Scottish Highland Games - The Stone Throw

By Dawn Marie Hamilton

This is my last installment for the Scottish Highland Games series. Sorry, I don't have a picture for the stone throw.

Many believe the stone throw originated with the ancient stone of strength or clachneart often found at the gate of a Highland chief's home. Visitors were encouraged to test their strength by throwing the stone.

The stone throw at Scottish Highland Games is like the modern shot put, but uses a round stone—river stones work well—weighing between 16 and 28 pounds. The stone is put from the front of the shoulder, using only one hand. The competitors are allowed a 7' 6" approach to the toeboard or trig. Most athletes glide, twirl, and then throw the stone. If an athlete touches the top of the trig or the ground in front of it, the throw doesn't count. The farthest throw wins.

Other events:
The Caber Toss
The 28-lb. Weight Throw
The 56-lb Weight Throw
The Sheaf Toss
The Hammer Throw

~Dawn Marie

Scottish Highland Games—The Hammer Throw

By Dawn Marie Hamilton





The goal of the hammer throw is distance. A great throw requires a deliberate combination of speed and timing.

The Scottish hammer, derived from a blacksmith's hammer, is a rounded metal hammer weighing 16 to 22 pounds attached to a cane handle.

An athlete stands with his back to the 'trig' and the throwing area. During the throw, his feet are not permitted to move. He may lift his heels while turning, but his toes must remain solidly in place until he completes the throw. Many competitors use spikes on the end of their shoes to anchor them to the ground. When ready, the athlete places the head of the hammer on the ground stretched to the right. He swings the hammer in front of him, and up over his head in a circular motion several times. When he has gained the right amount of speed, he releases the hammer behind him, using the last turn to propel it on its way. Touching the 'trig' or the ground in front of it renders a throw foul.

Each competitor takes three throws, and the throw with the greatest distance wins.

Other events:
The Caber Toss
The 28-lb. Weight Throw
The 56-lb Weight Throw
The Sheaf Toss

Next time, I'll discuss the clachneart, the stone of strength, or the stone throw.

Scottish Highland Games—The Sheaf Toss



The Sheaf Toss

By Dawn Marie Hamilton


The sheaf toss is a games event in which many a farm lad might excel, or not. Tossing hay with a pitchfork onto a pile isn't quite the same as hurling a bag of the stuff into the air over a horizontal bar. A lad must dedicate time to practicing in order to develop the required skill. Not every Highland games runs this event, but I snapped this picture at the Northeast Florida Scottish Games and Festival in February while on winter vacation.



Given three chances, an athlete uses a three-tined pitchfork to hurl a 16-pound burlap bag stuffed with hay over a crossbar set between two standards. The bar is raised in one or two foot intervals after all competertors have completed their attempts. As the bar rises, the field of competitors is reduced until one athlete remains as the winner.

Other events:
The Caber Toss
The 28-lb Weight Throw
The 56-lb Weight Throw

Stop back, I'll discuss more events in future posts.

Scottish Highland Games—The 56-lb. Weight Throw

By Dawn Marie Hamilton

Last month I posted a piece on the 28-lb. weight throw. This month the 56-lb. weight throw is the topic.

Different from the distance goal of the 28-lb. throw, in the 56-lb. weight throw, the contestants are throwing for height over a horizontal bar of varying heights. The starting height is the lowest height requested by the athletes.

Using a metal weight attached by a chain to a ring handle, a competitor stands with his back to the bar and throws the weight over, using only one hand. Three attempts are allowed at each height. If the weight clips the bar on the way over, but doesn't dislodge it, the toss is considered successful. Measurements are made from the ground to the top of the bar at the midway point between the two uprights.

As the bar is repetitively raised, contestants are eliminated, until only one athlete remains and wins.

Other events:
The Caber Toss
The 28-lb. Weight Throw

I'll discuss more events in future posts so stop back.

Scottish Highland Games—The 28-lb Weight Throw

By Dawn Marie Hamilton

The goal of the 28-pound weight throw is distance.

Using a metal weight attached by a chain to a ring handle, a competitor throws the weight one-handed from behind a toe-board (trig) with a nine foot run up allowed. Although different styles may be used, the most popular is spinning. In order for the throw to count, an athlete must remain standing after a throw, and not have touched the top of the toe-board or the ground in front of it during the throw. The competitors are judged on the farthest of three throws.

Key to a good throw are speed and momentum.

What is your favorite athletic event at a Scottish gathering?

Other events:
The Caber Toss

I'll discuss more events in future posts so stop back.

Scottish Highland Games—The Caber Toss

By Dawn Marie Hamilton

I've heard the comment made that the 'heavy' athletic events at a Scottish Highland Games are as unique to the Scottish as are bagpipes and tartans. (The Irish may take offense to this statement, but I think you get my meaning.) The competition most well known is probably the tossing of the caber.

Sizing the Caber

The caber is not a telephone pole, as some describe it, but a trimmed tree trunk tapering at one end. The type of tree used depends on what is locally available. As you can imagine, due to its nature, cabers vary greatly from event to event and from year to year. Typical cabers are 16 to 20 feet long and weigh from 90 to 140 pounds. The longer the caber, the more difficult to turn.

