WAY BACK in April 1998, the West of Scotland Young Farmers Clubs organised a grand YF Variety Show at the Gaiety Theatre in Ayr – and that historic night out will long last, be available to watch on the internet this very weekend.

The original rationale behind the show was to promote agriculture after the BSE crisis and help develop a better relationship between town and country. With those ominous initials in mind, the organisers titled the event 'Best Show Ever' and assembled a cast of 200, drawn from eleven Young Farmer’s clubs around west central Scotland.

The show played to full houses for three nights with over 100 on a waiting list for tickets, and raised £13,000 for Sargent Cancer Care. At least £3000 of that was from video sales – but as time has moved on, so has the demise of the video player, and many people who might have wanted to see the show again, or even see it for the first time, won't have been able to.

Now, as the countryside comes out of another disease crisis, Iain Wallace and Michael Duncan of ForFarmers have decided that the time is right to celebrate the 'Best Show Ever' again, but this time on YouTube. Once again, the event will be used, through a 'justgiving' page, as a fund raiser, this time for the Royal Highland Education Trust.

Most of the young farmers of 1998 are now the farmers of today, continuing to produce the highest quality food anywhere in the world, and the organisers would like to thank once again those who took part, particularly stage manager Elaine Bryson, musical director David Watson, and Fiona Kerr, of Low Dallars, Hurlford, who along with her mother handled all ticket sales by phone.

Mr Wallace asked that YouTube viewers give generously to the linked justgiving page – and dedicated the event to those who took part but are sadly no longer with us.

Dairy Hub and policy manager Stuart Martin commented: “The 'Best Show Ever' was a fantastic example of how the farming community rallied at a challenging time and presented a positive image of itself amongst its peers and further afield.

"The money it raised for charity was remarkable and hopefully all these years later a positive contribution can be made on the back of its infamy and success. All the participants and organisers of the show should take a bow even after all these years.”

Watch on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0BaMDiAOgc

Donate to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/theirbestshowever