WWW.THEFIELD.CO.UK 95
The romance
of the Macnab
Thisyear’schallengeis abouttobegin – butwhatis
it that makes this sporting endeavour so special?
WRITTEN BY ALEXANDRA HENTON
neatlyencapsulatedbytheall-roundnature
oftheMacnab.Indeed,Blaseriscapableof
equipping the sportsman or woman with
everythingrequiredtoachievea successful
Macnab,fromitsinimitableR8tothedeadly
F3,sportingduds,optics,clothing,footwear
and accessories (the rod is in the pipeline).ENTICINGTRIO
Butjustwhatisit aboutthecombinationof
salmon,stagandgrousethatgivestheMac-
nabChallengesomethingmorethanthetrio
ofcomponentsmanagetodoontheirown?
The Classic Macnabhas all the hallmarks
ofthepictureperfect:Scottishglens,lochs,
riversandravines,ancientdeerforestsand
timelessvistas.If thepopularityofLandse-
er’sshortbread-tinstagindicatesonething,
it is thatthenaturalelementsofScotland are
one of the country’s greatest assets.M
acnab: the one word
guaranteed to make any
sportingsortmellowwith
that first-kiss-misty-eyed
look. Many attempt the
challenge but few com-
pleteit.The MacnabChallenge iswithout
doubtoneofthetoughest,mostfrustrating,
exceptionallyexhilarating sportingexperi-
encesyou canattempt in theBritishIsles.
Highpheasants,coveys ofwiley partridge
and a day crossing High Leicestershire
all pale in comparison to the clarion call
of a challenge that is not only physically
demanding but comes complete with its
ownhistoryandmythology.
This year’s Field Macnab Challenge is
the secondin associationwith Blaser, the
shotgun and rifle manufacturer and out-
fi tter, whose sporting heritage and style is
2019 MACNAB
CHALLENGE
TheMacnabChallengeis tiedto
a story,andthatstoryis tiedtoan
author.WrittenbyJohnBuchanin
1925,JohnMacnabcomesfroman
eraofstiff-upper-lippedprotagonists.
Theyarejollygoodsortswithclean-
cut,manlyvirtuesclothinga core
ofpost-WorldWarOnesteeliness.
Adventure,dashanddaring,Buchan’s
bookshavethemall.JohnMacnabis
oneofhismostlight-heartedstories,
andthemosttimeless.Struckwith
taediumvitaeanda sensethatthere
is “nothingleftremarkablebeneath
thevisitingmoon”,threeprotagonists
(SirEdwardLeithen,JohnPalliser-
YeatesandLordLamancha)decide
tosloughofftheirennuibyfollowing
thefictionalexampleofJimTarras,
“thebestshikariGodevermade”,
whenonfurloughinScotlandfrom
hisregularshootingtripsinEast
Africa:topoacha salmonora stag;to
jettisonthehorrorsofthemundane
andfindsomezestinlifeoncemore.
A universalmessage,andonestill
asappealingtodayas it was when
Buchanwroteit.
It is thisbackgroundthatgives
theMacnabChallengeitsunique
andromanticplace as a part of
sporting legend.