THEY may be one of the most popular brands of trailer on display in the stockman’s trailer park at the Royal Highland Show, but one cattle enthusiast has a formal complaint regarding his Ifor Williams.

Due to HM The Queen’s Balmoral herdsman, Dochy Ormiston, judging Highlanders, Harry Evans made the journey to the show. and slept in his trailer with a tarp flung over the top. But, Wednesday evening proved to be chilly, and the octogenarian woke with a start when his erse touched against the cold metal of the trailer.

He suggests Ifor Williams install solar panels, or a wool lining, to keep those daft enough to sleep in their trailers warm!

These shoes were made for walkin’

WHILE it might have been a marathon journey plus time at a warm show for the Clydesdale champion, Eric and Miranda Johnstone’s Ord Tinkerbell, it was nothing compared to the journey her shoes had made.

As every woman knows, it can be a trying time awaiting shoes to be delivered for a big occasion, but by the time Tinkerbell’s arrived at Muir of Ord, there was a helluva mileage on them already.

It started with retired farrier and Clydesdale guru, Tom Tweedie, from Newton Stewart, sourcing a pair of shoes fit for a champion from a farrier friend in Co Down – after Tinkerbell’s feet had been carefully measured by Tom ‘Greasy’ McMillan, from Bute. These were duly handed over to East Kilbride’s Jimmy Steel, at Balmoral Show.

They were then taken on the boat to Stranraer, handed over to Tweedle-dum and then he gave them to his neighbour, Jane Landers, Bargaly, to take to Carlisle, where Greasy was in attendance. He got the shoes, gave them to Liam Muir, a livestock farmer from Orkney, who duly dropped them at Muir of Ord on his way home.

Which meant the shoes had done 500 miles before they were even fitted. However, seeing Eric Johnstone doubling up as a groom on Greasy’s daughter, Mhairi Ralston’s cairt at the show has inevitably bred some rumour that Tinkerbell will be at the show next year pulling a cart!

Wheelbarrow for Lawrie!

WHILE he doesn’t think he’s old enough to be one, Gilmour Lawrie, from Sandyford, Monkton, decided it would be a good idea to celebrate becoming a grandpa by having a few shandies on the Thursday night of the Highland.

Now, as all good kist parties go, this went on into the early hours and the baby’s head was well and truly soaked! But when Gilmour decided to turn in for the night, he found out that he just couldn’t get the old legs into gear. And, with the rest of the party not relishing the prospects of carrying him to the hotel, a trusty old wheel barrow was called into action and Gilmour was duly wheeled off to snore his way into Friday morning.

Acres of lycra

IT SEEMS that everyone is getting fit these days – and raising money for charity.

The latest to don shorts, lycra and running vests are the UK’s grain and feed merchants who are pulling on the gear to raise funds to support the work of the Farming Community Network, by cycling in a relay around the principal feed mills, ports, grain stores and supply trade business sites in the UK.

Charles Delf, one of the organisers said the aim was to increase awareness of the issues facing farmers, while at the same time raising funds to provide on-going support for all members of the farming community and their families.

All monies raised are being donated to FCN, a charity with 400 volunteers that supports the farming community through times of stress, anxiety and depression.

I’ve seen the roster of some of those taking part and so I’m sure that the British lycra industry will be delighted at the extra acreage it will have to produce!

The relay started outside the Houses of Parliament last week on a 3700-mile journey, visiting more than 170 different sites representing more than 75 companies – it finishes at Stoneleigh Park on July 31.

The relay starts its visit to Scotland on July 11, visiting businesses in East Lothian, Lanarkshire, Grangemouth, before travelling through Perthshire to Aberdeen, before heading to Inverness, then back down to Glasgow via Fort William.

Companies supporting the relay in Scotland include Frontier, Bairds Malt, Davidsons, Harbro, Galloway and Macleod, ED and F Man Liquid Products, East Coast Viners, Clarkson, McCreath Simpson and Prentice and Cefetra.

New breed society

While looking over the schedule for the Balmoral Show, Dawn Lindsay, a Forfar lassie from Wemyss Farm, and chief lamber for ‘Rocket’ Runciman, at Allanshaws, thought she had found a new breed of sheep specific to Northern Ireland.

Having had what a Greyface was explained to her: “Just one more question,” said Dawn, “What is a Noon Mule?”

After much scratching of heids and a bit of Googling, her companions asked to see the schedule. Alas, it was no new breed of sheep, it was, in fact, that Mules were being judged at noon!

She has been appointed president of the Noon Mule Society and all interested parties wishing membership can contact Dawn directly!