Stewartry rugby star Stafford McDowall has thrown his weight behind a scheme which aims to help farmers and their families cope with the ups and downs of agriculture by sharing what they can do to look after themselves.
The Glasgow Warriors star from Dundrennan is supporting Farmstrong and is the latest guest on their Blether Together podcast.
The 26-year-old had been due to study agriculture at Newcastle University after leaving school, but deferred his place in a bid to break into professional rugby, juggling training with jobs on the farm.
It paid off and he landed a deal with Glasgow – but now whenever he has some time off he enjoys returning home to the farm. He has also started studying for a business management qualification, which he hopes will be useful when his playing career is over and he comes home to take over the reins.
Stafford has recently got engaged to partner Lauren, is in the Scotland squad for the upcoming autumn test series and feels keeping in the loop with what’s happening at home on the farm is an important tool that keeps his mental health on track.
He said: “I’m really happy to be supporting Farmstrong.
“That year after leaving school, when I was 18, is probably the longest spell I’ve spent working on the farm and it made me realise what a lonely job farming can be.
“Like a lot of farmers, I’m not great at sharing my feelings and I really admire the way Farmstrong is encouraging people that it’s OK to open up and talk about how they are doing. It’s so important that there is help there for people who need it.
“I’m lucky that eventually I have come around by myself to the idea that I want to take over the farm. Dad’s been great at not lumping pressure on. He’s not going to be looking over his shoulder at me. He says once it’s handed over it will be your thing to take on.
“My route back to the farm will not be a normal transition; working at home and gradually taking on more responsibility.
“But I do know that rugby and farming have a lot in common such as hard work and resilience. My practical knowledge is fairly limited, but I hope I’ll make up for it in enthusiasm. Having moved away from the farm to the city it’s only now really that I appreciate what a wonderful place to grow up it was.”
Stafford proposed to Lauren following a break at the end of his first summer tour with the national team, during which he was named as Scotland co-captain for the opening game against Canada.
As well as scoring his first try, he was delighted that dad Fergus – who was a talented amateur rugby player himself – was able to take a rare break from farming to see him in action.
He said: “Like all farmers, he didn’t want to be away for long, but stayed for about three days.
“It’s great to look up at the stands and see your family there.”
The McDowalls have more than 1,000 Holstein milkers, with their 24-a-side swing-over parlour in use 18 hours a day. Milk is sold to Muller Wiseman Dairies.
And while all is going well for Stafford on the rugby pitch at the moment, it’s a far cry from last year when he was told a new contract with Glasgow Warriors was unlikely.
He said: “It looked like I’d be coming home to the farm earlier than I’d expected.
“It was a tough time. I was lucky that it was around this time that I met Lauren, so had somebody to talk to.
“Taking the dog for a walk, getting out of the flat, was also important.
“When you are lucky enough to play rugby for a living, it feels bad complaining when the tough times come.
“But when all you want to be doing is playing it can be really difficult.
“The fact is there will have been 46 or 50 guys training for the whole week and then when you don’t get to pull on a jersey it’s hard. I went through four or five months not getting to play – but still going through the same tough training regime.”
Sports psychologists have helped Stafford work on his mindset as well as – in common with Farmstrong – overall wellbeing.
He finds walking his dog and studying for his business management course have helped his wellbeing, as has remembering simple things such as meeting his mates for a coffee.
Sports psychologists like to steer players away from superstitions, but he has held on to one.
For more details about Farmstrong Scotland, visit www.farmstrongscotland.org.uk.