Pembrokeshire is celebrating one of the Countryside Alliance’s most coveted awards after the Dyfed Shire Horse Farm in Eglwyswrw was this week presented with the Rural Enterprise Award at the Senedd.
The accolade was in recognition of the farm’s commitment to preserving the sadly depleting breed as well as it’s strong allegiance to community life.
There are currently only 130 shire horse breeders operating in the UK compared to 197 some 15 years ago.
“It’s a huge honour for us,” commented Huw Murphy, director of the Dyfed Shire Horse Farm.
“And it’s even more of an achievement given that the land here at Carnhuan has been farmed by my family since 1849 and throughout this time, the shire horse has been greatly revered by each of the seven generations.”
The Dyfed Shire Horse Farm was established by Huw’s mother, Enid Cole, in 1992 as a farm diversification enterprise following the death of her father, the late JR Lewis.
“He’d always kept shires so when he died, my mother made the decision that the breed would stay here as a legacy to her father’s love of them.”
The Carnhuan shires have now become one of the most recognised and prestigious bloodlines in the UK after two of their horses – Celt and Apollo – were bought by the army and used as drum horses in the Household Cavalry.
Apollo was the only shire horse to attend the state funeral following the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
A third shire, Dyfed Willia Rose who was bred at Carnhuan, is currently in London where she is being assessed by the Household Cavalry and the Dyfed Shire Horse team are hopeful that she will begin her state duties later this year.
“We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but if she’s successful she’ll be the first ever female shire to perform the role of the drum horse,” continued Huw.
“And this will be even more of an accolade as both her and Celt are homebred.”
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The Countryside Alliance Rural Enterprise Award was received by the Team Dyfed crew at last night’s ceremony comprising Huw Murphy along with family members, staff and volunteers.
They will now attend the finals which take place in the House of Lords in May.
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