SAYFC – back in action with passion, style and strength in epic Tug of War Finals
The grand final of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers (SAYFC) Tug of War competition held on Saturday at the Royal Highland Show, was another epic battle of passion, power and skill. Sponsored by Davidson & Robertson, the men’s event was won by Carluke YFC and the ladies’ competition was won by Brechin YFC.
It was 2019 when the last tug of war final was held at the Royal Highland Show, so there was a real buzz around the ring. Local rivals Carluke and Biggar YFC battled for the men’s title, with Carluke winning the final pull. In the ladies’ competition, it was Brechin YFC pulling against Carluke YFC, with Brechin taking victory for the first time in the competition.
The trophies were presented by Martin Hall, Senior Director at Davidson & Robertson who has sponsored the finals at the Royal Highland Show since 2018. Martin Hall said “What an occasion! It was so good to be back. As always, the ringside was packed with supporters and the vibrant team colours created a real spectacle from the start.
“Talking to the coaches it’s clear there is a huge amount of training and dedication, but on the day there are a lot of things that need to come together, like tactics, style, stamina, strength and resilience. #pullingfortheteam is the social hashtag we created for the event, it encapsulates the teamwork and the skills needed to win and is something that all the teams displayed. Congratulations go to all the teams for making the finals. Well done to the men’s team from Carluke and a huge congratulations to Brechin ladies for their first national win.”
Carluke YFC had plenty to celebrate – winning the men’s competition and coming second in the ladies’ event. The men’s team battled against Biggar in the final and won – as they did at the last Highland Show in 2019. There was no competition in 2020, and in 2021 the event took place at the SAYFC competitions day with Biggar taking the victory. Keen to reclaim the title, Carluke had the power and skill to pull through with a win. In third place were Callander YFC, and fourth were Bathgate JAC.
The Brechin YFC ladies team has reached the Royal Highland Show competition several times, but until this year, had never made the final. The club’s motto is ‘Be Bigger, Be Better, Be Brechin’, something that helped inspire them during practice. Coach Gordon Sang said “Some of the team have trained for years but never made it to the semi-finals, so it’s amazing to win here which is the pinnacle of the YFC year. We’ve a real mix of experience in the team, two (Katie Moore and Ashley Spark) have pulled for the Scottish team in the past, but for Jessica Simm, this is her first year in the competition. They’ve done the club proud.”
Ayr YFC ladies team were previous winners of the competition, they lost against Brechin ladies in the semi-finals. In the pull for 3rd and 4th place, Strathbogie JAC came third with Ayr taking 4th place.
Tug of War is a traditional sport with strong roots in rural communities and is one of the most exciting and energy-filled events at the Royal Highland Show. #pullingfortheteam. Follow on social media for more images and stories https://www.facebook.com/DRRural
Men’s winning team: Coach John Whiteford. Jamie Gibson, Adam Lindsay, John Goulding, Douglas Frame, Thomas Young, Jack Young
Ladies’ winning team: Coach Gordon Sang. Lindsay Nelson, Jessica Simm, Heather Duff, Matilda Allison, Ashley Spark, Katie Moore
Men’s TOW:
1st – Carluke YFC
2nd – Biggar YFC
3rd – Callander YFC
4th – Bathgate YFC A team
Other men’s finalists:
- Aberfeldy YFC
- Bathgate JAC B
- Crossroads YFC
- East Aberdeenshire
- Lanark YFC
- Strathearn JAC
Ladies TOW:
- 1st – Brechin YFC
- 2nd – Carluke YFC
- 3rd – Strathbogie JAC
- 4th – Ayr YFC
Other ladies finalists
- Aberfeldy YFC
- Biggar YFC
- Callandar YFC
- East Aberdeenshire
- Fife and Kinross District YFC – A
- Fife and Kinross District YFC – B
Davidson & Robertson is an innovative, energetic, and growing firm of Rural Surveyors & Consultants. Founded in 1891 we have offices in Ayr, Castle Douglas, Cockermouth, Edinburgh, Lanark, and Aberdeen, providing professional services to clients throughout Scotland and the North of England. www.drrural.co.uk
