We will flock you: rounding up the sheepish stars of the 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
Gerry Gapinski is an Edinburghbased artist and designer.
He is known for painting large-scale canvases with themes based around nature, surrealism and popular culture. Much of his work can be seen in public spaces around Edinburgh city centre, as he has been commissioned to paint huge murals, the most recent of which was for National Album Day and BBC Sounds.
This was a reimagining of The Fratellis’ debut album cover, for which Gerry worked with Jack Vettriano, having gained inspiration from his The Singing Butler painting.
Gerry says: “For the last couple of years, I have taken up cycling in and around Edinburgh. This has led me to the discovery of a network of cycle paths which run deep into the countryside using old rail networks.
“I have travelled many miles along these routes, awe-struck that I am able to travel – in some cases – through the heart of farmland that would otherwise be inaccessible.”
BaaAT-Bee
BaaAT-Bee by Gerry Gapinski represents Scottish farmers satisfying consumers’ changing needs and tastes by diversifying their products, and adopting green technologies.
Consumers’ changing tastes and expectations are having a significant impact on Scottish agriculture and its operations.
Scottish farmers are diversifying their crops and products to meet changing consumer demands for more locally-sourced, sustainable, and high-quality produce.
They are also adopting new technologies, such as precision agriculture and digital data systems, to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and better monitor crop health and yield.
Consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of agriculture, which is driving the adoption of more sustainable land management practices.
There is also a trend for consumers conscious of food miles to buy their produce directly from farmers.
Meet the sponsor
Turcan Connell is a premier private client firm based in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London. It provides legal and tax advice to individuals and families, servicing their personal and commercial interests.
The firm specialises in efficient tax, estate and succession planning across family generations. Clients value its ability to draw on the expertise of the wider firm during key lifetime events, supported by a culture of collegiality and technical excellence.
Turcan Connell said: “As a frequent exhibitor at the Royal Highland Show, not only are we supporting an event which brings almost £40 million to our local economy, we are championing a campaign that promotes key challenges facing the rural sector.
“Flock to the Show shines a lens on those causes in many geographic areas in an appealing way that speaks to all ages.”
Find your fleece
Locate today’s sheep and access our VIP competition to win free parking, hospitality, and lots more by following this link.