West Wales heavy horse breeders, John and Marion Fletcher, gained extraordinary successes at the recent National Shire Horse Society Spring Show held at the East of England Showground, Peterborough.

Ably helped by their daughter, Stacy, and niece, Hayleigh Morris, they won all three working horse classes: Single, tandem and drawing an agricultural implement with their two six-year-old geldings, Jed and 17.3hh Ned.

John, of Penrallt Uchaf, Moylegrove, near Cardigan, has nurtured a life-long interest in shire horses and he ploughed and showed with them while looking after his prize-winning Whitebarn herd of pedigree Holsteins, with which he won the Welsh Dairy Farmer of the year award, before the herd was dispersed in June 2003.

Since then the Fletchers have fully diversified and now concentrate their time on developing their ‘gentle giants’ venture, along with the help of willing friends and family.

John has twice won the Welsh champion horse ploughman title and his horse Catwg Black Velvet was the winning filly and junior champion at last year’s Royal Welsh Show.