Flock star moves: the bleat goes on 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
Olivier Jamin is a Birmingham- based, award-winning, contemporary, deaf artist specialising in hand-drawn multi-coloured arts, video, photography, and retail design. He has contributed to other sculpture trails, creating eye-catching artwork for Runaway Reindeer "Silvanus" and Puffin Galore! “Nuffin for the Puffin”.
Oliver has created many commissioned artworks, such as fabric banners for exhibitions and community engagement activities for the Roundhouse Birmingham, Victoria Leeds, ASLI and Midlands Arts Centre.
He says: “Inspired by colours of the Highlands, Golden Shears and the challenges of shearing the sheep to remove the wool reminded me of the Golden Fleece in Greek mythology and the classic film Jason and the Argonauts.
“The golden fleece symbolises authority and kingship like the sheep's golden wool on my design. The tartan recognises Scottish pride in history and tradition.”
James and the Golden Fleece
James and the Golden Fleece by Olivier Jamin raises awareness of the crucial role robot machinery plays in Scottish agriculture- increasing efficiency, reducing labour costs, and improving precision seeding, fertilising, and harvesting.
This technology enables farmers to optimise their operations, minimise waste, and maintain sustainable practices.
Smart technology has become increasingly important in Scottish agriculture for several reasons, including the lack of labour and the need to mitigate spiralling costs.
With advanced technology such as precision farming tools, sensors, and drones, farmers can optimise their operations, minimise waste, and reduce input costs.
Smart technology can also enhance yields and production efficiency while improving sustainability. For instance, precision irrigation systems can reduce water consumption while smart sensors can monitor soil and crop health.
Meet the sponsor
Elanco is a global animal health company offering a range of products and services for the prevention and treatment of disease in livestock.
It provides market-leading solutions to common health issues in sheep and cattle, including blowfly strike, liver fluke and parasitic worms, holding trusted brands such as CLIK and Zolvix.
With a 66-year heritage, Elanco is driven by a desire to advance animal health, welfare, and farm productivity, working closely alongside vets, registered animal medicines advisors and farmers. They said: "Elanco is proud to be partnering with the RHS, with attendees, exhibitors and competitors all working towards a common goal of improving the industry in a profitable, sustainable, and high-welfare way."
Find your fleece
Locate today’s sheep and access our VIP competition to win free parking, hospitality, and lots more by following this link.