Farmers friend Ian Conner presented with Stalwart award

Haulage industry legend Ian Connor, who has played a pivotal role in helping farmers and crofters since the 1950s, has been named as this year’s recipient of the Stalwart award.

 

Presented annually by National Farmers’ Union Scotland’s Argyll and the islands region, the award recognises those who have given time and effort to the work of the union in Argyll and the islands or have made a significant contribution to agriculture in the area.

 

Ian was born in 1933 and soon after leaving school he began his career driving lorries in 1950, working alongside his mother’s eldest brother John Cooper.

 

Ian went on to take over the business in the mid-1960s.

 

During the first stage of his career he showed a talent for fabrication and design, building nine livestock containers himself by 1977, and he continued building platforms for lorries up until 2005.

 

Ian worked tirelessly to grow the businesses which focused predominantly on the haulage of livestock, hay and straw, serving a large number of agricultural businesses across Argyll, from Tighnabruaich to Tarbert as well as the islands of Arran, Islay and Bute.

 

He was a key player when taking livestock off the islands to markets such as Stirling, Ayr and Lanark.

 

At the regional AGM, which took place in Tarbert on Friday January 13, David Henderson, the regional board representative from the Arran branch announced Ian Connor of J Cooper and Co as the 2023 winner.

 

Paying tribute to Ian, David said: “Ian is still driving today at the age of 89 and is  renowned for always turning up immaculately dressed in his shirt and tie and never gets flustered even when he has to deal with the odd disobedient animal.

 

“Ian and the rest of the team at J Cooper and Co continue to be a tremendous support to the farmers in Argyll, particularly those on the Isle of Arran, managing to keep goods and livestock moving despite the challenges of working with the ferry network.

 

“Ian will have spent many a night sleeping in his cab after being stuck on the island and yet still turns up first thing in the morning with a smile on his face, and, of course, the tie on!”