The crooks and sticks competition is always a riot of colourful rosettes in the corner of the handcrafts marquee. Taking the most coveted red rosette this year was Murray James Playfair’s stick, made using a coloured buffalo horn on a hazel shank.
He said: “The coloured water buffalo horn is quite rare, I was given it by a friend. The hazel came from the Lake District. There’s not much colour in it, but it has turned out really nice.
“It’s hard to quantify how long it takes to make a stick, but I guess it would be around 20-30 hours. I’ve shown this stick at Ayr Show with no joy, but at the end of the day, it’s the judges’ preference on the day that matters.”
Murray, from Kelso, is one of the younger exhibitors in the stick competition, at 38-years-old, he is a tutor at Morebattle Stick Club and is Chairman of Teviotdale Stick Makers.
“I’m really pleased to have won. The Highland Show is a prestigious show, and this stick will now go on to be entered in the Best in Scotland competition.”
Best Shepherd’s crook, walking stick or piece of woodwork (or reserve overall) was won by Ian McConchie.
Ian, originally from near Gatehouse of Fleet, and now in Alva, is an old hand at exhibiting at The Highland Show and has picked up some red rosettes in the past, but he is delighted to be reserve overall with his one-piece hazel head crook.
It is a plain headed crook made from one piece of wood, crafted over around 15 hours. Working on crooks is purely a hobby for Ian now that he has retired from farming. “I went to some night classes in Dalbeattie to get the basics, but I think the best way to learn is to enter your crooks into a good competition and see the standards.
“This year’s stick and crooks competition is a really high standard, which is great to see. I’m really pleased to have my crook do so well. I put in seven sticks and got a couple of firsts, two seconds and some thirds. I’m delighted with the result.”
Best four sticks in competition
Eddy Forster from County Durham is ‘Over the moon’ to have picked up the top prize for the best set of four crooks and sticks, consisting of one horn crook, one wood crook, one horn crook and one wood stick.
A hobby that started 12 years ago, he shows locally at up to 15 shows, but this is the first time he has shown at The Highland. “I’ve always wanted to show at the Highland, it’s one of the best shows for quality. My friend said he would take my sticks up for me. I entered nine sticks and got nine prizes, so I’m delighted.
Best exhibit in handweaving, knitting or crooks from Scottish Crofting Counties was won by Nick Day.
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