businesses, from blacksmiths and butchers to saddlers and suppliers reliant on the farm industry could be found in every village. Now, when many farms have grown bigger and machinery has replaced people as the dominant work force, the annual shows remain the highlight of the year for many communities and are even more popular than ever. From the Gargunnock Show near Stirling, which was founded in 1794, to the Lairg Crofters Show in Sutherland thousands of people flock to these and many others across the country each year to take part in a celebration of rural life. Events such as The Highland Show in Edinburgh, Turriff in Aberdeenshire and The Black Isle show near Inverness are mainstays of the agricultural calendar. “My family has been attending the Turriff show for more than 150
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years,” said Paul Keith, a 52-yearold accountant who now lives in London but makes the trip home to Aberdeenshire every year for the show. “My grandfather used to work a farm
in the North East, as did his father and grandfather. Ever since I can remember I have always gone to the Turriff show. I was born in the North East of Scotland but even though I have lived in England for the last 35 years I have only missed about half a