A COUPLE who have notched up a combined 97 years of working in the agricultural industry have won the prestigious Blamire Award.
The 2024 recipients, as chosen by Blamire Memorial Trust, are David and Heather Pritchard.
Trust chairman Michael Cowen said: “This year the trustees were unanimous in their view that the award should go to David and Heather Pritchard, the husband and wife team from Scaleby near Carlisle who between them both had worked a total of 97 years within the agricultural industry, which included 86 years at Harrison and Hetherington Ltd.
Heather, was brought up on a dairy farm near Gretna and from school joined H&H as an office junior, thereafter holding a number of positions over the years.
Among her achievements were the development of the highly successful pedigree sales division and being instrumental in creating the successful Dairy Expo and Agri Expo.
On leaving H&H Heather moved to Pedigree Livestock
Services looking after the administration of numerous pedigree breed societies.
She is highly sought after as a livestock commentator at local and county shows and was recently elected as president of the Border and Lakeland Holstein Club.
David, from a Herefordshire farming family, joined agricultural auctioneers Straker Chadwick and Sons of Abergavenny as a trainee. But in 1976 following a YFC visit to Cumbria, he showed interest in moving to the county, upon which he was successfully interviewed by the late Dick Harrison who in the first instance offered him a job working out of Lockerbie Market.
David subsequently moved to Borderway Mart, Carlisle and over the years rose through the ranks to finally become farmstock joint managing director.
On leaving the company David moved to become the managing director of North West Auctions.
He has also been a council member, chair and president of the Scottish Institute of Auctioneers & Appraisers.
The medal was presented by Michael Cowen at a special gathering of invited guests.
Afterwards David and Heather said: “We are absolutely honoured and privileged to receive the Blamire Medal. We are overwhelmed, humble and proud to be recognised for our services to the agricultural community and especially the farmers across the county and the UK at large.
“We would like to thank the Blamire Trust for nominating us both for the award.”
