SIR, – Christmas Eve marks the retirement of one of the UK’s longest-serving stock-getters, Genus AI technician Stan Black, better known as ‘Stan the Man in the van’. 
Northern Ireland-born Stan attended Lawers Agricultural College, at Comrie before beginning a short-lived farming career at Keir & Cawder Estates near Dunblane. 
In 1970, he successfully applied for a job as an AI technician with the now-defunct Scottish Milk Marketing Board which saw him undergo training and a spell working in the Oban area. A vacancy in the Stirling area allowed him to move to Callander where he made his home, and in 1977 he married Liz. 
Back in the 1970s it was Ayrshire and Friesian bulls for dairy inseminations, with Herefords and Shorthorns the most popular beef sires. Then the continental breeds arrived on the scene, and the rest is history. 
For the past 47-odd years, Stan’s job has been 24/7, much the same as his farmer clients, and during that time, he has had a hand (literally!) in the creation of some of the UK’s top-price bulls and many show champions. 
Stan is hugely popular with his farmer clients who will now have to start buying The Scottish Farmer to keep up with the news. 
So as he hangs his troosers on the nail in the byre door for the last time, he’ll be looking forward to plenty of free week-ends, curling, tending his garden and walking holidays. 
We wish you a long and happy retirement, Stan! You deserve it! 

M Paterson, 
Upper Auchenlay, 
Dunblane