The outstanding contribution of sporting estates, game dealers, gamekeepers and ghillies in Scotland has been marked at the inaugural Scottish Game Awards.
At the Scottish Game Fair at Scone, a host of award winners and commendations were announced across four highly competitive categories.
Fishing Beat of the Year - Bemersyde Fishing, River Tweed
Director of moorland at Scottish Land & Estates, Ross Ewing, said: “The breadth and quality of nominations for the debut Scottish Game Awards was outstanding and it was a really difficult choice for the judging panel when it came to selecting the overall winners.
“My congratulations go to the County Food Trust, Glenogil Estate and Game Conservancy Deutschland, Auchnafree Estate and Bemersyde Fishing, as well as all the other highly commended finalists and those who made the shortlist.
MORE NEWS | Co-op and British farmers join forces to boost sustainability
Game Champion of the Year - Country Food Trust
“We wanted the Scottish Game Awards to provide a platform for celebrating the fantastic social, economic and environmental contribution of those involved in country sports and those who have entered and won awards can be proud of what they are achieving on a daily basis.”
Director Scotland at GWCT Scotland, Rory Kennedy, said: "Scotland’s estate owners, land managers, gamekeepers, and ghillies demonstrate a deep dedication to conservation and sustainability, fostering a thriving diversity of flora and fauna across hills, moorlands, and waterways. We are pleased the Scottish Game Awards is celebrating these endeavours and a huge well done goes to all who received richly deserved awards.”
MORE NEWS | Wide variability in farmland prices as supply rises
Gamekeeping Team of the Year - Auchnafree Estate, Perthshire – Richard Malseed and Max John
National engagement manager at Scotland’s Regional Moorland Groups, Mark Ewart, said: “In many rural areas, gamekeepers and land managers, along with the estates they manage, are crucial to the community fabric— something well understood locally but perhaps not as much on a national scale. The work being undertaken by nominees and by the award winners is hugely important in supporting rural Scotland, its communities, economies and environment and we are delighted that the Scottish Game Awards has provided this recognition.”
The newly crowned winners are:
Game Champion of the Year - Country Food Trust
Conservation and Sustainability in Sporting Award - Glenogil Estate and Game Conservancy Deutschland Partnership
Gamekeeping Team of the Year - Auchnafree Estate, Perthshire – Richard Malseed and Max John
Fishing Beat of the Year- Bemersyde Fishing, River Tweed
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here