The Monmouthshire Show committee elected Mrs Sian Watson of Goodrich as its new chairman at the AGM held at the Monmouth Rowing Club on Monday 7th April, with Mr Steve Hart taking up the reins as Vice Chairman. Mr Gwyn Williams of Ross-on- Wye, a director of RG & RB Williams, a long established firm of Chartered Surveyors and Land Agents based in Herefordshire, and also the Ross Market was elected as President.

In a lively meeting several new management committee members were elected bringing additional levels of expertise to an extremely hard working and experienced committee.

The fact that there are already so many long standing committee members pays testament to the high regard in which the Monmouthshire Show is held and the enjoyment gleaned from being involved in its organisation.

2013 saw the next generation of committee members being born with Anna Williams (management secretary) giving birth to Libby in December. Anna popped into the meeting to give her report on an excellent 2013 Show, in between her duties as a new mum, and Mr Chris Ball (Chairman) offered congratulations, on behalf of the membership of the show, to Anna and Martin.

The constant working towards improvement saw alterations to the Park and Ride facilities executed under the leadership of Showground Director Mr Brian Spencer. Newly constructed entrances meant the easier transfer of visitors from the car parking facilities on fields belonging to Mrs and Mrs Gwyn Jones and Son of Priory Farm. This facility will continue to be improved in order to ease the flow of traffic on this busy day in the Monmouth calendar and the committee urge visitors to make full use of it.

The Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations reports the demise of several shows each year due to falling numbers of volunteers and year on year financial losses.

Thanks were expressed to the army of volunteers who give up their time to make the Monmouthshire Show a success and to the individuals and businesses who generously sponsor sections and classes. Without this support the Monmouthshire Show, with its 160 years of history, would cease to exist and Monmouth, which we now have evidence is a wonderful place to live, would be the poorer for it.