One of the main agricultural events in the north of Scotland – the Royal Northern Spring Show – has been given the green light to go ahead in March.
The show, organised by the Royal Northern Agricultural Society (RNAS), will take place at ANM Group’s Thainstone Centre, near Inverurie, on Wednesday March 2.
It fell victim to Covid-19 in 2021, like most agricultural events across Scotland, however organisers hope to go ahead with this year’s event in full.
“We were the last show to take place in 2020 and will be the first in 2022,” said RNAS secretary, Alison Argo.
“You may have to show your vaccination status or have evidence of a negative lateral flow within the 24 hours before [to attend]; we will be following government guidelines.”
She said entries for the show will remain open until the beginning of next week and full details are online at rnas.org.uk
The event will feature a range of competitions including shows for cattle, sheep and horses, and awards for the best cereal, silage, trade stand and Young Farmers exhibits.
The pedigree bull show will be judged by well-known Orkney cattleman Liam Muir, while the task of assessing the exhibition cattle entries has been put in the hands of David Blair from Newport on Tay.
Carcase cattle on the hoof will be judged by Alistair Mitchell, while entries on the hook will be assessed by Jim Holden from Colne, Lancashire.
Mr Holden will also judge prime hoggs on the hook, with the entries on the hoof will be judged by Jim Hunter from Huntly, and the breeding sheep show judge is Jonnie Campbell from Thurso.
The cereals contest will be judged by Alyn Bridgeford from Ellon, while Angus Jacobsen from Kinneff will judge roots and John Shand from Clochan will judge silage and hay.
Judges for the horse and ponies section include: John Graham from Stirling for Clydsedales; Ken Adam from Alloa for Shetland Ponies; Hugh Duncan from Turriff for Highland Ponies; Richard Telford from Ayton Castle Stables in the Scottish Borders for the Mountain & Moorland and Light Horses & Ponies sections; Nicola Craigen from Durno, Inverurie, for the Ride & Drive section; and Nicola McLean from Keith for the Broken Coloured Ponies & Horses and young handlers sections.
The overall judge for the horse and ponies section is George Skinner from Pitcaple, Inverurie.