20th fair was game for fun

Jul 8 2008

20th fair was game for fun

THE Scottish Game Fair this year celebrated its 20th anniversary. It has become the biggest event of its kind, and brings an estimated 40,000 visitors to Perthshire over the three-day period.

Organised by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust in Scotland, the aims of the Scone Palace event are three-fold: to illustrate the importance of game and its conservation to the Scottish countryside; offer the public and enjoyable and educational day out; and raise funds for further research.

The Trust is the leading game and wildlife conservation charity in the UK, conducting more than 50 wide-ranging scientific projects, working with other conservation, rural and environmental agencies and universities.

The big attractions at this year’s three-day event were Les Trompes de la Cottenciniere and the 1st battalion 42nd Highland Regiment of Foot 1815 (the Black Watch).

Les Trompes de la Cottenciniere from France are a group of friends, all ‘sonneurs’ from Trompes de Chasse equipes who came together for 2008’s fair.

Trompes de Chasse has for centuries been the means of communicating on the hunting field in France, and sonneurs have to know as many as 200 calls to send messages.

The 42nd Highland Regiment of Foot 1815 is a re-enactment group who dress and live (while on duty) as authentically as if they were on operations at the Battle of Waterloo.

At the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust stand visitors could view black grouse and partridge through one-way glass, and learn about the conservation work with them.