It’s all action in Aberfeldy
Sandy soil helps showground drain
The sandy soil of farmland near the River Tay may have saved the Aberfeldy Show and Highland Games from a watery end this weekend.
While exceptional downpours scuppered Sunday’s Perth Highland Games, Aberfeldy’s organisers have found the showground area near Wade’s Bridge to be draining remarkably well, despite a super soggy August so far.
Organiser of the two-day event, Morag Kennedy, highlighted the good condition of the ground, admitting: “We are lucky, the sandy ground has coped well in the run-up.”
A firm footing will be welcome as Mrs Kennedy remarked that in the agricultural section, there have been an exceptional number of entries for cattle and record entries for sheep.
“We also note the pleasing growth of entries for the craft marquee, which has almost doubled its population of traders this year,” she added.
The horse and pony classes take place on Friday this week, with the main show and games on Saturday – when entries will be taken on the field, watched by what is expected to be a large crowds.
Saturday begins at 9am for sheep and cattle championships.
The public arrives following a pipe band of Clan Menzies, which will be marching to the arena from the town square at 1pm.
Then there is the Gathering, with the 2017 chieftain – local businessman Keith Moncrieff – officially opening proceedings at 1.45pm.
The day offers a vintage tractor parade from 11am, a horse parade, heavyweight events and Highland dancing competitions and runners battling to the top of Weem Hill.
And dogs will have plenty to chew on with a brace of canine-orientated fun events.
Saturday afternoon offers a succession of Terrier races from 3pm, which in later classes even offers dogs of any breed a chance to charge after the racing bait.
Light-hearted in attitude with a host of novelty categories, the dog show follows at 3.30pm.
The measure of a man used to be judged by how far clansmen could carry the star attraction at Aberfeldy, the awe-inspiring Menzies Stone.
Competition will resume this Saturday for the longest distance anyone can man-handle the 252lb boulder, which was traditionally used to judge who could join up to fight in times past. The longest carry earns the winner £150, the largest prize of the day.
A band which has been making waves beyond their home ground in Highland Perthshire, Trees Don’t Travel, will entertain in the evening.
The group - with members hailing from Aberfeldy, Dunkeld and Loch Tay - have recently released a new album.
Rounding off two days of showing and competing, Aberfeldy and District Young Farmers offer a ceilidh, a separately run event, in the show marquee on Saturday night.
• Gate entry prices for Friday are £3 for adults, £1 for children.
On Saturday, it will be £10 for adults and £5 for children. Organiser Morag Kennedy, Show chairman Roddy Thomson, vice-chair Billy Brady and treasurer Stewart McNeish