The competition brief for this public commission was for two gateway features for the village of Neilston in East Renfrewshire reflecting elements of local history or the built environment .

Ruaraig's successful bid concentrated on the founding of Neilston's notable annual agricultural Show . This had its beginnings in a dispute between two local farmers who asked a jury of their peers to settle their argument as to who had the better bull .  

By placing sculptures of two life and a half sized bulls at the main approaches visitors are invited to judge which they think is the better beast . 

Research indicated the the bulls would most likely have been Galloways so a request was made to the Galloway Breed Society who's president , Allan McClymont , kindly gave access to his bull , Troloss Impeccable .

From information gleaned on a study visit Ruaraig worked up a quarter scale maquette in clay. He then cut 4mm channels in the surface of the clay and let in carefully bent lengths of 4mm wire . These were tack welded together until complete whereupon the clay was removed leaving an accurate quarter scale maquette in 4mm wire .

Using a three dimensional pointing system the full size structure was fabricated in 16mm steel bars. the spaces between these bars will be filled with a mesh of 10 and 6mm steel to give the sculpture a suitably hairy texture .

Work is started on the final surface of the first bull while the structure of the second has been started . Some way to go yet before galvanising , powder coating in black and installation on two purpose built plinths .