MBE for Crieff man
Games chat with the Queen
Crieff Highland Gathering stalwart Stevie Ryder has officially been awarded an MBE from Her Majesty the Queen.
Stevie Ryder MBE picked up the prestigious accolade from the Queen at Buckingham Palace at the annual awards on Tuesday, November 14, for his services to Highland Games, after an impressive 45 years at Crieff Highland Gathering.
On receiving the MBE, Mr Ryder said he was overwhelmed by the whole ceremony. He 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 in the past as well, and she remarked 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 the Queen 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 the 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 had 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 and see how it all works.”
Following on from last week’s ceremony at Buckingham Palace, Stevie celebrated his achievement with his wife by taking a bus tour of London and having some drinks out in the UK capital.
And since his return to Strathearn, Mr Ryder has been inundated with congratulations.
He said: “I have had a good few people saying well done - family and friends, and workmates, quite a lot of people!”
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.