Crieff man awarded MBE
Stevie Ryder meetsThe Queen
A stalwart of the Highland Games scene in Perthshire has spoken of his excitement after officially being presented with his MBE by Her Majesty the Queen.
Stevie Ryder picked up the prestigious accolade at Buckingham Palace earlier this month in recognition of 45 years’ loyal service to Crieff Highland Gathering.
Mr Ryder said: “We were at Buckingham Palace for the awards, and it was quite terrifying actually!
“The Queen was lovely though, she asked me lots of questions about the Highland Games, such as how long I had been there. I told her about how I had started events at the Braemar Games before in the past as well, and how she liked to watch the young kids’ sack races during the day!
“We spoke as well about Prince Charles being the patron of the Scottish Highland Games Association, and she [said she was very proud of him for doing that, and about Prince William being patron of the Crieff Highland Gathering - she was very pleased to hear I came from the area.”
Mr Ryder explained how royal attendants put hooks on everyone’s jackets for The Queen to attach their medal onto, and how they went up in groups to receive their award in front of all the guests in the palace’s ballroom.
All the award winners then had Stevie Ryder MBE and wife Izzy, pictured outside Buckingham Palace
their photographs taken after the ceremony, and had their medals placed in special boxes for taking home.
He continued: “It was quite a daunting experience going before The Queen, but everybody at the palace, right from the minute you walked through the main gate, appreciated that you were there and said well done.
“The rooms there are so big, you feel very small walking into it and it was daunting to go up in front of all the guests there, but it was very pleasant and really exciting to go down there and see how it all works.”
Mr Ryder celebrated his achievement with his wife Izzy by
taking a bus tour of London and having some drinks out in the capital.
On his return to Strathearn, Mr Ryder said he has been inundated with congratulations.
He said: “I have had a good few people saying well done - family and friends, and work mates, quite a lot of people! It was a really nice experience and has been really exciting.”
His award comes as fellow Crieff man Jim McLaren, from Dargill Farm, received an MBE from The Queen the week before for his work as chairman of Quality Meat Scotland.
Mr Ryder said it was a fantastic achievement for Crieff to have two MBE recipients in the one year.