Volunteers take Road to the Isles to ensure show success
FARMERS and families flocked to Arisaig at the weekend to enjoy everything on offer at the Road to the Isles Agricultural Show.
The 22nd show at Camusdarach brought people from all over Lochaber and the islands together on Saturday.
Show secretary Anne MacDonald said she was pleased with this year’s turnout.
She said: ‘ Sheep were dwindling about three years ago and I have made an effort to get more people involved with the show by going to others. If you invite people to your show, and you have been to theirs in the past, they tend to come. Everyone tries to support each other. We are really pleased with the turnout this year. We always get good support from people in Mallaig and Morar. This is the first year we thought it might be rained off. It’s always the one day of the year the weather is good round here so we were worried when we saw how overcast it was in the morning, but it stayed dry and the midges weren’t out.’
Anne explained the show relies on volunteers. She said: ‘There are a lot more volunteers involved with the games now because a number of new people and families moved into the area recently which has helped. Without their help it would be so much harder to do the show. You really depend on people to give you hand.
‘Applying for all the required licences and the mountain of paperwork involved is killing these shows.
‘People don’t want to do the paper work. It’s a nightmare. I have had such a hassle doing it this year.’
It was the first year the Ewen Campbell trophy was awarded for best home-bred animal. The prize is in memory of Mr Campbell, who was the auctioneer in Lochaber for 39 years. He died last October. His daughter Linda told the
Lochaber Times: ‘He went to all the shows around here. He just loved his job at the auction mart and seeing good livestock was what he loved.
‘The prize was won by Jade Brown’s Highland cow.’