Skill—balance, strength, timing—is required to excel in this event. The competitor balances the caber against his shoulder with the small end cradled in his hands and the large end in the air, keeping the caber vertical. When ready, he runs and allows the caber to fall forward. Determining the right moment, he stops and flips the small end up. If done correctly—speed, toss and timing—the momentum carries the small end over the large and the caber falls away from the competitor.

The toss is judged according to an imaginary clock face. If the athlete stands at six o'clock, the perfect toss points to twelve o'clock. Tosses landing between nine o'clock and three o'clock are considered good. Judges record the best of three tosses. Ties are broken by determining the closest throw to twelve o'clock.

Do you enjoy attending the heavy athletic events at a Scottish gathering?

I'll discuss more events in future posts so stop back.

2012 Celtic Festivals and Highland Games August - October

Piper from Clan Hamilton
2010 Williamsburg Scottish Festival

By Dawn Marie Hamilton

Festival time is in full swing across the country. Come on out and celebrate our ancestry?

Here are the festivals on my radar for August through October:

August 3-4
St. Andrew's Society of Detroit Highland Games
Greenmead HistoricalPark, Livonia, MI
Courtesy of Althea Preston. Things to do: Ceilidh, Music and Dance, Highland Athletics, Border Collies, Scotch Tasting and more

August 3-5
Dublin Irish Festival
Coffman Park, Dublin, OH
Courtesy of Renee Vincent. Things to do: Music, Cultural Exhibits, Beverage Tastings, Celtic Canines, Highland Heavyweight Games and more

August 17-18
Foxburg Scottish Festival
Allegheny RiverStone Center For the Arts, Foxburg, PA
Courtesy of Victoria Roberts. Things to do: Ceilidh on Friday, Festival and Concert on Saturday and more

September 5-6
Virginia Celtic Gathering and Highland Games
Rockahock Campground, Lanexa, VA
I've attended this event twice, which used to be called the Williamsburg Scottish Festival, and had a great time. Things to do: Celidh, Music and Dance, Highland Athletics, Crafts and Vendors and more

September 8
Edinboro Highland Games & Scottish Festival
Edinboro University, Edinboro, PA
Courtesy of Victoria Roberts. Things to do: Music and Dance, Highland Athletics, Storytelling, Vendors and more

September 8-9
Columbus Scottish Festival
Bartholomew County Fairgrounds, Columbus, IN
Courtesy of Diana Graber. Things to do: Music and Dance, Highland Athletics, Sheepdogs, Reenactors and more

September 21-23
New Hampshire Highland Games and Festival
Loon Mountain, Lincoln, NH
This is an event I hope to attend one of these years. Things to do: Music and Dance, Highland Athletics, Sheepdogs and much more

October 13
Indianapolis Scottish Highland Games and Festival
German Park, Indianapolis, IN
Courtesy of Diana Graber. Things to do: Clans, Vendors, Music and Dance and more

October 27
Murray Highland Festival
Murray City Park, Murray, KY
Courtesy of Diana Graber. Things to do: Music, Highland Athletics, SCA Exhibition of Medieval combat, Genealogy Tent, Highland Cattle, Sheepherding and more

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this list.

Click here for April - July events.

Do you know of other Celtic events during August - October? Tell us about them in comments.

Celtic Festivals and Highland Games

Reenactment Couple
2011 So MD Celtic Festival

By Dawn Marie Hamilton

Spring has sprung. Festival time is spreading across the country. Come on out and celebrate our ancestry?

Here are the festivals on my radar for April through July:


April 20-22
Rural Hill Scottish Festival & Loch Norman Highland Games
Rural Hill, Center of Scottish Heritage, Huntersville, NC
Friends of mine attend this event every year. Looks like a great lineup of entertainers for 2012. Things to do: Clan Tents, Music and Dance, Highland Athletics, Whisky Seminar, Historical Encampment and more.

April 28
Southern Maryland Celtic Festival and Highland Gathering
Jefferson Patterson Park, St. Leonard, MD
I had a great time at this event last year. Things to do: Music and Dance, Highland Athletics, Fencing Demo, Living History Encampment and Battle, Storytelling, Rugby Tournament and Celtic Market Place and more.

The Sheaf Toss
2012 NE FL Scottish Festival

May 23-27
GALLABRAE and the Greenville Scottish Games
Greenville, SC
I'm very excited and proud. My clan, Clan Hamilton, will be the Honored Clan and His Grace, the Duke of Hamilton, will be the Chief of the Games and Grand Marshal for the Great Scot! Parade. And two of my favorite festival bands are scheduled to perform: Albannach and Coyote Run along with a new to me band Cleghorn. Things to do: Music and Dance, British Car Show, Great Scot! Parade, Highland Athletics, Celtic Jam, Border Collies, Birds of Prey and more.

June 2
Milwaukee Highland Games
Wauwatosa, WI
Added to the list thanks to Fraoch. Things to do: Music and Dance, Scottish Food, Sheepdogs, Athletic Events, Parade of Tartans and more.

July 7-10
Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and Gathering of the Scottish Clans
Linville, NC
This is my favorite event and the inspiration for some of my stories. To fully experience the festival, you need to camp on-site. Things to do: Torchlight Ceremony, Music and Dance, Clan Tents, Parade of Tartans, Highland Athletics, Border Collies, Gaelic Mod and more.

Pipe Band
2011 So MD Celtic Festival

I'd like to know about other Celtic festivals taking place in the US and Canada.

Do you know of other Celtic events? Tell us about them in comments and I'll add them to the list.