A match made in heaven!

MORE and more farming shows are putting on classes for heavy horse driving these days.

Last weekend’s Drymen event, for example, has been catering for the driving fraternity for a few years now.

The singles' class was won by Charlotte Young, from Ayr, with a black Canadian Percheron, while the teams were led by a pair of Clydesdales from Annette Noble, from Penicuik.

In second place in that class was an elegant wedding carriage pulled by a Clydesdale pair from Jock McMillan, from Bute. The interesting part was that the carriage was conveying Jock’s dad, Speedy McMillan, and the Clydesdale society’s honorary treasurer, Captain Jim Anderson, from Kilmacolm.

Since neither of them was wearing white, it was difficult to discern which was the bride and which was the groom. I think we should be told!

The honeymoon is rumoured to be at the Royal Winter Fair, in Toronto, in November!

Flying the flag for Scotland – and Scotch!

AS an addendum to last week’s piece re the visit of Scottish farming personnel to Buckingham Palace, I am reliably informed that the Clydesdale Horse Society quintet opted to travel by train – first class no less – to London.

During the journey, they got talking to a couple of American tourists, Linda and Keith Smith, who had been walking the West Highland Way and were returning to London for their flight home.

The discussion duly turned to our national drink, whereby both tourists affirmed their liking for a variety of Scotch single malts. Things went downhill, or got much merrier depending on your point of view, soon after.

CHS honorary treasurer, Captain Jim Anderson, was first out the starting blocks providing a range of miniatures from Glenfiddich to Macallan. Then, vice-president, our editor-now-retired, Alasdair Fletcher, flew the flag for Islay by uncorking a bottle of 12-year-old Bunnahabhain – which met with great approval from their American ‘guests’. President Jim Rochhead’s favourite tipple is a rusty nail and this was next on the menu. Not to be outdone, past president Peter Keron rounded the journey off with a dram of Glenmorangie.

By the time they all got to Euston Station, London didn’t seem to be such a bad place after all.