O'Neill Surf Academy

The O'Neill Surf Academy rolled into Caithness for the first ever time today (Wed) and set up camp at Dunnet beach.  40 kids enjoyed free tuition from some of the world's best surfers.  The surf boards and wet suits were loaned out for free, along with free lunch, souvenir T Shirts and a classy certificate at the end of the day.

Local surfers Andy Bain, Thurso, Ali Coghill, Thurso and Rick Willmatt, Melvich, joined up with Sam Lamiroy, Newcastle and 4 top class surfers from Santa Cruz, California, to give the tuition.

Classes continue tomorrow before the O'Neill team travel to Fraserburgh (in their huge artic lorry) on Friday.  They have already been to Holland, Belgium and the South of France, where it was slightly warmer than Dunnet!

The whole set up was very impressive and all the kids were up and surfing by the end of the day.  Even the sun started to shine for the last hour.

CLIC Sargent Charity Zip Slide

The charity zip slide for CLIC Sargent was staged at Wick river on Saturday.  Many thousands of pounds were raised for children with cancer.

Colin Gregory and Duncan McLachlan kindly stood in at the last minute to take photos of the daredevils.  Colin was on from 10 am to 1pm and Duncan was on from 1pm to 4pm. Their photos will be uploaded to my gallery section and anyone can have free digital copies of their pic.  Just e-mail me with the reference number (e.g. batch name - No 2 of 48) and I will reply back with the pic attached.

If you want prints, they are available at half price plus P&P.  The order form can be downloaded from my website's contact page.

Sutherland Show 2

Another batch of pics from the Dornoch Show yesterday.

1st Pic -  Ridden champion Diane Ross, judge Fiona Ross and reserve ridden champion Sarah-Jane Ross
2nd pic - In hand reserve champion - Karen Mowat
3rd pic - shetland junior reserve champion - the Campbell's, Calder
4th pic - The McCarthy youngsters wait for the pony games to start
5th pic - The Bissett's Clydesdale
6th pic - Ewen & Lisa Kennedy 3rd in lead rein
7th pic - shetland reserve champion J & R Swan
last pic - lead rein champions Holly & Alex Henderson

My pics of the main horse winners were sent to the P&J, Northern Times, Ross-Shire Journal and the John O'Groat Journal/Caithness Courier.

Sutherland County Show

The horse entry at the Sutherland County Show held today, was huge.  The horse classes started at 10am and ended at 8pm! I left at 5.15pm when the ridden championship finished and the working hunters  were only on their 2nd class.

The ridden champion and supreme light legged horse champion was Diane Ross, Janetstown, on her 6 year old Irish Cob, Kingston (1st pic).  It is Diane's first championship.

2nd pic - In hand champion Hazel McIvor, Black Isle, with Larchspor General.

3rd pic - Driving champions Mary Edmundson, Mey & Jane Renshaw, Scotscalder, with Gypsy Rose Lee

4th pic - Miniature shetland champion and shetland stallion champion, W&K Campbell, Calder, with Rashiburn JR

5th pic - Clydesdale champion and overall heavy horse champion Eric Johnstone, Muir of Ord, with Ord Independent

6th pic - Overall shetland champion J & R Swan, Conon Bridge, with Stow Eliza Jane

7th pic - Highland Pony ridden champion Derry Argue/ A Holland, Tain, with Josephdene

8th pic - reserve highland champion Anne Mightens, Dingwall with Deerdyke Dawn Rose, ridden by Katie Common, Easter Kinkell. Highland in-hand champion and overall highland pony champion, Lianna Ballingall, Dingwall with Highfield Ben Cleuch.

last pic - Overall sheep champion Campbell, Bardnaclavan, with 2 year old texel Callerton Opel

Halkirk vs Pentland Utd

Halkirk beat Pentland Utd 3-1 tonight at the Recreation Park.  Garry MacLeod opened the scoring with a penalty (1st pic) for Utd.  Gavin Bremner scored two great free kicks (2nd pic shows his second goal) and Paul MacKay cooly rounded Michael Gray to score a late 3rd goal (3rd pic).

This rare win over the Stabs eases Halkirk's relegation worries and puts the pressure on Swifts.

Catch all the latest league results on the Caithness AFA website:

http://www.caithnessafa.co.uk/

Caithness Festival of Cycling

Caithness Cycling Club staged the annual Festival of Cycling weekend with a 25 mile time trial on Saturday, a 10 mile TT on Sunday morning and an 11 mile Hilly TT on Sunday afternoon. 

A large entry of around 30 riders from all over Scotland competed. Once again Peter Alexander from Moray Firth Cycling Club won everything (3rd pic).  Local riders Lorna Stanger (2nd pic) and Alasdair Washington (1st pic) did exteremely well to win their respective classes.  All the results are on the website;

http://www.caithnesscc.co.uk/Archives/2010/July%20Racing%20Weekend/july_race_weekend.htm

I took pics in the rain at the Sunday morning's 10 Mile TT - just after the half way turning point at Georgemas, hence the reason why most are out of the saddle.