Into a Glasgow pub comes Seamus McGregor, looking like he'd just been run over by a train.
His arm is in a sling, his nose is broken, his face is cut and bruised and he's walking with a limp.
"What happened to you?" asks Sean, the bartender.
" Jamie McLeod and me had a fight," says Seamus.
"That little shit, McLoed," says Sean,
"He couldn't do that to you, he must have had something in his hand."
"That he did," says Paddy, "a shovel is what he had, and a terrible lickin' he gave me with it."
" Well," says Sean, "you should have defended yourself, didn't you have something in your hand?"
That I did," said Paddy. "Mrs. McLeod's breast, and a thing of beauty it was… but useless in a fight."
One of the largest Highland Games in the country is the Texas Scottish Festival and Highland Games in Arlington, TX the weekend of May 4, 5, 6. With more than 50,000 people expected to attend it certainly will have its share of highlights. SallyAnne and I will bring you all of the Festival highlights including Bagpipers, Food tasting (yes, Sally has agreed to eat Haggis), beer and whiskey tasting, Highland Dancers, and much more.
It’s been 8 years since I competed in any sporting event. I have competed in Strongman, Powerlifting, Strength Demonstrations but none of them have been as much fun as competing at a Highland Games event. When I was living in the Northwest, there was summer long circuit from Vancouver, BC to Eugene, Oregon that I have the fondest memories of. Sleeping in tents on the fairgrounds at the massive Scottish Festivals, the amount of Scottish Ale and Single Malt whiskey we consumed, as I look back at it now, frightened my liver!
The Highland Games is one of the earliest forms of athletic competition where the competitors were summoned by
Kings and Rulers in the Celtic regions of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. These men bore their individual strengths by demonstrating to their rulers who could throw the furthest, run the fastest and carry documents the furthest. The Scottish Highland Games were formalized in the 1820’s by British modernists who romanticized about the history of the Celtics. Dancing, running, piping, throwing the hammer and tossing the caber were brought into a formalization that exists today.
Today the events can vary depending on which of the games the organizer is holding chooses to include. Competitors range from absolute beginners to seasoned veteran professionals. There are men’s and women’s categories and at some events, kids can join in the fray at events designed specifically for the chronologically challenged. As for the Athletic Events these are the typical events athletes will face anywhere around the world.
Thanks to the NASGA (North American Scottish Games Association) website http://www.nasgaweb.com :
Open Stone Put
Similar to the shot put, except a stone is used that weighs usually between 16 and 22 pounds. It is called "open" style because any style of putting is allowed with the spin and glide styles being the most popular. The throwing area is a box 4'¬6" wide and 7'¬6" long. The thrower must keep one foot inside this area and not step over the back line or inside face of the trig or the throw is a foul.
Braemar Stone Put
This stone put uses a heavier stone usually between 22 and 28 pounds and it must be put from a standing position. The same throwing area and fouls for the open stone apply.
56lb. Weight for Distance
The weight can be either block or spherical shaped with links and a handle. The overall length cannot exceed 18". The weight is thrown with one hand in a throwing area 4'¬6" x 9'. The thrower must keep one foot inside this area and not step over the back line or inside face of the trig or the throw is a foul.
28lb. Weight for Distance
Same as the 56lb. Weight for Distance except a 28lb. weight is used.
22lb. Hammer Throw
The hammer has a lead or steel head with a bamboo or rattan handle affixed through a hole in the head. The overall length cannot exceed 50". The athlete stands behind the trig with his back to the throwing area, winds the hammer around the head and releases over the shoulder. The athlete's feet must remain in a fixed position until the hammer is released. Boots with blades attached to the front of them are usually worn to keep the feet on the ground and in a fixed position.
16lb. Hammer Throw
Same as the 22lb. Hammer Throw except a 16lb. hammer is used.
Sheaf Toss
The sheaf is a 16lb. or 20lb. burlap or plastic bag stuffed with chopped rope, straw, or mulch. The sheaf is tossed over a cross bar with a pitch fork. Three attempts are allowed at each height. If the thrower misses all three tries at one height, then he is out of the competition.
56lb. Weight for Height
The weight for height is the same as used for distance except it is shorter. The weight is tossed over a cross bar with one hand. Three attempts are allowed at each height. If the thrower misses all three tries at one height, the he is out of the competition.
Caber Toss
The Caber is a tree that has been cut and trimmed down so one end is slightly wider than the other. It can vary length from 16 to 22 feet and between 100 and 180 pounds. The smaller end is rounded off so it will be easy to cup in the thrower's hands. The caber is stood up for the thrower with the large end up. The thrower hoists the caber up and cups the small end in his hands. He then takes a short run with the caber and then stops and pulls the caber so that the large end hits the ground and the small end flips over and faces away from the thrower. The caber is scored for accuracy as though the thrower is facing the 12:00 position on a clock face. A judge behind the thrower calls how close to the 12:00 position the small end of the caber lands, 12:00 being a perfect toss. If the caber is not turned, a side judge calls the degrees of the angle the caber makes with the ground. Sometimes a Challenge Caber is also used which is larger than the Games Caber.
Come join us the weekend of May 4, 5, & 6 for a weekend of fun, family and debauchery…
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