IT’S SHOWTIME

Even if you only wear your wellies on a wet pavement, farming still forms part of your heritage. So go along and support your local agricultural show.

Come and join the farmers of the West Highlands as they celebrate all that is best about their industry and country living.

Farming shapes the landscape around us. Years of animal husbandry and arable farming have helped to create the fields and hills, dry stane dykes, old mills, diverted streams, the position of our villages and lost crofting settlements of the clearances all of which make the West Highlands and Islands what they are today.

Across Scotland, the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston, Edinburgh, is considered the start of the agricultural show season and Dalmally Show here in Argyll is one of the last.

Dalmally is famed for its Highland cattle classes and this year will be celebrating its centenary show.

Show president John MacPherson and the committee welcome one and all to the show on this special occasion. Make sure you get your orders in early for the polo shirt, designed by John, and the two commemorative tea towels; one of which has been designed by the village primary school.

The animal classes are at the heart of each agricultural show and depending on where you are in the Highlands the shows will each have their own balance and blend of livestock.

Kintyre, once home to a creamery, has a show where some of the best dairy cattle in Scotland can be seen.