Highland Perthshire - Comment

The winning team in the inaugural Golf Challenge played over the Blair Atholl golf course on 25 September was Cowan’s Cowboys from Taymouth Castle.
Eleven teams teed off in a shotgun start at 9.30am and enjoyed conditions ideal for quality play on a very well presented course.
Prizes were awarded to the top three teams rated on the basis of the two best Stableford scores on each hole. Additional prizes were awarded for individual performances on selected holes. Prizes were presented by Mrs Lavinia Gordon of Lude Estate.

Team Prizes:
First: Cowans Cowboys, Taymouth Castle - Winners of the Atholl Quaich
Second: Captain’s Choice, Blair Atholl
Third: Fraser Construction, Strathtay

Individual Prizes:
The Highest Net Individual Stableford Score: Michael Bloice
Nearest the pin on the 4th/13th holes men: John Cowie
Nearest the pin on the 4th/13th holes ladies: Gwen Beaton
Longest drive on the 1st/10th holes ladies: Jane Scott
Longest drive on the 9th/18th hole men: T. Brown
Nearest the pin with the second shot on the 7th/ 16th men: Andrew Wyllie
Nearest the pin with the second shot on the 6th/15th ladies: Cathy Sutherland
Valuable support for the event was provided by a number of local businesses. The Blair Atholl Golf Challenge is an initiative of the Blair Atholl Area Tourism Association (BAATA) and the Blair Atholl Golf Club.

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, MSP John Swinney, took part in the Pitlochry 10K run on Sunday 27 September.
Part of the Highland Race Series, which also includes the Middle Distance Triathlon, the race started outside Fishers Hotel and took a route past the Faskally Wood and the Garry Bridge and across the Garry River.
The MSP completed the course in a time of 63 minutes.
The event was organised both for both and their family, with a bouncy castle for children provided.
Afterwards the MSP said: “This was a great event for participants, families and spectators alike. It was very well organised and tribute must be paid to all those involved.
“It is important to encourage healthy living these days and I therefore felt that I would do my bit by taking part”.
He added: “I hope that next year’s event will be as successful as this one.”

Glendelvine Cricket Club (based at Spittalfield near Dunkeld) clinched the Strathmore and Perthshire Division 3 title on Saturday 6 September with an emphatic win over Cupar.
A strong Cupar line up batting first made 136 for 6, but Glendelvine - needing a win to take the title - held their nerve and took the honours with a solid reply of 138 for 4.

Tribute to Youth
The Highland Perthshire side’s triumph is made all the more remarkable by the fact that seven of the side are all aged Under 19 (see picture ahere of the youngsters’ celebrations after the match).
Steve Tait, Vice Captain and Junior Convener said: “All the boys have come through the Highland Perthshire Sports Trust’s Junior Cricket Coaching Programme led by Andrew Lawson.
“This Championship win is a fitting tribute to all the long hours of practice put in by the boys under the expert eye of Lawsy”.

Re-Energised
Bill Colley, the Glendelvine Club Secretary, echoed these comments by stating: “We highly value our partnership with the Highland Perthshire Sports Trust. The Club has been re-energised by the emergence of so many young players. It bodes very well for the future”.
Robin Yellowlees, Director and Secretary of the Highland Perthshire Sports Trust, observed: “Some of our coaching programmes - particularly football - can produce instant success. But cricket being a very technical game it has taken a few years for the fruition of our coaching programme to start bearing fruit.
“It is very rewarding to see so many young players coming through at Glendelvine and that is a real credit to the ethos and strategy of the club. They are setting a fine example to other clubs in Perthshire’.

The Perthshire Highland Games season ended at Pitlochry Highland Games, with Stuart Anderson and Lorne Colthart both breaking ground records.
Stuart increased his own Weight for Distance record to 68’1” whilst nineteen year old Lorne’s Putt of 45’ 9 ½” broke Michael Simpson’s 9 year old record by over 3’. Lorne also narrowly missed out on breaking the long standing Hammer record set in 1970 by Donald Ross.
Pitlochry also saw the culmination of the season’s competitions with the Heavy events, Highland Dancing and Junior Piping Leagues being finalised. There were new winners in all Leagues except the Junior Heavy events.

Winners
Donald Riddel of sponsors Highland Safaris presented the Heavy events League winners with medals and cheques as follows:
1st Stuart Anderson, Killin (£500); 2nd Lorne Colthart, Blair Atholl (£375); 3rd Pete Hart, Glenisla (£250); 4th David Colthart, Blair Atholl (£150); 5th Jamie Thexton, Bridge of Gaur (£75) ; 6th David Colthart Jnr, Blair Atholl (£50).
Junior League; 1st Lorne Colthart (£80); 2nd David Colthart Jnr (£60); 3rd Grant Watson, Alyth (£50); 4th David Bridge, Bridge of Cally (£40).

Dancing League

Winning the Dancing League for the first time was Isla Bendall, Crieff (£200); 2nd Jillian Kennedy, Aberfeldy (£150), 3rd Melissa Collins, Blairgowrie (£100), 4th Ailidh Lang, Callander (£80); 5th Lyndsey Douglas, Birnam (£60); 6th Rachel McLagan, Blairgowrie (£50).
In the Junior Piping, Connor Sinclair of Crieff took the first prize of £150, from second placed George Stewart, Perth (£100) and Alex Duncan, Burrelton in third place who won £50.

Sportsmatch

The sportsmatch award, which Perthshire Highland Games Association received at the start of the year, has allowed many school-age athletes the opportunity to take part in Highland Games throwing sessions. Breadalbane Academy, Aberfeldy and Crieff Scouts were two of the groups involved. Two competitions were also held for under 14 and under 16 boys and girls at Kenmore and Pitlochry Highland Games.

The Perthshire Highland Games Association warmely thanks its sponsors, supporters and competitors for all their support this year.

by Jean Robertson

On Saturday 18 September Breadalbane Football Club welcomed first division rivals Alyth to mark the opening of the new pitch redevelopment and changing facilities. These improvements were funded by a £66,000 grant from SportScotland under the Cashback for Communities scheme which sees the proceeds from crime redistributed and put to better use.

On a stunning new playing surface and in new strips donated by overseas local, Kevin Ross of Adidas USA, the team showed a spirited fightback from two nil down against the Alyth visitors to end the match 2-2. This ensured they remained unbeaten in the league as well gaining the approval of a packed crowd which included former players Alec Dewar, Danny Rioch, Ian Mathews and Billy Mackie who had all helped out with the opening ceremonies.

Culmination Event
The day itself was the culmination of the tremendous hard work and by the various volunteers, ground-staff, contractors, coaches and committees. With the sun shining, a great turn out of both young and old enjoyed a car boot sale, bouncy inflatables, face-painting, tombola, raffle and a mountain of home baking all of which helped raise £1,283 which will go towards re-surfacing the car park.
The much-needed increase in changing capacity and creation of a brand new 7-a-side pitch was required for the club’s flourishing youth section Breadalbane /Strathtay Youth FC which now has seven boys and girls teams playing across various age groups.
The importance of the role that a strong community sports club has to play in a rural town like Aberfeldy cannot be underestimated and the day itself was so well supported that plans are already being made to make it a regular annual event.
A vote of thanks goes to Sportscotland, the committees of both clubs and all the following that helped make the day possible, Marlene Robertson, Joan Veitch, Michelle Jamieson, Ros Graham, Hazel Butters, Louise Smith, Val and Erin Ross, Pat Menzies, Kirsty Black, Kenny Robertson, Alan Ross and Fred B. Apologies to anyone overlooked.

Gavin Price