Scottish Highland Games Association - Newsletter

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constant seeking of sponsors. We are also happy to report the acceptance of two new Games for 2013, Aberlour and Gordon Castle into the association.

1 Scottish Highland Games Association - Newsletter Message from the President It is difficult to believe that the 2013 season is already about to start. There has been quite a bit of work going on behind the scenes during the close season, with the committee dealing with a wide range of issues, ranging from Health and Safety and insurance, to our constant seeking of sponsors. We are also happy to report the acceptance of two new Games for 2013, Aberlour and Gordon Castle into the association. The successful Drug Testing Programme continues for the new season and is the result of the constant hunt by your Council for outside sponsorship. Highland Games are not about one discipline. Remember to encourage all the Games disciplines - dancing, piping, heavyweights, light athletics, cycling, tug o war and stalls. Early Season Meetings May 19 th (Sunday) Gordon Castle, Fochabers No Handicap events MAY 25th (Saturday) BLACKFORD HIGHLAND GAMES Glenrothes, Fife KY6 2LQ Tel: JUNE 1st (Saturday) CORNHILL HIGHLAND GAMES No Handicap Events JUNE 1st (Saturday) HELENSBURGH & LOMOND HIGHLAND GAMES Glenrothes KY6 2LQ Tel: JUNE 2nd (Sunday) MARKINCH HIGHLAND GAMES Glenrothes, Fife KY6 2LQ Tel: Newsletter Spring In this issue Early meeting details Profile Ben Robbins Shane s Spring Quiz Drug Testing Update Games in Helmand Braemar Visitor Centre Presentation Dinner Registration form Let us hope the summer weather is kinder to us and have a memorable Games Season. Jim Brown JUNE 8th (Saturday) CUPAR HIGHLAND GAMES Glenrothes, Fife KY6 2LQ Tel: JUNE 8th (Saturday) BEARSDEN No Handicap Events JUNE 9th (Sunday) STRATHMORE HIGHLAND GAMES Glenrothes KY6 2LQ Tel: S.H.G.A. Contacts Secretary, Ian Grieve secretary@shga.co.uk President, Jim Brown president@shga.co.uk Picture Copyright K & F Wood Late News Newburgh Games Cancelled We have just been advised that this year s Newburgh Highland Games will not go ahead due to problems with the venue. This is in addition to Stirling and Montrose who cancelled earlier, unfortunately all three appear in Yearbook and Calendar as these were already in print. Treasurer, Iain Watt treasurer@shga.co.uk Vice President, Charlie Murray vicepresident@shga.co.uk

Marquee Hire Martin Smith Outside Catering Youth Relay:- Pitlochry

Murray making a start on recruiting the young heavies of the future.

2 S.H.G.A. Sponsors 2013 High and Mighty New 2013 Ashers Ice Cream Allison-Gray Marquee Hire Martin Smith Outside Catering Youth Relay:- Pitlochry Highland Games, 14th Sept 2013 Vice Chairman, C. Murray making a start on recruiting the young heavies of the future. Teams :- 2 Boys 2 Girls years Medals for all finalists, supplied by S.H.G.A. Cash prizes for 1, 2, 3. Kindly donated by Pitlochry Highland Games Trophy for winners presented by The Enchanted Forest Coy Pitlochry Blast from the past 1964 Ballater Highland Games Picture K & F Wood

