OUR WORK IN SCOTLAND |
Grand grouse draw winners
Events
he lucky winner of the 2013 Grand Grouse Draw is Lindsay Marshall from Lockerley in Hampshire, a longstanding member of the Trust. Lindsay and eight friends look forward to the most exciting sport available as guests of Charles Connell on his glorious Garrogie and Stronelairg Estates in Inverness-shire, during September 2014. They will also enjoy bed and breakfast, lunch and tea at the nearby Whitebridge Hotel. The 2014 Grand Grouse Draw will be launched later this spring
Tayside auction
T
Winner of the 2012 Grand Draw, Ben Du Brow (holding brace) and guests enjoying their day on Robert Miller’s stunning Gunnerside moor in Swaledale.
with a top prize of a day’s grouse shooting on Clune and Corrybrough Estate, Tomatin
up for grabs. For more details please contact Hugo Straker at hstraker@gwct.org.uk
Capercaillie wins art competition erth Museum and Art Gallery was the perfect surroundings for the official prize-giving for the GWCT Scotland Schools’ Art Competition in December. Now in its ninth year, 2013 was the first time that the competition was opened up to secondary pupils and the judges were incredibly impressed with the standard of entries. Ross Smith of Blackford School scooped the overall primary school top prize with his vibrant study of a capercaillie and won the coveted Michael Wolfe Murray (Above) Ross Smith’s Quaich, while Brooke Watson of Perth High School claimed winning study of a capercaillie. the top spot in the secondary category with an intricate pencil study of a pheasant. Brooke was awarded an engraved Brooke Watson’s glass trophy and both winners also received a fun-packed intricate pencil day at Living Well at the Hilton Dunkeld House to include a study of mini Highland Games for their whole class. a pheasant.
P
Trust (RHET). Letham Primary School from Perth enjoyed a morning with the farm manager, Brian Kaye; gamekeeper Neil Gunn; GWCT’s Alex Towns and RHET’s Anna Dickinson. The team described Beyond the farm gate allows urban school children to trapping techniques, experience a working farm. pond creation and uses, game crops and forestry before Neil demonstrated the work of his gundogs. The children also visited
R
www.gwct.org.uk/scotland
Many novel auction lots including a day tracking red grouse helped raise £20,000.
South-east drinks
Cool for school edmyre Estate near Dundee was the venue for another successful ‘Beyond the Farm Gate’ school visit, organised by the GWCT and the Royal Highland Education
ANOTHER EXCELLENT EVENING was held at the Strathmore Golf Centre, Alyth, when the Tayside Committee staged its auction and carvery supper at the beginning of November. A full house enjoyed the banter with rookie auctioneer Ross Fotheringham, who encouraged guests to up the bids to realise almost £20,000 on the night. Top-selling lots included an eight-gun day on five Scottish estates (£4,200), a mini driven day on Scone Estate (£3,500) and more novel opportunities such as a house on Diary For a full list of Tiree for a week and Scottish events a day with a GWCT taking place near you please see researcher tracking page 46 red grouse. Sincere thanks to sponsors Savills, Thorntons and United Auctions.
the squirrel hide and enjoyed a tractor and trailer ride round the estate to see various game conservation features and resident wildlife. The morning was warmly received and allowed urban school children the opportunity to experience first-hand some aspects of rural management. We will be continuing our school visits this year and will have educational exhibits at the Royal Highland Show (1922 June) and our own Scottish Game Fair (4-6 July).
THE SOUTH-EAST committee held its annual drinks party, raffle and auction at Oxenfoord Castle in late October. The evening included a range of exciting activities such as laser shooting, rolling for a gallon of whisky and sampling delicious Loch Fyne salmon and artisan pies supplied by Mr C’s Hand Crafted Pies of Newburgh. The Demijohn liquid deli from Edinburgh was also on hand to help guests select a festive tipple along with Broughton Ales. The auction and superb raffle raised just short of £4,000. The evening was generously supported by Savills, Rathbones and Gillespie MacAndrew.
GAMEWISE • SPRING 2014 | 29