Panama City Highland Games 
The Scottish Highland Games (Heavy Weights Events) are the modern continuation of an ancient Celtic tradition. Each event tests the athletes strength and skill. It may seem that the sport requires brute strength alone, but developing good technique is essential to succeeding in the games. Each athlete wears a kilt and Scottish hose. The Games at Grace consist of two divisions, A and B, of male athletes competing in seven Heavy Weights events. Proficient athletes are moved up to the "A" class. Intermediate contestants compete in the "B" class. Beginners are included in the intermediary ("B") class, but don't have to wear a kilt.
Tossing the Caber A caber is a wooden pole which ranges up to 135 pounds and up to 21 feet long. The caber is "picked", the athlete runs with it and then tosses it end over end. The toss is scored on accuracy not distance.
Stone of Strength The "Stone of Strength" is similar to the modern shot put. A 21 pound rounded stone is used.
Braemar Stone In this event, a 33 pound stone is used and it is thrown without a run-up.
Scottish Hammer The Scottish hammer is similar to the Olympic wire hammer. The hammer, a round metal ball on a rattan cane handle, weighs 22 lbs.
Weight for Height A 56 pound weight on a short chain is thrown for height over the cross bar. (See photo.)
Sheaf Toss The traditional sheaf of wheat is tossed with a three tined pitchfork for height over an adjustable crossbar. The wheat is replicated by a 16 pound "sheaf" (a rope filled burlap bag).
The Farmer's Walk This event requires only brute strength and endurance. The athlete picks up two weights, each weighing 150 pounds and walks around pylons. The winner is the athlete who walks the farthest.
History of the Highland Games Highland Games were held long ago by the clans of Northern Scotland, but began far earlier among the Celts of Ireland in Roman times. Some credit the 11th century Scottish king, Malcolm Canmore, with initiating the first Highland Games. Contests in running, leaping, vaulting, wrestling, lifting heavy weights and putting stones (as one sees today) were begun more than a thousand years ago. The ancient games took place in August, still the traditional month for Highland Games in Scotland. Some feel that the March weather of Panama City, Florida resembles August in Scotland.
Celtic peoples, we call Highland Scots, crossed the North Channel of the Irish Sea in the 4th and 5th centuries and settled on the coast of Argyll. They brought with them their skills, their customs, their pastimes. They staged Games of foot-racing, horse-racing and wrestling on various holy days as well as at cattle fairs. Soon, sporting contests were taking place at the conclusion of military musters called "wappinschaws", held by the various clans. The clans' warriors needed to test their physical prowess in much the same way as modern soldiers engage in physical training. It was at one of these in 1574 that "tossing of ye barr" (caber-tossing) first appeared on record.
 |
