Flock around fun: graze-y days at the Royal Highland Show
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
Pauline Paterson graduated with a first-class honours degree in art from the University of Warwick, then taught the subject at a secondary school in England.
She moved to south-west Scotland in 1986, where she combined motherhood with working as an art tutor for the Dumfries and Galloway Adult Education Scheme.
In 2003, Pauline opened her own art school, which she ran happily for more than a decade until a tentative foray into selling art online became a highly successful business.
She shares her farmer husband’s passion for holding on to best rural practice.
Pauline says: “Belted Galloway cattle – or Belties – are iconic to the Dumfries and Galloway area and are a regular sight in the fertile pastures here.
“Sheep and Belties are companion grazers, existing happily together, and their different tastes in herbage varieties ensure, for the farmer, the most efficient use of land.”
Companion Grazers
Companion Grazers by Pauline Paterson aims to raise awareness of bovine tuberculosis (TB), which is a serious threat to Scottish farming, as infected animals lead to trade restrictions, financial losses, and reduced animal welfare.
This dreadful disease can also spread to wildlife, making outbreaks even more difficult to control.
Herd vaccination, testing programs, and – sadly – culling are being successfully used to manage the disease, but it remains a significant challenge for Scottish farmers.
The personal implications of Bovine TB for individual farmers can be significant. Witnessing the disease can cause emotional stress and anxiety, as farmers feel an intense responsibility for the welfare of their animals, as well as the adverse effects on their livelihoods.
Additionally, farmers may face social isolation and stigma due to the disease’s association with poor animal welfare and other public health concerns.
Meet the sponsor
Hoggs of Fife is a manufacturer of footwear and clothing designed primarily to protect Scottish farmers and field sports enthusiasts from the worst of the Scottish weather.
The Cupar-based business has a hard-earned reputation stretching back 135 years for providing honest products that give the wearer protection and pride.
The company says: “In general, across recent years the agriculture and rural sectors have had a tough time, with many outside factors – be it political or human – making it increasingly difficult to sustain a good business in the rural community.
“Raising awareness of these issues can help the individual, but also help the sector as a whole to highlight the key challenges, and support those in need, though these difficult times.”
Find your fleece
Locate today’s sheep and access our VIP competition to win free parking, hospitality, and lots more by following this link.