3 Helmand Highland Games Highland Games turn up in the strangest places Desert rocks and homemade kilts help troops in Afghanistan stage fun highland competition More than 100 soldiers, sailors and airmen stationed in Afghanistan have taken part in their own highland games. It was not a highly official highland games. Not everyone had a kilt to hand so some competitors had to make their own. And they had to use rocks found lying about in the desert as shot putts. But they did all at least wear special T-shirts that had been brought in for the event. The games were organised as a bit of fun for the hard-working soldiers. They were not kept back from their duties for very long. Only three events were held -the kettle bell throw, the shot putt and of course the most famous event, tossing the caber. The troops' celebration of all things Scottish was held at Camp Leatherneck in Helmand Province, with armed forces from the UK and the US taking part. A piper from The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, played traditional pipe music throughout the games. After the games, the competitors celebrated, eating haggis and drinking Irn Bru. The haggis was even 'piped in' and the Robert Burns Poem, Address to the Haggis, was recited before it was cut with a bayonet. Major Tom McCappin, Royal Corps of Signals, who helped organise the games, said: "The entire event was a great success and provided a much needed boost to the morale of everyone who took part." Read more about highland games in What's More The Daily What News The story of the games Highland games are held throughout the world as a way of celebrating Scottish and highland culture. The traditional games season runs from May until September and it kicks off this Sunday with the Gordon Castle Highland Games in Fochabers. Games typically feature bagpipes, kilt-wearing, and the strength events such as the caber toss, as well as and the dancing, piping and drumming competitions. They take place as far afield as the US and Canada, Australia, France, Gemany and even Japan and Indonesia. The biggest ones, in the US, can attract as many as 70,000 people.jim Brown, the president of the Scottish Highland Games Association, told the Daily What News: "They have recently started a games in New Zealand, it was introduced to heal the community after the earthquake." But where did it all start? Tracing their roots is difficult as they date back to times before records were made. Mr Brown explained that the earliest known competition was in the 11th century. King Malcolm III of Scotland wanted to choose a fast runner to be his messenger so he organised a race to the summit of Craig Choinnich, overlooking Braemar. But he explained: "The oldest continuously running games in the world is at Ceres in Fife, which dates back to It was organised after the Battle of Bannockburn as a way of celebrating."the modern highland games were really made popular when Queen Victoria started to visit Balmoral. That's when it started to attract attention." The caber toss has come to symbolise the games. The aim is to throw a long pine pole from a vertical position so that it lands with the other end down, facing directly away from the thrower in the 12 o'clock position. Competitors are judged on the position, not on how far they have thrown it.some seriously good athletes have taken take part in the 'heavyweight' events as they are known. Most famous of all was Donald Dinnie, a 19th century athlete who travelled across the world to compete. Mr Brown explained: "He stopped competing before the modern Olympics started but we know from the distances he threw and heights he jumped he could have won seven gold medals." But the Association is keen to stress that it is not all about history. Today there are more than 100 lively games across Scotland. They range from the big musical events such as Cowal, to the very royal occasion of the Braemar games, and the most prestigious and tightly fought championships in Crieff. There is also now a Youth Championships held each year. Actor and comedian Billy Connolly has attracted Holywood stars to the the games at Lonach in Strathdon near his Scottish castle, Candacraig. Mr Brown added: "I would like to see even more young people taking part. We have so many races, like the sack race and the three-legged race, that visitors can just turn up and enter. "For me that's what the games are all about, letting the community celebrate together." Full details of all the games this season can be found on the SHGA website

Report on Visit of 30 students from Koege Highschool in Denmark 2.L & The Highland Games Wednesday 20/3 was the day we tried out the famous highland games.

He started out putting us in line while shouting at us to stay on our feet and be aware of flying objects.

But before letting us loose, Frank gave us a thorough explanation of the techniques behind each discipline, which we all thought would be a piece of cake, but the disciplines were in fact rather

