Friends and relatives of a young farmer who lost his life in an accident on his family’s farm at Sellack, Ross-on-Wye came together on Friday evening for a Speed Shear.

Pontrilas Young Farmers Club (YFC) organised the charity event, in memory of Billy Rudge, at Dorelands Farm in Abbey Dore, by kind permission of Frank Lloyd, who also took part in the shearing competition.

The evening also saw the incorporation of the Billy Rudge Memorial Fund which sends young farmers to train and shear in New Zealand. Incorporation of a charity gives it a more formal legal framework to operate within.

In February 2015, 20-year-old Billy Rudge died after a tragic incident at his family’s farm in Sellack. His parents, Jen and Chris Rudge, are still struggling to deal with the loss of their beloved son, Billy. He was a popular young man, who loved the farming way of life and had great plans to travel and develop his skills.

His family decided to help other youngsters pursue their dreams of developing their shearing skills in New Zealand in his memory. They wanted to give two youngsters an opportunity which they knew their son would have appreciated and enjoyed. That first event in 2015 raised £11,000, thanks to the generosity of the farming community. This meant that as well as funding the experience for the two farmers chosen, donations were also made to Welsh Newton and Pontrilas Young Farmers’ Clubs and a donation of £2000 was made to the Air Ambulance.

The two young farmers who were chosen as the first recipients of the award, Chris Rowberry and Jamie Bevan, were at the speed shear on Friday night at Abbey Dore.

The young farmers applying for the fund had the chance to meet the panel, as well as Billy’s parents, at the event at Abbey Dore on Friday.

During the evening there was a barbeque and a raffle and the proceeds from these, as well as the shearers’ entry fees will be donated to the British Heart Foundation and Nevill Hall Hospital.

On Friday, Chris Rudge told the Ross Gazette that he was delighted to see so many friends at the event at Abbey Dore. He said, “It is important to bring the community together, that is what we want to do to keep Billy’s legacy going.”

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