Let's play Hide & Sheep to celebrate anniversary

The 240-toy sheep that are to be hidden across the region are part of a flock of almost 2,000 cuddly toy sheep being hidden across Scotland.

From Monday, March 25, the free family fun event will see the sheep stowed away at shopping and tourist destinations, farm shops and agricultural centres across the country. Some of the 17 locations across the region include: Alandas Gelato in Edinburgh and North Berwick, St Giles’ Cathedral, Hopetoun Farm Shop, and St James Quarter.

The first to find a sheep can keep the sheep and be in with the chance of winning one of eight VIP experiences at the Royal Highland Show 2024. Those who find one of the lost flock can simply scan the QR code on the sheep’s ear tag to discover if they are a winner.

Those who find a sheep at St James Quarter will also have the chance to win one of four £50 gift cards to use at the shopping destination.

With Spring an important season in the agricultural calendar, each ear tag code will also reveal five farming facts including insights on lambing, crop sowing and more, as well as raising awareness about the farming sector and the important issues facing the rural community.

In addition to Hide & Sheep, this year will also see RHASS launch a mass Munro challenge, a series of Harvest Thanksgiving services and a yearlong audio and visual storytelling project.

The planned activities all aim to raise greater awareness around key times in the agricultural calendar, unheard stories from across the sector, and issues that face the rural community and will all generate funds for land initiatives preserving Scotland's countryside.

The Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) is the charity that stages Scotland’s largest and most popular agricultural show, the Royal Highland Show, the four-day event which takes place at The Royal Highland Centre 20th - 23rd of June 2024.

Jim Warnock, RHASS Chairman said: “It is a great honour to chair RHASS during its 240th anniversary year. We hope Hide & Sheep alongside our other family-friendly events this year encourage people across Scotland to learn more about the Scottish agricultural community, the challenges they face, and the important role they play within Scotland.”

Alan Laidlaw, RHASS Chief Executive added: “At RHASS we have 240 years of history in championing Scottish agriculture. Inspiring the next generation through events like Hide & Sheep remains a key part of that. We hope lots of young people and their families get involved with the event and also continue their interest by visiting us at our milestone event, the Royal Highland Show, in June.”

As a nod to the eight regions that used to host the Royal Highland Show before it became a one-location event in Scotland’s Capital in 1960, sheep will be hidden in the eight RHASS regions of Scotland; Edinburgh and Lothians, the Borders, Dumfries & Galloway, Strathclyde, Stirling, Perth, Aberdeen, Highlands and Islands in both rural and urban landscapes. Sheep will also be hidden in and around Angus and Fife.

For more information on Hide & Sheep please visit https://www.royalhighlandshow.org/rhass-240/hide-sheep/. For those who don’t manage to find a sheep, they are also available to buy on the Royal Highland Show website, priced at £14.95: https://shop.royalhighlandshow.org/products/cuddly-toy-rhass-sheep

The Hide & Sheep event is being sponsored Turcan Connell and RHASS’ media partner, The Scotsman Publications (National World).