Seven young farmers from across Wales have financially benefited from this year’s Gareth Raw Rees Memorial Travel Scholarship.

A total of £3,800 has been awarded by the management committee to scholars wishing to broaden their knowledge of agriculture, following a donation from the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust.

This year’s awards were presented by Jim McLaren MBE, chairman of NFU Mutual’s Board of Directors at the Royal Welsh Show.

This year’s main winner is Manon Lewis who receives £1,200 to help fund her travels to New Zealand.

Daniel Evans, a 20-year-old beef and sheep farmer from Silian, near Lampeter, also receives £750.

Daniel is a former pupil of Ysgol Bro Pedr and is chairman of Bro’r Dderi YFC and has also studied at Hartpury College where he attained a Level 3 Extended Diploma in agriculture.

He will spend six months in New Zealand where he hopes to learn more about their grassland management and utilisation of forage crops.

Commenting on his upcoming trip, Daniel said: “I want to learn more about how the Kiwis harvest and conserve top-quality forage, and I aim to implement the lessons I learn to benefit the family farming business and to help us produce top-quality livestock from grass.”

Also New Zealand bound is 20-year-old Teleri Morgan from Bow Street and she receives £500 towards a three-month trip.

She is currently studying agriculture and animal science at Aberystwyth University.

Commenting on her upcoming trip, Teleri said: “I want to observe how New Zealand farmers use genetic gain in their sheep flock to achieve high scanning, lambing and weaning percentages all in a low input system.

“By taking all that I learn home with me, I hope to reduce or eliminate the use of concentrates to finish lambs and by cutting our production costs we can create a more successful and profitable business.”

Three of the recipients from the scholarship this year will each receive £200 to help with their travels.

Richard Jones, from Dolgellau, who studied at Reaseheath College before taking over the running of the family farm, receives £200 towards a two-week trip to Japan.

Richard is also a member of the NFU Cymru Next Generation Group.

Elliw Dafydd, from Silian near Lampeter, receives £200 towards a two-week trip to Peru as part of the NFYFC International Programme.

Elliw works as a freelance actor alongside her role on the family dairy farm, which has recently diversified by setting up a milk vending business.

The scholarship, which is administered by NFU Cymru, was set up in memory of the late Gareth Raw Rees who, for many years, was a delegate on the NFU Council and chairman of the NFU Cymru Education Committee.

Gareth believed fervently that travel was an important form of education for young people.