The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society has confirmed this year’s Winter Fair is set to go ahead.

The major fixture of the agricultural calendar in Wales will take place in Llanelwedd despite the English Winter Fair in Staffordshire being cancelled this year due to concerns over the Bluetongue virus.  

The virus has been detected in various parts of the east of England with DEFRA enforcing restricted zones in over a dozen counties. There have also been two isolated cases in north Wales, caused by the movement of animals before restrictions came into force.

The RWAS Winter Fair takes place on Monday, November 25, and Tuesday, November 26.

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A spokesperson for the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society said: “We were saddened to hear of the cancellation of the English Winter Fair due to the ongoing Bluetongue situation and we can only sympathise with the event organisers and all exhibitors concerned. 

“Currently, there are no restrictive zones in place in Wales and the Royal Welsh Winter Fair is going ahead as planned.

“We are, of course, monitoring the situation very closely and taking advice from our veterinary professionals. As we enter the final stages of our event build up, we will endeavour to keep everyone informed and updated.

“We look forward to seeing you all in Llanelwedd at the end of November.”

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While restricted zones have not been put in place in Powys or in any other area of Powys yet there have been around a dozen cases in Bath and North East Somerset (BANES), Shropshire, Cheshire, Cumbria, Anglesey, Gwynedd, North Yorkshire and Cornwall.

The virus which affects both sheep and cattle is highly infectious and can be devastating to livestock.

Last month, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, said: "My policy goal remains to keep bluetongue out of Wales, for the benefit of our animals and of those who keep them.   

"I appreciate that many in the farming community will be concerned about Bluetongue. Dealing successfully with a disease incursion such as this requires co-operation and collaboration between farmers, vets and the various government agencies involved. 

"I would like to thank farmers in Wales for their vigilance, and I am grateful to all concerned for the swift action taken to deal with this incident. 

"Animal keepers have been encouraged to source stock responsibly, remain vigilant for the signs of Bluetongue and to report any suspect cases to Animal Plant Health Agency immediately. We appreciate the assistance of the livestock and veterinary sectors and others in communicating these messages to the wider industry."