Charles Scott

With the sudden death of Charles Scott at aged 91, of East Middle, Hawick, the UK and especially the Borders region, have lost one of its best known and noted stockman and sportsman.

Brought up in the Hill Farm of Milsington, Roberton, he was renowned for a stock of South Country Cheviot ewes, exhibiting at agricultural shows with great success, including winning the Cheviot championship at the Royal Highland Show in 1972.

Thoroughbred horses were also a big part of life at Milsington. Speculation was the stallion there which bred winning progeny such as Vice Regent and De Combat, to mention but two. With Charles riding them and his long experience of riding earned him many successes, to the extent of becoming the top amateur rider.

The highlights include Dunboy dead heating in the Foxhunters at Cheltenham in 1953 and Merryman in the Foxhunters at Aintree in 1959. Charles was a racing steward at Kelso and Musselburgh for several years, where his riding experience held him in good stead for this role.

He was also a dedicated area director of the Royal Highland Show for 18 years. Stewarding the Thoroughbred horse section was close to his heart, having exhibited horses and knowing the required standards.

As well as being a respected breeder of Cheviots, he also bred and exhibited Half-breds in commercial sections at shows and his successful ewe won many championships, including the coveted Queens Cup at the Highland in 1981.

Texels were added to his inventory and again, success followed and latterly he took a shine to the showiness of the Zwartbles breed, which left him with a challenging variety of breeds which covered the spectrum of the stratified sheep industry in Scotland.

Charles was an early pioneer of utilising performance recording, combining type with sound functionality and correctness, and was among the first breeders to sell large numbers of recorded pens of rams at Kelso. Such was the flock’s influence that the prefix East Middle can be found at the back of many quality flocks.

His many successes with sheep and horses at the Royal Highland Show were recognized in 1996 when he won the prestigious Sir William Young Award. He was awarded this accolade in recognition of his lengthy association with the Royal Highland – 80 years of which commenced when he rode his pony, Greydawn, there at the youthful age of 11.

His experience with stock mean that he was in demand as a trusted valuer, giving astute attention to duty, as always. Charles also enjoyed hunting with Jed Forest Hounds as a field master for many seasons – he was fearless across country, well mounted and gained the utmost respect from all those around him.

He was also chairman of Hawick Teviotdale Farmers Club, the three-year tenure of which is a demanding role.

Charles suffered a grievous loss when his wife, Betty, died in January 2019. They were a devoted couple and she was always there to support him.

She was Betty Maher and came from Co Kildare, in Ireland, and Kathleen Stewart – Charles’ only sibling – explained the connection. In 1949, the late Robin Laing, of Kersheugh, took a group of Roxburghshire YFC members on a tour of Ireland, where Charles and Betty’s relationship first began.

Charles and Betty were subsequently married at her home in Co Kildare in 1955 and in 1964, Charles inherited East Middle from his uncle, John Charles Scott, which became a much loved and happy home for them both.

WH