RHS tug-of-war

First time men winners, Carluke and regular female title-takers, Ayr, pulled their way to success at the Highland’s YFC tug-of-war on Saturday afternoon, in the cattle rings.

A tense atmosphere right round the ring cheered Carluke on to take the men’s trophy for the first time. The team consisted of Jamie Gibson, Adam Lindsay, Andrew McGregor, Mark Hunter, Dougie Frame and Jack Young and coached by Alan Brodie.

They won both ends in the final against Callander’s Ross Drummond, Drew Steel, John Telfer, Alastair Mitchell, John Mitchell and Craig Mundell, who were trained by Hugh McLaren. The Callander club previously won the men’s title in 2010 and were second in 2011.

Fife and Kinross bagged the third-place tickets with Layton Paul, David Laird, Rory McKendrick, Michael Quinn, Andrew Stevenson and Adam Marshall, on the rope.

Picking up their ninth national tug-of-war woman’s title was Ayr, with a team consisting of Alice Allan, Anne McHarg, Katie Nelson, Louise Allan, Sheona Reid and Lauren Kennedy. The girls work hard for it and train on Monday and Thursday nights with the Ayrshire Tug-of-War Club, coached by Colin Montgomery. Included in the team are three from the eight-a-side 500kg world champion team who pull for the club.

It was déjà vu for the Biggar girls – Lyndsay Wight, Alison Orr, Emma Bone, Jane Donald, Megan Warnock and Alyson Henderson – who had come up against Ayr in the final two years ago and this year had to be content with second again.

Carluke were third after a pull-off against Keith. This team consisted of Fiona Parkin, Joanne Hall, Mhairi Hall, Vicky Mitchell Rachel Brodie and Pamela Brodie.