IT WAS celebration time as Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal attend the birthday celebrations of Europe's biggest ram sale in Llanelwedd on Monday.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the NSA Wales and Border Ram Sale which was first held at the Royal Welsh Showground in 1978.

Princess Anne visited the showground and met farmers, committee members and visitors to the sale during her brief stay in Mid Wales.

At 11am, Her Royal Highness arrived near the showground by helicopter from her home at Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire.

Attending the royal visit was former Lord Lieutenant of Powys Dame Shan Legge-Bourke and lady-in-waiting to the Princess Royal.

Her Royal Highness was welcomed to the President's Pavillion by the new Lord Lieutenant of Powys Tia Jones, a sheep and cattle farmer and author from Machynlleth, seven days into her new role.

Also welcoming the Princess Royal was David Lewis of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society and Richard Gwilliam, chairman and founder member of NSA Wales and Border Ram Sales.

Her Royal Highnesses' tour of the showground marks the sale's pivotal role in developing sheep breeds in Britain. During her visit around the rings and halls of the showground, The Princess Royal presented, alongside Lucinda Leving of the Badger Face Welsh Mountain Sheep Society, the trophies to the overall champions for the Badger Face Sheep to Aaron Hemmings and his Torddu ewe and Gareth James for his Tolwen ewe.

John Sinnett from Worcester said it was an honour to be presented a cut glass goblet by Her Royal Highness for his decades long service to the Ram Sale Committee.

Presteigne sisters Ellie and Hannah Owens, who farm sheep and cattle, also met and spoke to The Princess Royal on her tour around the showground.

During The Princess Royal's tour, she spoke with farmers Lynda and Terry Evans of Llwynycrwth Farm, near Berriew.

"It was amazing," said Lynda, who's husband has been selling tups for more than 35 years.

"She asked what kind of sheep we've got. They're not your typical Suffolks, they're part New Zealand.

"She was very easy to talk to and down to earth. It was a day to remember," Lynda added.

In the South Glamorgan Exhibition Hall, Jane Smith from the Ram Sale Committee was presented with a black and white print of a horse by the former-Olympic equestrian for her 25 years service.

She continued to Olwen Kinsey-Jones of Highbrook Farm, New Radnor and her sister-in-law Ann Kinsey's OK Knitwear stall where she was given a cream bobble hat with knitted foxes for her newborn granddaughter, Lena.

Olwen, who has been selling her homemade knitwear for 30 years, said it was "lovely and a real boost" to have a visit from the senior royal.