4 Report on Visit of 30 students from Koege Highschool in Denmark 2.L & The Highland Games Wednesday 20/3 was the day we tried out the famous highland games. The temperature had been freezing, the snow had terrorized the streets, but when Frank Coyle dragged in the cabers, everything was forgotten. He started out putting us in line while shouting at us to stay on our feet and be aware of flying objects. Then we were introduced to three disciplines: the shot put, caber toss, and tug of war, which we all had to try. But before letting us loose, Frank gave us a thorough explanation of the techniques behind each discipline, which we all thought would be a piece of cake, but the disciplines were in fact rather difficult. Frank took his sport very seriously but still had time to joke around, especially after the first person had done the shot putt outside, and the ball had gotten muddy. For two amazing hours, we learned about the disciplines and traditions within The Scottish Highland Games, followed by an impressive demonstration by the Heavy Games Champion Bruce Robb. Another important Highland Game tradition is the Scottish folk dance. After the exhausting sports disciplines, we experienced a dance class, teaching young kids to dance like their ancestors. The dance was performed to live bagpipe music and with a cross made from a sword and sheath on the floor. The dancers had to jump across the sword, in a series of steps and jumps. We were very impressed by the talented kids, but perhaps even more impressed by the teacher, who managed to instruct the kids without even getting up from her chair. We also had the chance to try out the dance which we had just seen performed by the children. Some of us were good and some of us not so good, but we all had a good time trying it. Some of the boys were particularly praised by the teacher, mostly for their courage to perform the dance class willingly. A great day with great experiences, and we have Ian Grieve, Frank Coyle, Bruce Robb, Anna Bain and Jim Hepburn to thank for it all. High & Mighty celebrates a sporting summer with sponsorship of the Highland Games. High and Mighty prepare for a summer of true sportsmanship and competition as an official sponsor of the Highland Games. The menswear brand, renowned for their extensive offering of fashion for men of above average stature, is sponsoring the Scottish Highland Games Association which runs over 60 events across Scotland, taking place throughout the summer months. Over 500 athletes are gearing up to take part in the event, featuring well over 1,000 competitions. Up to 150,000 spectators are expected to join the fun and celebrate traditions from over 1,000 years of Scottish history. Sport is at the heart of the High & Mighty offering. Athletes can find on trend fashion for all occasions, from casual polo t- shirts, chinos and sports coats, to sharp evening wear. With designer brands including Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Lacoste alongside own brands &Brand and Italian Classics. High & Mighty offers clothing that caters to larger athletic builds including taller statures and broader shoulders. Ricky McFarland, Scottish Area Manager of High & Mighty says, We are thrilled to be taking part in this special event which creates a fantastic buzz across Scotland year upon year. We at High & Mighty pride ourselves on offering men such as the thousands of sportsmen taking part the chance to find affordable, stylish clothing. High and Mighty is a national menswear retailer specialising in big and tall sizes. Premium brands include Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Lacoste, and their luxury brands (only available in selected stores) include Bugatti, Paul and Shark, DAKs, and Torres. The formalwear ranges from 150 mix'n'match suits, to bespoke made to measure suits which start at 400. You can shop in 21 stores nationwide, online, or through the catalogue. You can also include a 10% discount for your members. e-shot To get this on the website you need to use code: CJQC1 To get this in store they just need to ask for the Highland Games discount in any of our stores. Ian Grieve, Secretary of Scottish Highland Games Association (SHGA) stated, "Our association is delighted to have High and Mighty on board as one of the sponsors of the 2013 Highland Games. High and Mighty present a strong fit for the thousands of athletes who take part every year; we look forward to collaborating with them on this occasion and nurturing this relationship further in the future." The 10% discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. No cash alternative applies. The discount is not available on made to measure, footwear, gift cards, Bivolino tailored shirts or sale products. Management reserves the right to amend any terms and conditions without any notice. STORE TO PROCESS AS TILL CODE 22 Visit High and Mighty at Caption describing picture or graphic. 4 Castle Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3DW 83 Glassford Street, Glasgow, G1 1UH

Age 16 Height 6ft 0 Weight 12.5 Stones Occupation Still at School (George Watsons College) Married No Track PBs 200m 300m 400m 22.21s, 35.00s, 48.

Relaxed atmosphere no pressure It is hoped that the centre will boost the village s reputation as a tourist destination and benefit the other towns and villages in Deeside.

