Highland festival recognises “outstanding contributions” of two search and rescue dog teams

A HIGHLAND festival has recognised the “outstanding contributions”‘” of two special novice search and rescue dog teams to mountain culture throughout Scotland.

The Fort William Mountain Festival gave the teams from the Search & Rescue Dog Association (SARDA) Scotland the Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture – Special Anniversary Award, sponsored by Burns Pet Nutrition.

Rogue, a Belgian Malinois bitch, and Bowie, a Border Collie, along with their husband-and-wife handlers, Paul and Sam Noble, from Braemar in Aberdeenshire, earned the award after both teams passed an external assessment following a year of intensive training.

It typically takes two years to fully train search dogs and their handlers before their first official rescue call-out.

In March 2023, Sam and Bowie won the Madras Trophy, an accolade given to the novice search dog team deemed outstanding.  

In April 2023, shortly after passing their external assessment, Paul and Rogue made history as the second SARDA Scotland dog team to find a missing hillwalker on their first official search call-out.

Rogue had to retrain using a muzzle, a procedure that normally takes a year, and Paul underwent brain surgery a few months prior to the final assessment.

SARDA Scotland, a Scottish charity dedicated to training dogs and their volunteer handlers to search for missing persons as well as supporting Mountain Rescue Teams and the Police in their search and rescue efforts, commended the novice search dog teams.

Sam and Paul Noble joined SARDA as novice dog handlers after the Covid pandemic lockdowns.

Both are seasoned mountaineers – Paul has climbed Mount Everest twice – and have brought a wealth of experience to SARDA.

The Fort William Mountain Festival initiated the Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture in 2008, and in 2015, introduced the Youth category.

The 27 human recipients and two canine recipients, including the two SARDA Scotland rescue teams, will be celebrated at a special festival event at the Nevis Centre, Fort William, on Thursday as part of the festival’s 20 year anniversary programme.

Stu McIntyre, Training Officer at SARDA Scotland, said: “SARDA Scotland is delighted to congratulate Sam and Paul Noble and their dogs Bowie and Rogue on receiving the prestigious Fort William Mountain Festival Anniversary Award.

“This is fantastic recognition for their outstanding contributions to mountain culture.

“As an organisation with deep roots in the Lochaber area and having two presidents who have received Scottish Awards for Excellence in Mountain Culture, most recently with our current president Dave “Heavy” Whalley in 2023, this award for Paul and Sam seems even more fitting.

“On behalf of the entire SARDA Scotland team, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Sam and Paul.

“Their unwavering dedication and service to SARDA, Mountain Rescue and the Scottish Avalanche Information Service is an inspiration to us all.

“We are proud to have them as part of our SARDA family, and we look forward to their continued contributions for many years to come.”

Sam and Paul Noble said: “We are honoured to be awarded the Special Anniversary Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture by the Fort William Mountain Festival. 

“Mountains are our life and we’ve been fortunate to complete many routes and summits that have been difficult.

“Becoming a search dog team has been, in some ways, a similar challenge.

“Ultimately it requires absolute commitment, with major highs and lows during the journey.

“Getting back up again when you’ve been knocked down is perhaps the hardest part. 

“SARDA Scotland is a tight group, very much a family and we are proud to be part of it and call ourselves search dogs and handlers.

“We thank our committee, trainers, and colleagues for nominating us for this award and recognise that we follow in the shadow of previous recipients, Hamish Machines, our founder, and David Whalley, our president. 

“And of course, most important of all, without our Bowie and Rogue’s trust and love, our lives would feel a lot emptier.”

Anna Danby, the Fort William Mountain Festival Coordinator, said: “The Fort William Mountain Festival are very proud to honour SARDA, their dog handlers and, of course, our canine friends for all the outstanding work they do throughout the year. 

“We wished to recognise the contribution that SARDA make to Mountain Rescue with this special one-off award as part of the celebrations for the Special Anniversary Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture. 

“Both Sam and Bowie and Paul and are wholly deserving recipients of this award, and their unique story was a huge factor in them winning.

“We thank both SARDA for all their help in choosing these amazing recipients and Burns Pet Nutrition for their sponsorship.”

Rebecca Wilkinson, Sponsorship Officer at Burns Pet Nutrition, said: “We are so proud to be a part of the Fort William Mountain Festival on its 20 year anniversary and celebrating with a special award to two SARDA dog and handler teams.

“As a company that is a supporter and sponsor of SARDA Scotland, we always strive to make a difference to the lives of pets and humans whenever possible, which is why choosing to support the festival was such an easy choice.

“This event is a great way to recognise the contribution to the community and the incredible work of the search and rescue handlers and their dogs.”