Waipu Highland Games 2015

Tossing the Caber at the Waipu Highland Games

Waipu Highland Games
1 January 2015

Each New Years Day over 8,000 people come to the Highland Games in Waipu to watch one of the world’s most interesting and daunting sports competitions.

Scottish Highland Heavyweight events are the original extreme sports.

The feats performed by competitors in these disciplines would leave even the best Olympians in awe.

• 22 lb Gaelic Hammers are thrown
• 56 lb weights on short chains are thrown for both distance and height
• 22 lb Rocks are thrown in the style of a shot put
• 14 lb sheafs are tossed over a high bar using a pitch fork
• of course the mighty Caber, up to 130 lbs and 18 feet long are turned

All this while the crowds all the while cheering and encouraging ever greater feats of strength from the competitors.

The events usually culminate with the Farmers Walk where competitors carry a 160 lb weight in each hand for as far as they can.

Many visitors come for the fun of the fair and to  pass the time on New Year’s Day after a hard night celebrating seeing in the New Year.

But  many come to see these behemoths of men and women compete to take out one of the very prestigious Highland Games Heavyweight titles. These are jealously guarded and competed for by participants from around the world.Come to learn the history of the caber toss and why they toss a sheaf or walk miles with heavy weights. These hark back to times when Kings and Clan Chiefs assessed the agility, cunning and physical strength of their followers. These events require excellent timing, balance and technique and  look so much more impressive wearing a kilt!If you have never experienced this spectacle, then you need to visit the Waipu Highland Games on 1 January 2015. You will in for a whole day of Scottish tradition, food, dancing and fun. Plan your summer holiday around this massive event.

Press Release by Pat Hadlee  pathadlee@gmail.com