An Army major who has developed strong ties to Brecknock and its way of life will open this year’s Royal Welsh Show on Monday, July 20.
It’s fitting that Major Andrew Butcher MBE has been invited to perform the opening, as Brecknock is the show’s 2026 feature county. He is senior training safety officer at Sennybridge Defence Training Estate and has long-standing connections with the Epynt and surrounding rural communities.
Major Butcher has dedicated four decades to distinguished service in the British Army, having joined the Grenadier Guards in 1986.
During his career, he has deployed on active operations in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan, demonstrating exceptional professionalism, resilience and leadership in some of the world’s most challenging environments.
Alongside his operational service, he has played a prominent role in many of the nation’s most significant ceremonial occasions, including Trooping the Colour, the State Opening of Parliament and numerous state visits.
Now serving in his final military appointment, Major Butcher is responsible for overseeing the safe and effective use of the 31,000-acre Sennybridge Defence Training Estate.
Immersed in the estate’s rich history and culture, he works closely with local graziers and the surrounding community – an aspect of the role he finds particularly rewarding.
RWAS president for 2026, Gethin W. T. Havard said he was honoured that Major Butcher had agreed to open this year’s show.
“As a resident of the Senni Valley and someone raised on a farm, he brings a genuine understanding and appreciation for the challenges and values that define our rural way of life,” he added.
“Through his daily involvement with the Epynt Firing Ranges, working closely with both graziers and service personnel, he stands at the meeting point of two sectors that are fundamental to our nation’s wellbeing – agriculture and defence.
“His commitment to both communities makes him a particularly fitting and distinguished choice to open this year’s show.”
Married to Wendy and a proud father of two daughters, Major Butcher enjoys spending his free time walking his Border Terriers, Ted and Angus, on the Epynt and painting landscapes in oils.
The four-day show takes place from July 20 to 23 and opening ceremony will be performed at 10am in the Council Area on the first day. Full event details and ticket information are available on the RWAS websitehttps://rwas.wales/ .
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