Rugby legend Dan Lydiate has joined forces with leading trailer manufacturer Ifor Williams Trailers as he expands his growing herd of pedigree Welsh Black cattle and continues his transition into life after elite sport.

The former Wales and British & Irish Lions flanker, who retired from professional rugby last year after an 18-year career and won 72 caps for his country, is now combining coaching duties with hands-on farming at his family’s 500-acre holding, Ty’n y Berth, near Llandrindod Wells.

When he’s not working with Wales coaching setups or assisting Steve Tandy during the Six Nations, Lydiate is back on the farm with his brother Jack and mother Lyn, managing livestock that includes around 100 sheep and a herd of 50 Welsh Black cattle.

As the business side of the farm develops, Lydiate has invested in new equipment to support the workload—turning once again to Ifor Williams Trailers, a brand already well known within the family. He recently upgraded from a 14-foot model to a larger 16-foot “big beast” livestock trailer after visiting the company’s Sandycroft factory in Flintshire.

He said reliability, safety and stability on the road were key factors when transporting animals between fields and hill land six miles apart.

“Safety is the most important thing when moving livestock,” he explained. “With the triple-axle trailer, the cattle are far more stable, there’s less movement, and it gives real peace of mind on the road.”

The new trailer will support day-to-day farm operations, from moving sheep and cattle to supporting grazing rotations across the farm’s varied terrain. The family is also expanding into selling boxed beef and developing a charcuterie-style product range.

Lydiate added that choosing a Welsh manufacturer carried real significance for him.

“It’s a proper Welsh company with a global reputation,” he said. “There’s pride in that. You can see the quality and the history when you visit the factory—people who’ve been there for decades, still building with real care.”

During his visit, Lydiate was given a tour of the Sandycroft site by staff and learned more about the engineering behind the trailers, which are widely used across the UK farming community.

Factory manager Jak Tyrer said it was a privilege to welcome him.

“We’ve worked alongside farmers since 1958 and continue to design products that meet their needs,” he said. “Having someone like Dan, who has represented Wales at the highest level, choose our trailers is a real honour.”

As well as the larger livestock trailer, the company is also supplying a smaller quad-bike-drawn Q7 model for lambing and lighter farm work, helping the family manage day-to-day operations more efficiently.

For Lydiate, it marks a new chapter—one that blends elite sporting discipline with rural enterprise, and keeps him firmly rooted in the Welsh countryside he calls home.