5 Ben Robbins New Year Sprint Winner - Profile Braemar Highland Games Centre Home Edinburgh Residents of Braemar and the surrounding area this week got to look at detailed plans for a new 2.5 million Highland Games Centre in the village. The attraction, which would be used to host Scotland s historic Highland Games, has been given a preferred site of Princess Royal Park. Age 16 Height 6ft 0 Weight 12.5 Stones Occupation Still at School (George Watsons College) Married No Track PBs 200m 300m 400m 22.21s, 35.00s, 48.91s Most Prized possession iphone Favourite Countries France Favourite Food Pizza Sporting Hero Michael Johnston Best thing About H.G. Relaxed atmosphere no pressure It is hoped that the centre will boost the village s reputation as a tourist destination and benefit the other towns and villages in Deeside. Members of the Braemar Royal Highland Society unveiled the images of the planned centre and are now hoping to raise the necessary funds to make the plans a reality. The Queen and Prince Phillip, and sometimes other Royals, join thousands every year in watching the Braemar Gathering, where piping, dancing and athletics competitions are on show. The centre will focus on the rich history and heritage associated with the games, which date back to the 11th century, with a museum, visitor centre, cafe and shop planned. Deeside Piper and Herald Worst thing about H.G. Favourite Possessions Favourite Film Favourite Band Hobbies Coach/Club Being the backmarker iphone, electric guitar and X Box 21 Jump Street Cold Play Guitar and Golf David Goodall Edinburgh AC Registrations Athletes are encouraged to register asap and not leave it till your first meeting. Please note that youths must also have the second part signed by parent or guardian. Registration can also be done online on the online shop at Best performances New Year Sprint 2012 Something we don t know about Ben Ambitions left in H.G. Training Half Italian To take part and win a few more races 3 Nights a week increasing to 4 soon Yearbooks 2013 Yearbooks are now available from secretary or any General Council member these have been held at postage for 2013.

RULES UPDATE During the close season a number of rules have been updated, these are primarily related to the heavyweight events and these can be found at - click here Revised rules DRUG TESTING

Heavies, Perth, 2 Runners, New Year, 2 Runners, Crieff, 2 Heavies.

6 RULES UPDATE During the close season a number of rules have been updated, these are primarily related to the heavyweight events and these can be found at - click here Revised rules DRUG TESTING REPORT AND PROGRAMME Last season, we did 12 drug tests at the following venues, there were no positive results, tests were carried out at Markinch, 1 Heavy, 1 Cyclist, Aberdeen, 2 Heavies, Inverary 2 Heavies, Perth, 2 Runners, New Year, 2 Runners, Crieff, 2 Heavies. The schedule for 2013 has already been set and we will be carrying out at least another twelve tests Ian Gurr (SHGA Drug Liaison Officer) 2013 SHGA DINNER - Presentation Dance The annual presentation Dinner Dance will take place on Saturday 2 nd November at the Gilvenbank Hotel Glenrothes. This is a joint venture between the S.H.G.A. and the Fife Highland Games Association. Guest speaker this year will be Willie Allan Tickets are 15 and are available from Alex Kidd, Whitecairns, New Gilston, Leven, KY8 5TT Tel TEST YOUR HIGHLAND GAMES KNOWLEDGE with Shane Fenton's PRE-SEASON QUIZ. 1. Who in 2010 was the last Scot to win the Scottish Heavyweight Championship at Crieff? 2. In alphabetical order which Games come first & last in the list of S.H.G.A. members? 3. Which was the only Games to stage a Pole Vault competition in 2012? 4. Which thrower won the 22lb Hammer event at the first six Games which took place in 2012? 5. Which three Games take place on a Wednesday? 6. Why are the names of Jenny Douglas and Lorna Mitchell synonymous to Highland Games? 7. Which are the only two Games to stage their running & cycling events on a 400 metre track? 8. Who currently holds the Scottish record for both the 16lb and 22lb Shot Putt or Stone? 9. Which female athlete reached the final of the New Year Sprint for a 6th time on 1st January 2013? 10. Which is the only Highland Games in Scotland that still runs it's sprint handicap on a 'Chariots of Fire' type string-laned track? Answers available on News Page of website

