An annual Bothy Ballad competition which has run for the last 20 years took place over the weekend with artists from across Scotland turning out to battle for the right to be named champion.
The contest, in Turriff, offers a grand prize of entry into Elgin’s Bothy Ballads Championship next year – and yesterday the event’s organiser, Jackie Hepburn, announced the winner as Allan Taylor.
Mr Taylor, of Alford, won the coveted quaich with a humorous ballad based on farm life.
He will now have the winter to prepare another composition for Elgin’s show.
Mrs Hepburn, who is also Turriff Pipe Band’s secretary and treasurer, yesterday hailed the event as a success.
She said: “We had a tremendous turnout from the public which was great to see.
“We had nine competitors in all and about 100 people came out to see them.
“Allan sang a Bothy Ballad called Alford Cattle Show which won it for him.”
She added that it was good to see the tradition of bothy ballads carrying on.
“These events are localised up here, and the stories can be quite poignant about life as a servant, or observations about farming bosses or farming land,” he said.
“Some of them can be quite sad – like stories about courtships with a poorer man looking at the farmer’s daughter.
“There are some, though, that are quite funny. Alford Cattle Show is a humorous one.
“Bothy Ballads are mainly sung in the east coast, so it’s good to see events like this still going strong. It’s a fine fraternity between the people that compete.”
Marlene Lowe, from Strichen, had judged the competition.
The event also had a juniors section which was won by youngster Ellie Beaton from Rothienorman.
The 36th annual Elgin Bothy Ballads, which organised by the town’s Rotary, takes place on February 10.
Tickets are expected to go on sale at Elgin Library in January.