Twin Moray successes at rural awards
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A pair of students from Moray have fared well in a national awards night for the rural sector.
Brodie Linklater from Aberlour narrowly missed out on overall first place at Lantra Scotland’s ALBAS, held in Dunblaine and attended by over 230 people.
Meanwhile, Cameron Murray from Forres came second in his category.
The awards were presented following opening addresses by Mairi Gougeon, the Cabinet Secretary for rural affairs, and Cammy Wilson, an Ayrshire farmer who runs popular YouTube channel The Sheep Game.
Various categories included agriculture, aquaculture, equine, game and wildlife, horticulture, land-based engineering and trees and timber.
In additional to coming second overall, Brodie triumphed in the horticulture section.
Brodie has been doing a modern apprenticeship in the subject at UHI Moray, while working as an apprentice gardener at The Macallan Distillery.
She said: "It’s was a great evening. To be selected both as the overall runner-up and as the horticulture learner of the year is the best feeling.
"A big thanks to The Macallan and to UHI Moray for showing faith in me and providing an opportunity to begin my career in horticulture. I can’t wait for the next chapter."
Cameron, meanwhile, was runner-up in the trees and timber category.
The Forres local is doing an SVQ through the School of Forestry at UHI Inverness and has been working as an apprentice forester at Moray Estates.
All the finalists for the ALBAS – (Awards for Land-based and Aquaculture Skills) – were selected by an independent judging panel, chaired by Keith Paterson of Forestry and Land Scotland.
