OUTSTANDING IN THEIR FIELD
MBE’s for starter Stevie and farmer Jim
Two prominent Crieff residents have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Highland Gathering stalwart Stevie Ryder and farmer Jim McLaren were rewarded with MBE’s for work in their respective fields.
Stevie has been involved in Highland Games since he was 15 and is a past chairman of Crieff Highland Gathering and the Scottish Highland Games Association. He is currently a member of the SHGA General Council.
The unassuming 62-year-old is well known as the man brandishing the gun at Crieff Highland Games in his role as race starter.
Former runner Stevie told the Herald: “I am extremely honoured to be recognised for my involvement over the years in the Highland Games throughout Scotland.
“I started competing in 1970 under the watchful eye of Purry MacGregor.
“I was asked to join Crieff Highland Gathering in 1986 helping set up the park with Derek Halley and members of CHG board.”
Stevie, who is CHG’s park convener, was also president of the Scottish Highland Games Association from 2004 to 2007, has been chair of Perth Highland Games and is a member of Blackford Highland Games.
Wife Issy added that Highland Games have been Stevie’s life and they haven’t had a summer holiday for 35 years. One year Stevie even took the Highland Games to Europe, which was a huge undertaking, transporting a pipe band, heavyweights, Highland
dancers and tug o’war by plane and train to Bavaria.
Issy said:“We are absolutely excited and happy for this to happen for Stevie.
“We’ve known for a while and haven’t been allowed to say anything.”
On Wednesday, Stevie left for Ohio to visit Crieff’s sister games, along with son Ally and Steven McDougall of CHG and chair Ian Stewart – who has been invited to be chieftain of the US state’s Gathering.
Stevie is also well known in the Strath as former Scout Leader of 5th Perthshire Crieff Scouts and is also a former member of Crieff Community Council.
Meanwhile, Jim McLaren of Dargill Farm was also delighted to receive an MBE.
He has been the chairman of Quality Meat Scotland since 2011, after serving as president of NFU Scotland from 2007 to 2011.
The 49-year-old is also a director of NFU Mutual and director of Angus Cereal, and has served on the board of Scotland’s Rural College and a trustee of The Cameron Trust.
Jim, who is married to Shona and has two sons, two daughters and two step-daughters, was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by SRUC in November 2015 for his “outstanding contributions to Scottish agriculture and the rural economy.”He is also a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies (FRAgS).
Along with working in his various industry roles and running his farm, Jim also makes time to support the work of charities such as the Royal Highland Education Trust and regularly welcomes local school children to his farm to gain a better understanding of where their food comes from.
In recent years Jim led on a project to create a memorial to pay tribute to the work of the Land Girls who helped feed the nation by working on farms during the Second World War.
The memorial in Moray was created by renowned sculptor Peter Naylor following a threeyear fundraising campaign and unveiled by the Duke of Rothesay.
Jim said:“It has been a huge privilege for me to have worked in, and for, the Scottish agricultural industry in the various roles I have undertaken to date.
“I am immensely proud of our industry and particularly of the people, the length and breadth of our country, who dedicate their lives to producing safe, nutritious food in a way which enriches Scotland’s environment.
“It is the passion, dedication and innovation of those who work in our industry which has resulted in Scotland’s larder – and brands such as Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork – earning a global reputation for quality.”