The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) has appointed a group from the Stirling region as its presidential team for 2023/24.
Each year, the society selects one of its member regions across Scotland to lead the presidential team and promote and showcase all their region has to offer as well as the Royal Highland Show.
This year’s president is Robin Gray, who will serve for one year alongside four vice-presidents – Alistair Donaldson OBE (FRAgs), Maimie Paterson, Alastair Logan and James McLaren, with Reverend Gary J McIntyre, returning as Chaplain.
Mr Gray is a successful businessman and entrepreneur and at just the age of 23, after working on a dairy farm for five years, set up a business specialising in the transportation of agricultural goods.
The H&R Gray brand has now grown to employ over 140 staff in the Stirling area and more recently, added an Ifor Williams trailer business based at United Auctions.
He is still heavily involved in the day to day running of the family farm.
Alistair Donaldson brings a wealth of experience from the meat and agriculture industry, having spent 30 years at the Meat and Livestock Commission, latterly as managing director.
Thereafter, he was appointed Technical Director of the newly-formed QMS, and on retirement became, Executive Manager of The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers.
Maimie Paterson is a well-known figure in the area, hailing from Auchenblay, near Dunblane, home to a successful British Blue herd which run alongside Charollais, Beltex and cross-bred ewes.
She is a council member of the British Blue cattle Society and vice chair of NSA Scotland.
Alistair Logan, recently retired from auctioneering after 44 years with Caledonian Marts, and has been long associated with the show, as well as auctioneer at many charity events for over 25 years.
Meanwhile, James McLaren, farms a 550-acre mixed beef and sheep unit at Murrayshall Farm, and served as a director of the society for 14 years, becoming chief steward of the main ring.
He has also sat on the Stirling Show committee for 35 years.
Jim Warnock, RHASS chairman said: “The RHASS team is pleased to welcome our new Presidential Team for the 2023/24 session, who will act as ambassadors of the Stirling region and all it has to offer – as a Stirlingshire man myself, I know all too well the amazing farming heritage of this beautiful region.
“It will be exciting to see what the team has in store to exhibit the region, not only at the Royal Highland Show next year, but in the months leading up to the event. It will be important in shining a spotlight on both the show and the Stirling area at large.”
