The umbrellas brought a splash of colour to a grey opening day at the Royal Welsh Show

The parade ring was as busy as usual, despite the weather

The animals get a hose-down, rain or shine

There are a total of 7,600 animal entries at this year's show, a rise on 2006

Six-year-old Ben, from Neath, looks at some Southdown sheep.

Rhys Millichap, 19, from Llantrisant, with his Belgian Blue cow Rhymil Beauty, who featured in the junior heifer section

Athlete Iwan Thomas was setting the pace for well-known faces

Ann Harvey (right) and mum Wyn, from the Wirral, received two seconds and a third for their livestock in the Shropshire sheep section.