Husband and wife team Dochy and Sylvia Ormiston are the recipients of this year’s Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) Sir William Young Award.
The award recognises exceptional contributions to the world of livestock breeding and celebrates the enduring legacy of the late Sir William Young, whose invaluable service to Scottish agriculture continues to inspire.
It was fitting that the couple – who have respectively overseen the Balmoral Highland cattle fold and Highland Pony stud since 2007 – were proudly presented with the award by HRH Princess Anne yesterday, alongside Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) chairman Jim Warnock.
The Highland cattle fold was founded in 1952 by the late Queen and now boasts 50 cows, plus followers.
With Dochy at the helm, these cattle have won numerous championships at leading events, including the Royal highland Show, and in addition to his role as trustee of the Highland Cattle Society, he actively contributes to the breed’s development committee.
He has also been a distinguished judge at events held throughout the UK and overseas.
With the encouragement of the late Queen, Sylvia took the helm of the Highland Pony stud in 2007, building upon its legacy since the registration of the first Balmoral Highland Pony in 1979.
The Balmoral stud has shown ponies over the years with much success showing in hand and under saddle.
The estate has won the harness class on many occasions at the Royal Highland Show and attend the event on almost every occasion.
Sylvia has faced and triumphed over adversity, notably navigating the loss of five ponies, including two breeding stallions to Equine Grass Sickness in 2017 and 2018.
This unfortunate event highlighted the importance of collecting and freezing stallion semen at a young age to mitigate potential future losses.
Sylvia’s contributions extend beyond breeding, as she collaborated with the support of the late Queen to develop a new style of working pony saddle and girth that is now widely used across other estates.
She is the current president of the Highland Pony Society and a renowned judge, and continues to leave an indelible mark in her field, inspiring and uplifting others along the way.
Upon receiving the award, Dochy, who was judging Highland ponies on the Thursday of the show said: “We are so delighted to be recognised for our contributions and remain committed to preserving and advancing these remarkable breeds.”
Sylvia added: “We are so passionate about the preservation and improvement of the Highland breeds, and it is an honour to be recognised in this way by RHASS and made all the more special to be presented with it by Princess Anne herself.”
