There’s something unmistakably special about the GWCT Scottish Game Fair. The air at Scone Palace hums with the sound of pipes and the scent of heather; the chatter of old friends meeting again; the gleam of a well-worn gun and the wag of an eager spaniel’s tail.

This year’s fair was a celebration of everything that makes Scotland’s heritage unique: skill, community, competition, and above all, passion.

Tradition and Triumph: The Fred Taylor Memorial Competition

The ever-popular Fred Taylor Memorial Competition once again drew a crowd to watch some of Scotland’s finest working dogs in action. Across the moorland-inspired course, handlers demonstrated the quiet communication and instinct that define true fieldcraft.

After a fiercely contested final, Rob Mearns lifted the trophy for the Working Hill Poines — a performance that blended precision, patience, and partnership in perfect measure.

The Subaru Presents Kronch Four Nations Gundog Competition

If one event captures the spirit of camaraderie and friendly rivalry, it’s the Subaru Presents Kronch Four Nations Gundog Competition. The flags of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales fluttered proudly as the handlers stepped up, each dog reflecting countless hours of training and trust.

Friday – All Age Stakes

All Age Spaniels
🥇 Kim Stewart & Taykimoor Batman
🥈 Amanda Henry & Westwood Warrior
🥉 Kenny McMillian & Kingsmeadow Bumblebee

All Age Retrievers
🥇 Declan Boyle & Liskoney Heinsenberg
🥈 Kerr Taylor & Carnochway Glamis
🥉 Sarah Winter & Philchris Taranis Tain

Saturday – The Nations Take the Field

Saturday saw the nations go head-to-head. Cheers rose from the crowd as handlers took their marks in the sunshine.

Top Spaniel: Raymond Wilson & Clodahill Uimhir
Top Spaniel Team: England

Top Retriever: Tom Gold & Brocklinton Aero of Crawickwater
Top Retriever Team: Ireland

Overall Team Results
🥇 Ireland
🥈 England
🥉 Scotland
4️⃣ Wales

Sunday – Open Stakes

The competition closed with Sunday’s Open Spaniel and Open Retriever classes, where steady hands and level nerves made all the difference.

Open Spaniel
🥇 Eddie Scott
🥈 Debbie Mould
🥉 Arlene Deans

Open Retriever
🥇 Emma Watson Mack
🥈 Fraser Forbes

Casting for Glory: The BFCC Fly Casting Championship

Down by the water, the quiet rhythm of line and loop took centre stage in the BFCC Fly Casting Championship. The precision and grace of the competitors were a joy to watch, each cast a blend of physics, finesse, and a touch of poetry.

Male Winner: Jerome Savril-Mallard

  • Salmon Distance – 51m

  • Trout Distance – 34.5m

  • Accuracy – 63pts

Female Winner: Tracy Thompson

  • Salmon Distance – 42.5m

  • Trout Distance – 29m

  • Accuracy – 40pts

Junior Winner: Jack Gow

  • Salmon Distance – 37.5m

  • Trout Distance – 22.5m

  • Accuracy – 42pts

📊 You can find the full results table for the 2025 BFCC Fly Casting Championship here

Daily Casting Highlights

Across the weekend, daily competitions kept the crowd cheering. Whether young or seasoned, male or female, competitors gave it their all, and none more so than Suzy Steel, whose consistency across every discipline made her one of the fair’s true standouts.

Friday Highlights

  • Salmon Female Distance: Suzy Steel (26m)

  • Trout Male Distance: Bob Reid (19m)

  • Trout Female Distance: Suzy Steel (17m)

  • Trout Junior Distance: Thomas Boyes (23m), Finlay Stevenson (18m)

  • Trout Accuracy Male: Bob Reid (24pts)

  • Trout Accuracy Female: Suzy Steel (23pts)

Saturday Highlights

  • Salmon Male Distance: Iain Law (39.5m)

  • Salmon Female Distance: Suzy Steel (26.5m)

  • Salmon Junior Distance: Roan Law (31.5m)

  • Trout Male Distance: Iain Law (25m)

  • Trout Female Distance: Ashley Horsham (17.5m)

  • Trout Junior Distance: Roan Law (18m), Finlay Stevenson & Charlie Pickering (15m)

  • Trout Accuracy Male: David Van Deacon (54pts)

  • Trout Accuracy Female: Suzy Steel (22pts)

  • Trout Accuracy Junior: Roan Law (12pts), Charlie Pickering (9pts)

Sunday Highlights

  • Salmon Male Distance: Jake Gilchrist (38.5m)

  • Salmon Female Distance: Suzy Steel (30m)

  • Salmon Junior Distance: Charlie McKay (32.5m)

  • Trout Male Distance: Jake Gilchrist (36.5m)

  • Trout Female Distance: Suzy Steel (19.5m)

  • Trout Junior Distance: Jack Gow (24m), Charlie Pickering (12.5m)

  • Trout Accuracy Male: Connor Wales (49pts)

  • Trout Accuracy Female: Dawn Dixon (35pts)

  • Trout Accuracy Junior: Jack Gow (56pts)

When the last cast settled and the applause died down, Suzy Steel had well and truly “flown to the win”, a well-earned highlight of the weekend.

Precision and Pride: Shooting Sports

At the clay lines, the atmosphere was just as electric. With every pull of the trigger, a burst of orange met a puff of smoke against the Perthshire sky.

After a tense round of competition, Colin Noble hit his mark to claim victory in the Pool Shoot Competition, earning an incredible three-night stay at Drumlanrig Castle.

A Celebration of Scottish Heritage

As the sun dipped behind Scone Palace and the final cheers faded, the 2025 GWCT Scottish Game Fair left behind more than just trophies, it left a sense of pride. Pride in tradition, in community, and in the generations who keep Scotland’s sporting spirit alive.

From gundogs to game shots, fly casters to families, it was three days that captured the heart of country life, and reminded us why this fair remains one of the finest celebrations of rural Scotland.