A Lampeter farmer is celebrating a change of luck that’s brought him an early Christmas present.

While chatting to friends on a recent visit to Llanybydder market David John Evans had to admit that his 12-year-old trailer was showing signs of wear and that it was time to consider splashing out on a new one.

His money can stay in the bank, however, for he is now the proud owner of a brand new livestock trailer worth over £4,000 courtesy of the popular S4C rural affairs programme Ffermio and Ifor Williams Trailers.

To his amazement David, 76, scooped the first prize in a competition run by the programme which attracts thousands of entries from all corners of the country.

Each week of the series a different question was asked, with the first letter of the answers creating a six-letter word.

Blaenbidernin Isaf, at Cwmann, near Lampeter, has been in the Evans family for three generations and David currently farms about 250 acres, keeping sheep and store cattle. He is assisted by his wife Jennifer to whom he has been married for 40 years.

“Fortunately I’m in good health and so I’m able to keep on working,” he said.

The work will be that little bit easier thanks to new TAG510 livestock trailer which was presented to David at the Royal Welsh Show Winter Fair at Llanelwedd.

“It’s the perfect Christmas present,” said David, who has long been an admirer of Ifor Williams Trailers’ products.

“In fact I never win anything in any competitions,” he said.

The twin-axle trailer with a ramp is worth £4,250.

The second prize was won by Brenig Jones, from Merllyn, Bryn Saith Marchog, near Corwen.

The competition attracts thousands of entries and Brenig won a Q7b trailer worth £1,665.

“I enter the Ffermio competition every year as well as lots of other competitions on TV and in newspapers, but have never won anything. I can’t believe I’ve won this time,” she said.

Since the death of her husband Gwynfor five years ago the 140-acre sheep farm has been worked by her son Dylan, who also runs an agricultural contracting business. He also entered the competition.

“We used to have an Ifor Williams trailer but recently whenever Dylan has needed to move sheep he’s had to borrow his uncle’s trailer, so his uncle will be as pleased as us that we’ve won this,” said Brenig. “It’ll also be useful for Dylan’s business.”

Brenig, who is disabled, was brought up in the village of Cynwyd where Ifor Williams Trailers was first established. It has gone on to become Europe’s largest trailer-manufacturing company.

Coming third in any competition is usually a bitter-sweet experience as one looks with envy at the winner of the first prize.

But when Gwen Herberts had a call to say she had come third in the competition she and her family could not have been more delighted.

For the prize of a quad bike trailer made by top European manufacturers Ifor Williams Trailers was exactly what she had been hoping for when she entered the contest.

Her brothers James, David and Aeronian and their sister Rosina, who farm at Dolfawr, Ystrad Meurig, near Tregaron, in Ceredigion, already have such a trailer.

The third prize, a Q5e model worth £890, was exactly the type they lacked.

“Some of our mountain land is about three miles from the farm and the trailer can be towed by the quadbike, which is ideal for our purpose,” said Gwen, who is in her 80s.

The family have been at Dolfawr since 1947 and farm about 400 acres, keeping sheep and suckling calves.

Gwen is an avid viewer of “Ffermio” and entered the Ifor Williams Trailers competition for the first time last year.

“Other than that I don’t enter any competitions, so I am very lucky to have won this time,” she said.

Director Gareth Vaughan Jones said: “It really is a wonderful competition and we see an increase in interest year on year,” she said. “It doesn’t surprise me as they really are, without doubt, the tops when it comes to trailers.

“It’s fantastic that the company has once again put up three of their best products as prizes.”

Iorwerth Roberts, from Ifor Williams Trailers, said they were proud to be associated with Ffermio and that the faith in their product was clearly demonstrated in the response to the competition.

“It is an indication that our trailers are in great demand,” he added.

A spokesperson for S4C added: “The annual Ffermio competition captures the imagination of viewers every year.

“It reflects the popularity of Ffermio as a series that is at the heart of the S4C schedule and the response to the competition was fantastic again this year.

“We would like to thank Ifor Williams Trailers for providing the prizes and to Telesgop, who produce the series, for organising the competition.”