The next generation of country sports enthusiasts showed off their skills at the Scottish Game Fair by tackling the Junior McNab Challenge.
Dozens of youngsters took part in the challenge, where they had the opportunity to hunt, fish and shoot. The country sports sector continues to place more emphasis on the future and 2018 is the Year of Young People in Scotland. Rural communities are therefore celebrating increasing participation by women and young people. Increasing numbers of young people are learning to shoot, training as gamekeepers and taking up seasonal jobs as beaters and pickers-up.
Tim Baynes, Director of the Scottish Moorland Group, said: “Interest in careers in gamekeeping is at an all time high and the course offered by Scotland’s Rural College and the University of the Highlands and Islands, among others, have three times the number of applicants for every available place.This is great news for the future. Gamekeepers today are highly trained professionals and young people who train as gamekeepers or ghillies can look forward to a career in a dynamic and progressive sector.”
“The economic benefits of country sports are well established, not just for sporting estates but also for associated rural businesses such as hotels, restaurants and pubs. This year we wanted to showcase how the next generation are developing the skills and expertise to take the sector forward.”
Comments are closed