West Ardnamurchan Show & Sports

There was a huge turnout today for West Ardnamurchan's annual Show and Sports Day, with the ferry from Tobermory packed with people coming across to take part.  We've had some grey weather recently, but today's was perfect, with wall-to-wall sunshine, this year's highest temperature (28C), and a breeze to keep everyone cool.

It's primarily a day for the children, and the turnout for the races was high, with every event fiercely competed.  There was a bouncy castle for them to enjoy and, for the more adventurous, a structure - seen in the top picture - for them to climb down.

The serious business of the day took place in the morning, with all classes in the livestock show well represented.  The attention that each beast gets just before they're released in front of the judge is intense: no model about to walk out onto the catwalk is more combed and preened and made-up than these sheep.

The overall winner was Angus-John Cameron with this fine backface gimmer.  When pressed, he said that she did have a name, Mrs Portuairk.  Well done, Mrs Portuairk!

The show went like clockwork, mainly due to the weeks of preparation which have gone in to all the events, and to the hard work of those working in the nerve centre of the operation.

As always, please spare a thought for those who worked so hard behind the scenes to make this event such a success.  Mr Richard O'Connor is seen here trying to work the till at the berger and hot drinks stall.  It turned out that the machine was broken.  Such is life.