College scoops overall winner at LANTRA awards

14th March 2015

Students and staff at the North Highland College UHI are delighted after attending the annual LANTRA awards ceremony last week in the Dunblane Hydro Hotel. Gamekeeping modern apprentice Callum Low and NC Gamekeeping with Wildlife Management student Mary Bowman both were both nominated for Game and Wildlife Learner of the Year award. Callum was awarded Overall Winner, Modern Apprentice of the Year and Game and Wildlife learner of the Year and Mary, runner up Game and Wildlife Learner and CARAS award winner.

Callum has recently completed a modern apprenticeship Level 2 in Gamekeeping at the North Highland College UHI whilst working at Invermark estate in Angus. On receiving the awards at the LANTRA ceremony Callum said, "I am delighted to win this award. It is an honour and culminates what has been a challenging but very rewarding year for me working as a gamekeeping apprentice at Invermark Estate. I would like to thank my employers Lord Dalhousie, for giving me this opportunity as well as my tutors and mentors at North Highland College UHI. I believe that winning this award will give me the recognition I need to go on and succeed in my chosen profession."

David Olds, Gamekeeping lecturer at the North Highland College UHI commented on Callum's success said "Callum is an exceptionally talented gamekeeping apprentice, and thoroughly deserves taking top spot this evening. We put his name forward for this award not only because of his raw talent, but because he has shown a responsibility, maturity and a level of leadership beyond his years. Callum is an excellent role model for young people coming into the profession and we all wish him the very best for the future."

There was a double celebration as Mary Bowman from Ballatar took home one of the prestigious CARAS awards and runner up Game and Wildlife Learner of the Year. The Council for Awards of Royal Agricultural Societies (CARAS) was established in 1983 by the UK's four national agricultural societies, including the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland, to recognise distinguished achievement in agriculture and related land-based industries.

Ray Jones, panel judge and former chairman of Scotland Food and Drink said “Winning a prize in the Land based and Aquaculture of the Year Awards puts a person in the best of the best category, so is an achievement they can be proud of for the rest of their life.”

Main sponsor Craig Anderson, managing director at The Scottish Salmon Company, commented “As the main sponsor of the awards we are pleased to see such strong talent and promise among all of the finalists. Congratulations to all involved for their hard work and, of course, well done to our overall winner Callum Low.”

Gamekeeping, vet nursing and equestrian students all study at the North Highland College's Rural Studies Centre - a purpose built facility for the land based industry. The centre was marked officially open by HRH Prince Charles last year and the campus has since welcomed numerous visitors on campus tours from around Scotland. Campus tours can be booked at the North Highland College UHI's website or by calling 01847 889000.