This was the start of a special year for the BUAS and guest of honour at the event was HRH the Countess of Wessex, who has agreed to be the bicentenary patron for a string of events which includes the bicentenary Border Union Show on July 26 and 27.
Speakers included local MP and Secretary of State, Michael Moore; local farmers Tom Arnott and John Elliot; journalists Fordyce Maxwell and The SF's Ken Fletcher, plus songs and recitations from the Douglas brothers, Henry and Timmy, respectively. Chairman was Gareth Baird.
Tuesday's lunch marked 200 years to the day since a group of landowners from both sides of the Tweed met at the Cross Keys Hotel, in Kelso, to create a society that would help drive vital improvements in one of the area's most important industries.
Today, farming remains an important part of the Borders' economy, directly employing more than 4000 people, or 8% of the total workforce and the BUAS is still at the heart of this.
