Flock around fun: A day in the life of Scotland
The Golden Shears World Sheep Shearing & Woolhandling Championships is returning to the Royal Highland Show in June after 20 years.
Held in the MacRobert Theatre, more than 35 countries from across the world will battle it out to see who is the fastest sheep shearer and who has the best woolhandling technique.
The highly-anticipated event will feature 39 decorated sheep sculptures that are currently on tour across Scotland in the Flock to the Show public art trail.
The Scotsman is the media partner for both events and the Royal Highland Show is held from 22 to 25 June.
Visit the website at royalhighlandshow.org
Meet the artist
Julie Cully was brought up on a large arable farm in the south of England.
The second eldest of four girls, she drove machinery on the farm and helped her father in his workshop.
She went on to agricultural college before spending ten years roaming the world, working on different farms, and driving lorries for a safari company from London to Kathmandu in Nepal.
Julie says: “The inspiration for my design came from when I first moved to Scotland, people used to kid me about how haggis live in the wild, and couldn’t believe that I had never tasted Irn Bru, tea cakes, or whisky. I had never experienced such ferocious mosquitoes, and my lily-white skin reacted badly.
“So now I see the funny side, when the hikers come up from the south, overpacked and enthusiastic – it makes me smile. I wonder how many stories will be told about haggis and Nessie and how gullible they might be.”
A Day in the Life of Scotland
A Day in the Life of Scotland by Julie Cully represents the recruitment challenges faced by Scottish farmers and food producers.
One of these is a lack of farm labour. Following Brexit, the ongoing war in Ukraine and Covid-19 restrictions, there has been a notable shortage of workers in the field.
Other sectors, such as hospitality and retail, also require labour and can provide higher pay and better working conditions than agriculture.
There is also difficulty in attracting local people to work in the industry, particularly among younger generations who may not see farming as an attractive
career option.
The nature of agricultural work is often seasonal, which can create challenges for farmers trying to attract sufficient workers to short-term employment opportunities.
Agricultural businesses are often located in rural areas, which can make it challenging for people to access the workplace.
Meet the sponsor
JW Galloway was founded in the 1920s by James Galloway, who opened his first butcher shop in Glasgow.
Over the years, the firm has expanded, gaining a high local reputation for friendly customer service and exceptional quality meat products.
n 1934, James opened his first meat factory at St Enoch Square, preparing meat products to service his shops and ensure a standard quality throughout the branches.
Today, JW Galloway prides its success on continuous innovation and the best quality meats. All its meat products are fully traceable back to farm, and the firm has close working relationships with all of its farmers.
They are excited to launch an online butchery shop, offering everyone high-quality Scottish beef and lamb with fast delivery options.
Find your fleece
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