Trophy missing for 90 years returns home

A Highland Games trophy missing for almost 90 years has returned home to Scotland.

The Rose Bowl silverware was traditionally awarded to the top-performing athlete at the Cabrach Picnic and Games in Moray.

The event – once a staple of the Highland Games calendar – ran annually from 1877 to 1935. It was revived in 2022 by The Cabrach Trust following an 87-year hiatus, but without the trophy.

Following a public appeal last summer, the silverware was eventually tracked down 585 miles away in Axminster, Devon.

Adrian Taylor found the Rose Bowl in his house during a clear out and discovered the trust was seeking its safe return after Googling to find out more about the trophy.

The 73-year-old said: “My grandfather Charles Taylor was the last winner of the Rose Bowl.

“He was a brilliant athlete as well as a fine musician, being particularly talented in the bagpipes.

“Though it’s been nice to have the silverware in the family for the past few decades, it is fitting that, with the return of The Cabrach Picnic and Games two years ago, it returns home.”

The Rose Bowl was gifted to the community in 1926 by John Harper, a native of upper Cabrach and a high-ranking officer in the Hong Kong police force.

The Cabrach Trust said Charles Taylor claimed the prize in its first year but lost out in 1927. He went on to reclaim the trophy in consecutive years to be awarded the bowl outright.

A previous search traced the silverware to Coventry in the possession of Charles’ eldest son, Ron. However, it was not until Adrian got in touch that the mystery unravelled.

The Rose Bowl is now once again the grand prize for the best-performing competitor.

Jonathan Christie, chief executive of The Cabrach Trust, said: “I could not believe it when I unsuspectingly answered the phone and found myself speaking with Adrian Taylor.

“We are beyond delighted to welcome the Rose Bowl back to its rightful home and are indebted to Adrian for recognising its significance to the Cabrach’s rich culture and history.”

Source: Sky News