Huntly singer Shona Donaldson wins Elgin Bothy Ballads Champion of Champions
HUNTLY singer Shona Donaldson took home the top prize at the biggest bothy ballads championship.
Taking the top spot with a rendition of In Praise of Huntly, Ms Donaldson who now lives in Tarland, said it was a great experience.
She said: "It was lovely and a really great audience.
"I am really thankful to the Rotary Club in Elgin and The Macallan, who have sponsored it for 40 years. They are both amazing.
"To get an audience to turn out is brilliant and the fact it is still in the Town Hall, which is a big venue and not a wee village hall somewhere, is even better.
"I am always so grateful that there are organisers who want to keep the whole thing alive."
After a two year pandemic break, the Champion of Champions Bothy Ballads Competition drew an impressive crowd to its Elgin Town Hall home on Saturday (February 11).
Ms Donaldson said that winning the coveted porridge bowl and spoon was even better since the song had a personal connection.
She said: "I was born and brought up in Huntly.
"My folks still live in Huntly and I have lots of family there.
"I just enjoy singing about the places I know.
"I think it gives you a good connection with a song when you can actually say you have been there and soaked up the atmosphere.
"It must make a difference."
A collection at the event also raised £1800 to support aid efforts in the aftermath of the Turkey and Syria earthquake.
This year was the 40th Champion of Champions contest and organiser and Elgin Rotary member George West said it lived up to the anniversary.
He said: “Rotary Elgin were delighted after two missed years to be able to once again hold the Champion of Champions competition live in front of a large audience.
"The audience, as always, really enjoyed the performances of the six competitors and Shona Donaldson was certainly a worthy winner.
"Our guest entertainers Bryan Gear, on fiddle, and Martin Henderson, on keyboards, also went down a storm and Gary Coull did a sterling job as ever as compere.”
Singers had to make their way through local competitions to earn their place on the Champion of Champions stage.
Along with eventual winner Ms Donaldson, defending champion Joe Aitken, Allan Taylor, Geordie Murison, Paddy Buchanan and Hector Riddell sang two songs for their shot at glory.
Allan Taylor and Hector Riddle took second and third place, but the atmosphere between competitors was as friendly as ever.
Ms Donaldson said: "We actually spoke about it backstage and I remember saying: 'It really disna feel like we've been away.'
"We are all friends, all the competitors. We are all pals and we know each other really well.
"In some ways it isn't really like a competition.
"We are just there to have a good night and to entertain the folks in the audience."
This year's competition was the first since the passing of late Rotary member James Macpherson.
A Rotary spokesperson said Mr Macpherson's efforts were key to establishing the strong local links required by events like the competition.
The Macallan have sponsored the Bothy Ballads Champion of Champions since the event's inaugural 1983 event.
Rotary president Martin Birse praised The Macallan on the night and gave Esther Green, from the whisky-maker, a framed certificate.
The certificate featured sheet music from the song The Macallan with a photo of all-time top Champion of Champions winner Joe Aitken superimposed. The reverse included a copy of the programme from the first ever Bothy Ballads in 1983.
Lawrence Fraser of Cathedral windows donated the certificate presented to The Macallan.
