh Venison Centre in Bwlch and slaughtered in Talgarth. The meat is then distributed to local pubs, restaurants and shops or sold through the Welsh Venison Centre farm shop.
FUW deputy president Glyn Roberts was impressed to see the work carried out by Kath when he visited the farm. He said: "It is very commendable to see a young woman achieve such a great deal in the farming world.
"It was a wonderful experience to visit the deer farm and I wish Kath all the best in the future."