7 THE SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES ASSOCIATION COMPETITOR REGISTRATION All competitors wishing to take part in ANY SHGA-registered events (including hill races, running, cycling, light field and heavyweight events) at SHGA Member Games MUST be registered with the SHGA PRIOR to competing. Only registered competitors will be permitted to take part in official events, be awarded points towards the SHGA leagues and be entitled to collect prize money, trophies or medals being presented by the SHGA. Unregistered athletes are not entitled to any cover under the SHGA s Personal Injury Insurance Scheme (which covers all athletes up to 75yrs old). Membership of amateur clubs should be declared on the application form and members must wear club vests. Annual Registration Fees for 2013 Season (1 st January th April 2014) Full Rate Adults: per person ( subject to payment being received by 30 April 2013). Concessionary Rate: Seniors: A reduced annual fee of applies to all competitors aged 65 and over. Youths: A reduced annual fee of applies to track and field competitors aged under 16, or cyclists aged under 17. Photocopy birth certificate required for new Youth registrations (not required for renewals). Tug-o-War Teams: per team without insurance cover to obtain cover please register as individuals, on the terms noted above. Day Registration: Athletes who only wish to compete at ONE event in the year may pay a single use fee instead of full registration at the following rates: Adult 3, Youth 1, (Tug o War 10/team). Insurance is not included and will not count towards leagues. Any further participation will require full registration at the standard rates. Completed forms should be submitted with the appropriate fee to: Ian Grieve, 54 Crawford Gardens, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8XQ. Cheques or Postal Orders should be payable to Scottish Highland Games Association Year Books - Copies are available with your registration at 4 each (includes p&p). Insurance Athletes are encouraged to arrange their own Public Liability Insurance cover; note that this is not provided by SHGA. DETACH AND RETAIN THIS TOP PORTION COMPLETE THIS LOWER PORTION AND RETURN WITH FEE APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION WITH THE SHGA I, the undersigned, wish to register as a competitor with the SHGA for season 2013 and understand and accept that the SHGA forbids doping. I further agree that I shall abide by the Rules and regulations of the SHGA and consent to the random testing for prohibited substances which may take place at any time and to inform the SHGA prior to competition of any medicines I may be taking at that time. Please circle the discipline in which you intend to compete: RUNNING EVENTS CYCLING EVENTS HEAVY EVENTS LIGHT FIELD EVENTS NAME:. DATE OF BIRTH:. ADDRESS:.. POSTCODE. . TEL:. CLUB (IF APPLICABLE):. SHGA REG N o (renewals):. SIGNATURE:. Tick box to receive SHGA Newsletter: SHGA USE ONLY: DATE: AMOUNT: SHGA REP: This must be completed in all cases where the athlete is under the age of eighteen (18).

8 I, the Parent / Guardian undersigned, declare that I am the person having parental responsibility of the Athlete undersigned (the Athlete ) and that I have full capacity to give consent to the taking of a blood or urine Sample as required by the anti-doping rules of the Scottish Highland Games Association ( the Rules ). I have read and understood the Rules and I hereby: (a) (b) agree that the Athlete is bound by, and will comply with, the provisions set out in the Rules and will submit to the authority and jurisdiction of the Scottish Highland Games Association and any designee(s) of the Scottish Highland Games Association including UK Anti-Doping, to apply, police and enforce the Rules; and consent and agree to the taking of a blood or urine sample from the Athlete for the purposes of official anti-doping Testing (whether such Testing is organised by the Scottish Highland Games Association, UK Anti-Doping or any other official body) during the period of the Athlete s registration to the Scottish Highland Games Association in accordance with the procedures set out in the UK Anti- Doping Procedures Guide and the International Standard for Testing. Dated this day of. 20 Full Name of Parent / Guardian Signature of Parent / Guardian. Full Name of Athlete.. Signature of Athlete...

Scottish Highland Games Association - Newsletter

Scottish Highland Games Association - Newsletter Message from the President My first six months as president have been very interesting, with many inquiries from home and abroad. Work on safety is moving