Popular ‘Flock to the Show’ sculptures being raffled for charity

The Flock to the Show trail took in the length and breadth of Scotland, including The Kelpies at Falkirk. Picture – supplied.

This year’s Royal Highland Show (RHS) featured the unmissable sheep sculptures that formed the popular Flock to the Show public art trail. And now people have the chance to win one or more of the prized tups – including The Scotsman’s much-loved “Woolly Thistle” – while doing their bit for charity.

The Flock to the Show campaign celebrated the return of the Golden Shears World Sheep Shearing & Woolhandling Championships to the RHS in June after an absence of 20 years. And now The Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) has decided to raffle some of their sheep sculptures from the trail.

There are 500 raffle tickets available for each sheep at a cost of £25 each. Funds raised will go to the RHASS Bicentennial Fund, which supports projects dedicated to sustainability in the rural sector.

And thanks to The Scotsman, anyone buying a raffle ticket will automatically get the chance to win “Woolly Thistle” as well.

Charity raffle offers chance to take home a sheep from the RHS’s popular art trail, including The Scotsman’s unique ‘Woolly Thistle.” Picture – supplied.

All people need to do is select and add their chosen sheep, and The Scotsman’s “Woolly Thistle” to their basket, then enter the code “SCOTSMANFLOCK” at checkout. You will then get two entries for the price of one!

The “Woolly Thistle” sheep, sponsored by The Scotsman, media partner to the RHS, was designed by artist Billy Hutchison. Billy graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in 2001 and lives and works as an artist and illustrator in Dundee.

The main inspiration for his sheep was the actual woolly thistle, a rare species of the plant with an unmistakable globular cotton woolly flower head. The “Woolly Thistle” sheep was designed to highlight the benefits eating locally brings to the wider economy.

Among the other sculptures in the raffle is “Doddie’s Sheep” which will see a minimum of £20 from the sale of each ticket donated to the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation – this sheep was decorated by Megan Reilly in the distinctive bright blue-and-yellow Doddie’5 tartan to celebrate the late, great Doddie Weir, Scottish international rugby legend.

The 38 fibreglass sculptures that formed the Flock to the Show public art trail were each decorated by local artists from across the UK in a range of striking designs. They travelled around Scotland earlier this year, before flocking home to the RHS in June.

Some of the sheep have already been purchased outright so won’t be available in the raffle, but the majority still need to find their forever homes.

The raffle for the sheep closes on Monday, 2 October and is open to residents of the UK only.

RHASS chairman, Jim Warnock, says: “The Flock to the Show campaign was a resounding success, bringing joy to people across the length and breadth of Scotland, and at the Royal Highland Show.

“We are delighted that our flock raised awareness of important issues in the agri sector, and they will continue to do good by being raffled off to raise funds for the RHASS Bicentennial Fund and the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.”

Jim Killough, commercial director at The Scotsman, adds: “We love working with RHASS to promote the RHS and the Flock to the Show campaign. As well as being fun and bringing joy to people who had a chance to see the sculptures, the Flock to the Show, including our very own ‘Woolly Thistle’, supports worthwhile causes.

“We’re pleased to be able to raffle ‘Woolly Thistle’ and hope lots of people will take the chance to win a sheep, or two.

“Some winners might even decide to donate a sheep to a local school or care home to brighten things up for others.”

Buy your Flock to the Show raffle tickets online at: www.royalhighlandshow.org/flock-to-the-show/flock-to-the-show-raffle