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Emyr Jones - left- presents Gareth Vaughan with the miniature bronze statue watched by, from left, Glyn Powell, Barclays Bank agricultural manager Huw Tudor, Audrey Vaughan and FUW Montgomeryshire county chairman Alwyn Watkins.[/caption]
A miniature copy of the bronze statue of a shepherd and sheepdog unveiled in 2004 as part of the Royal Welsh Show centenary celebrations was presented to Farmers' Union of Wales immediate past president Gareth Vaughan during the union's national annual dinner at Welshpool.
Fittingly, the figure was handed over by Bala beef farmer Emyr Jones who succeeded Mr Vaughan last June following the Newtown sheep farmer's eight-year term in office.
Mr Jones said it had been a great privilege to serve as deputy to Mr Vaughan who had represented the union with great dignity and forcefulness.
Cast by Castle Fine Arts foundry in Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Powys, the life-size Royal Welsh Show statue of a shepherd flanked by a sheepdog and a Welsh Mountain ram is situated outside the Llanelwedd showground's International Pavilion.
More than 100 members and other friends and relatives attended the dinner in honour of Mr Vaughan and his wife Audrey.
Guest speaker, FUW life member and former deputy president Glyn Powell, said Mr Vaughan always portrayed the human face of Welsh farming.
"Whenever he was interviewed by the media on his farm he always turned up in his working clothes - not in some fancy Barbour jacket," said Mr Powell.
Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies also paid a glowing tribute to the dedicated service Mr Vaughan had given to Welsh farming over several years.
Mr Davies recalled first "locking horns" with Mr Vaughan during their early YFC days when they competed against each other in public speaking competitions. Mr Vaughan represented the Llangurig club and Mr Davies was a member of Berriew YFC.