Last call for Perthshire towns to join CHAS Hairy Highland Coo Trail

The Hairy Highland Coo Trail is expected to bring visitors to Perth and Kinross in their droves this summer.

By Morag Lindsay

March 2 2024, 5:56am

Hayley Smith, Rio Moore, and Callum Penman at the CHAS Hairy Highland Coo Trail event in Perth. Image: Stuart Cowper.

Organisers of the Hairy Highland Coo Trail are seeking good homes for the last of their herd.

The colourful cow sculpture trail is expected to bring visitors flocking to Perth and Kinross this summer.

And it’s hoped the painted coos will help raise £100,000 for children’s hospice charity CHAS.

All but four of the 30 sculptures have now been claimed.

They’ll be cropping up in towns and villages across the region in a few months time.

And now CHAS bosses are seeking sponsors for the final four.

Painted cow sculpture next to 'join the herd' advertising board — Is their room in your town or village for a Hairy Highland Coo? Image: Stuart Cowper.

Hayley Smith is project manager for Wild in Art, which is working with CHAS to make the Hairy Highland Coo Trail happen.

She says she’s particularly keen to put one last corner of northern Perthshire on the map.

“We’ve got a good spread of locations across Perth and Kinross,” she said.

“But we could do with some sponsors from Dunkeld, Crieff or Aberfeldy.

“There are only a few places left to fill, so if anyone is thinking of becoming a sponsor now’s the time to act.”

Huge interest in Hairy Highland Coo Trail

Organisers held an event for sponsors at Perth Concert Hall on Thursday.

They were invited to choose their favourite designs from a shortlist of 60.

People looking at boards featuring the cow sculpture designs — Sponsors browsed CHAS Hairy Highland Coo Trail designs at Perth Concert Hall. Image: Stuart Cowper.

The finalists had been whittled down from more then 200 entries from artists across Scotland.

The unpainted sculptures will be arriving in Perth later this month.

The chosen artists will then get to work on their masterpieces, before the completed coos go on display for 10 weeks from June to September 2024.

And at the end of the trail they will be auctioned in aid of CHAS in an event at Scone Palace.

All the money raised will go to support the charity’s work at the Rachel House children’s hospice at Kinross, and Robin House at Balloch.

Coo-operative gives small businesses a chance to shine

If the cost of sponsorship is an issue, Hayley is urging towns and villages to follow the example of Auchterarder and Aberuthven and set up a coo-operative.

Hayley Smith speaking into microphone on Perth Concert Hall stairs — Hayley Smith, thanked the sponsors. Image: Stuart Cowper

There, 19 small businesses have joined forces with the Auchterarder and Aberuthven Community Action Plan to corral a coo between them

Ang Laurie, from AACAP, said supporters were looking forward to welcoming their sculpture.

And she hopes visitors will enjoy everything local businesses have to offer when they come to see the coo.

“It’s such a lovely thing to be involved in,” she said.

“And it’s a perfect example of the community spirit we have in Auchterarder and Aberuthven.

“It’s going to be brilliant for the area.”

Sheena Munro and Ang Laurie pointing at designs on a board at the Hairy Highland Coo Trail event in Perth concert hall — Sheena Munro and Ang Laurie narrowing down their picks for the Auchterarder and Aberuthven coo. Image: Stuart Cowper.

The CHAS Hairy Highland Coo Trail will be the first sculpture trail to focus solely on Perth and Kinross.

Previous Tayside projects, such as the Maggie’s penguin parade and the Oor Wullie bucket trail, have boosted visitor numbers in host locations with fans going out of their way to visit every sculpture.

For details of how to get involved, email cootrail@chas.org.uk.