Well-known Radnorshire-born sheep farmer, Tom Evans, MBE, has put pen to paper and written an autobiography of his farming life, to be published by Y Lolfa at the Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwedd.
Tom is the famous ‘voice of Welsh shearing’, having commentated for nearly forty years at the Royal Welsh Show, the Three Counties Show and World Championship Shearing Competitions across the world.
He is also a champion hedge layer, he is a previous winner of the British Hedge Laying Championship and has won the Welsh Hedge Laying competition on several occasions, since his retirement from competing, he has judged competitions across the UK.
Tom Evans
Tom’s story is fascinating, with his life not always easy. As a child, things were tough post-war with no mother, tractor, or car, he recounts having to catch rabbits to sell to provide an income to live on for himself and his two sisters who were being bought up by various housekeepers in the absence of their mother.
During his teenage years, Tom fondly remembers his days on shearing gangs and in hedge-laying competitions far and wide, to his own sheep farming and commentating commitments, and his impact on policy through work with the National Farmers’ Union.
He has travelled extensively and has interesting tales to tell of travels to Europe, Australia, and New Zealand to see their farming practices and much more.
Awards
Tom has been widely recognised for his work with the Young Farmers movement, within the community and for the Royal Welsh Show.
In 2015 he received a ‘Circle of Life’ award from the previous Prime Minister, David Cameron at the Show.
He has been awarded Royal Welsh Honorary Life Governorship for services to shearing and also in the 2017 show was presented with the Certificate of Fellowship making him a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society, he has been an Associate member for five years.
The culmination of all his hard work was being recognised by the Queen’s Honours List in 2019 where he was awarded an MBE for Services to Farming Heritage.
More recently, Tom received a Silver Medal and Lifetime Membership from the Royal Welsh Show Society to mark over forty years of work for the show.
After eighty years of hard graft, his hard work and determination are clearly documented throughout his autobiography: Where the Hell’s the Time Gone: A Life in Farming published by Y Lolfa, priced at £12.99.
Tom Evans lives on his farm in Beulah, by Llanwrtyd Wells. He will be signing copies of his book at the Welsh Books Council Stand at the Royal Welsh Show 11 am on Tuesday, July 26th, 2023.
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