Association looks at 2019 in review
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Turriff District Agricultural Association's annual general meeting was held in Baden Powell centre meeting rooms, Turriff where president Graeme Mackie, welcomed a large turnout of members to the Annual General Meeting held on the above date.
He gave a special welcome to David Minett of James Milne, Chartered Accountants.
The following office bearers were elected: - president Alan Gaul; senior vice-president, Kevin Gray; junior vice-president, David Allan; secretary / treasurer, Helen Paterson; honorary presidents, Dave Anderson, Ian Anderson, Zander Benzie, Pat Gaul, Alastair Gray, Kenneth Mair, Peter McKilligin, Wesley Simpson and Eric Stephen.
One new honorary president was elected - Les Duguid
The following were elected to the Management Committee to serve for a period of three years: – Elaine Campbell, Alistair Davidson, Bill Ewing, Charles Gill, Kim Livesey, Colin Mair, Scott McKilligin, Gary Morrison, Kath Munro, Andrew Rennie, Bill Stephen, Judith Taylor and Stuart Taylor
Immediate past president Graeme Mackie also serves for one year in terms of the Articles of the Association.
Seven first time members were appointed: - Katrina Adams, James Nelson-Shaw, Chris Powell, George Reid, Lisa Riddell, Olin Thores and Karen Watson.
In the first part of the secretary’s annual report Helen Paterson explained: “The Association year commenced with the Annual General Meeting held on December 5, 2018 when Graeme Mackie, Little Hilton, Turriff, was appointed president of the Association with, Alan Gaul, Little Whiterashes, Turriff, senior vice-president and Kevin Gray, Tillyfar, Turriff junior vice-president - Helen Paterson was also re-appointed as secretary/treasurer.
"The twenty-four members of the Association who had retired in 2017 were appointed to serve on the management committee for the next three years plus past president John Sleigh for one further year.
"There were one new honorary president appointed and this was Ian Hunter.
"Three first time members were appointed to the Management Committee viz, Oliver Pirie, Connor Thores and Robbie Wilson."
The Development Subcommittee has held five meetings to date and good discussions have taken place with some short and long-term goals put forward for the vision of the Show.
The Annual Dinner Dance was held at the Banff Springs Hotel, on Saturday, February 23 with a company of 200 enjoying the evening and dancing to ‘The Limit’, Dance Band.
Jane Craigie Marketing is to continue as the social media and marketing partner for the Association.
Showfield improvements to allow for the relocation of the new Food and Drink Marquee to what was the Codona hardstanding area next to the Ferguson Hall, a new hardstanding area was completed nearer to the Show car park boundary.
The corner area below the houses in St Congans Den used for storing the skips during the Show was also levelled, extended and tidied up
A new wastewater infrastructure was installed for the new Food and Drink Marquee.
New entry gates and road were made for utilising the new field for car parking facilities and to allow the tractors and trailers entry for collecting visitors to transport them to the Show.
A new Premium Sponsor’s outdoor trade stand area was created next to the main toilet block with the ringside seating being removed to be replaced with picnic tables at Show time, the area hardcored and new fencing erected to allow sponsors a superb stand space overlooking the main show ring to entertain their clients over the two days of the Show.
Ladies Day Event – Ladies Lunch saw another very successful Ladies Day event - ‘A Million Dreams’ held on Sunday, July 28 in the catering marquee organised by the president’s wife, Julie Mackie, senior vice-president’s sister, Gill Gaul, junior vice-president’s wife, Fiona Gray and their subcommittee.
300 ladies attended a fantastic afternoon with the proceeds raised donated to Mental Health Aberdeen.
An excellent company of 229 attended the Annual Dinner and Presentation of Trophies held on Friday, October 25 in the Banff Springs Hotel, Banff.
Pat Machray, Chairman of ONE (Opportunity North East) was the guest speaker and certainly entertained the guests well.
As Helen noted: "The Association now has an amazing 330 trophies with three new trophies kindly donated this year – Mackie Family Trophy for Champion Bluefaced Leicester Sheep – Crossing Type; The Saltire Trophy presented by the Blue Texel Sheep Society for Champion Blue Texel and Gordon Patterson Trophy for Champion Bantam in the Poultry Section."
Membership of the Association is now standing at 912 members.
She added: "On behalf of the Management Committee, I extend sincere thanks to all our loyal and new sponsors, exhibitors, stand holders, attending members, volunteers and show staff for their participation, valued support and hard work put in.
"I would also like to thank you all most sincerely for your fantastic and continued grateful support and also very special heartfelt thanks to Ronnie, all office staff and my family for their continuing invaluable help and assistance throughout the year.
"We all have one goal for going forward and that is to ensure Turriff Show continues to be the largest two-day Show in Scotland”.
A further in-depth analysis of the Turriff Show itself by the Association will be included in a forthcoming article on Grampian Online.
