Four rural trainees from the north have been recognised at Lantra Scotland’s Awards for Land-based and Aquaculture Skills (ALBAS).
More than 200 finalists, event supporters, employers, training providers and industry leaders attended an award ceremony at Crieff Hydro Hotel, including Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity Jim Fairlie.
The winners and runners-up were chosen by an independent judging panel made up of influential figures from across the land-based and aquaculture sector.
Katrina Coutts from Wethersta in Shetland won the Higher Education Award at HND level and was one of three to win a prestigious Council for Awards of Agricultural Societies Award.
She completed her HND in Agriculture at SRUC Oatridge while working as a Livestock Yardsman for Shetland Livestock Marketing Group.
The winner of the Land-based Engineering category was Reece Houston from Strathpeffer.
Reece completed his SVQ in Land-based Engineering Agricultural Machinery at SRUC Oatridge while working as an apprentice for Philip Scott at Ravenhill, Dingwall.
Runner-up for Land-based Engineering was Spencer Johnson from Shetland.
Spencer is doing his Apprenticeship in land-based engineering at SRUC Oatridge and UHI Shetland while working as an apprentice engineer at Braewick Agricultural Services in Eshaness, Shetland.
Colin MacDonald from Acharacle in Argyll was runner-up in the Agriculture Learner of the Year category.
He completed a modern apprenticeship in agriculture while working as an apprentice stockman at Bragleenmore Farm in Kilninver, Argyll.
Agriculture minister Jim Fairlie said: “It was great to witness all the hard work of the winners and nominees acknowledged by these awards. The breadth of skills across all aspects of our land-based and aquaculture sectors is truly impressive and absolutely vital to continuing to support and celebrate rural life in Scotland.
“Like many of those here tonight, I knew from an early age that my interest lay in livestock farming and working on the land, and it is a passion that has stayed with me.
“None of my family wanted to follow on, which can quite often be the case, and that’s what makes this event so special. I hope that this recognition for all nominees and winners continues to inspire them to make their lives, raise their families and build their careers in rural Scotland, helping our rural and island communities to thrive in the future.”
