Each year, the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society invites scholarship applications from students who are completing their foundation degree courses and are planning to progress towards a BSc.

This year’s winner is Hanna Thomas, of Drysgolgoch, Llanfyrnach - a daughter of dairy farmers, Simon and Eleanor Thomas, who run a herd of 680 pedigree Dairy Shorthorn cows.

Hanna is a former head girl at Ysgol y Preseli where she obtained A-Level passes in geography, Spanish and Welsh and an A grade in the Welsh Baccalaureate before commencing her studies for a BA (hons) degree at Aberystwyth University in September 2013.

Hanna says: “After my first year, I decided that my true heart and soul was in a career in agriculture and transferred my studies to a foundation degree in agriculture at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences at Aber.

“My family farm has been prominent in the field of dairy farming and pedigree breeding for several generations and I had experienced good agricultural practice at home during my upbringing, but to enhance my experience, through college I undertook a work placement with a Carmarthen company of agricultural consultants. This took me on to farms to assist with secretarial and consultancy activities and broadened my interest in the possibility of a career of this kind in agriculture after graduating.”

Away from her studies, Hanna’s interests are many and varied having participated in YFC and Urdd competitions and was selected by the Urdd to be a member of a small group visiting Patagonia.

The aim of the scholarship, promoted by the RWAS and sponsored by Waitrose, is to encourage students of merit to develop their potential through academic achievement.