Ghillies and garrons

We are in an age when many countryside traditions are being lost, and to see Highland ponies carrying red deer across the hills is a rarity. What made this occasion particularly special was the combination of an old tradition and the use of a rifle that may be modern in its build, but is true to the traditions of Scottish stalking: the Rigby Highland Stalker.

This stalk was the culmination of years of dedication and hard work from all sides: the ghillie, who had trained and cared for the ponies carrying the deer, the stalker, who carefully managed the herds roaming the hills of Glen Prosen, and the Rigby team of gunmakers, who had conceived, designed and built the rifle.

This story starts at the moment that ghillie Eric Starke won the Fred Taylor Memorial Trophy for Working Hill Ponies at the GWCT Scottish Game Fair in June 2017. Eric was surprised that five-year old mare Mia beat the 19 other entrants, saying at the time: “I had no idea what the judges were looking for, and the standard of ponies was really high. I knew Fred Taylor, so to win was a huge honour.” The competition, named after the