SIR, – Just a wee note from Canada to congratulate all the staff at The Scottish Farmer for the 'kist' parties. It was a great concept and well presented, loved hearing all the stories.

My first such party was at the RHS at Inverness, in 1956, as a 15-year-old helping my uncle Jim Caldwell, of East Raws, that was in the days of the Macalisters, from Bute, and Jock Harrigan were in domination.

Jock loved his dram. We had an empty Johnie Walker bottle up on the shelf in the bothy, for a laugh I put some cold tea in it – either Jock never noticed the difference, or he was too polite to say anything.

My next big RHS day was in 1964, being in the team of Robbie Wilson, Logan Montgomery and myself coming first in for the Glasgow Herald Trophy in the stockjudging, and getting carried with the silver trophy from the main arena down to the 'Herdsmans Bar'.

One more night to be remembered was at DairyScot after the show, a small crowd had gathered around sitting on straw bales. It was at the time that Colin and Alastair Laird’s bull, Pittendreich Baron, was on the crest of the wave and the Lairds had their own 'Baron' whisky and proceeded to pour some big drams.

Lyndon Bustard, the Canadian Holstein classifier, had just finished telling us his story about the hunter and the grizzly bear, everybody was in hysterics and John Watson, of the Luskindail herd, laughed so much he fell off his bale.

The atmosphere on these magic nights was special, almost electric. Thanks so much for taking us back there.

David Caldwell

Manitoba,

Canada.