WITH its long horns and tousled auburn coat adorning many a shortbread tin, the hairy Highland cow is one of the most distinctive and enduring symbols of rural Scotland, and amid all today’s talk of wilderness, it is an apt reminder that this is also proud farming country, a fact that villages and towns throughout the region celebrate with a summer fixture, the Agricultural Show.
These events are the much-anticipated forum for serious farmers to show off their carefully bred and reared livestock, from those Highland bulls and heifers, to sheep, poultry, and even llamas, in the hope of winning prizes that are far more about reputation than reward. They are also a much anticipated social occasion, bringing together visitors and residents of all ages.