Highland Games

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Highland Games in Stirling: hammer throwing
Highland Games in Stirling: bagpipe competition

The Highland Games are traditional events with sporting competitions. They were originally part of the Meeting ( Gathering ) Scottish clans in the Scottish Highlands . That is where they are at home today, but can also be found anywhere in the world where Scots have settled.

There are up to 100 Highland Games annually in Scotland , organized by the Scottish Highland Games Association (SHGA). The most famous games take place every year at the beginning of September in Braemar , the Braemar Gathering . This is under the patronage of Queen Elizabeth II , whose traditional summer residence is the nearby Balmoral Castle and who is therefore regularly present in person.

Highland Games are organized worldwide by the International Highland Games Federation (IHGF); this has also organized world championships since 1980.

The Highland Games are accompanied by traditional music, especially the bagpipes , and dances. Competitions are also held here.

The games are a folk festival for the whole society and also attract hundreds of thousands of tourists.

The Highland Games date from the time of the Celtic Kings in Scotland. They were fought to find the strongest and fastest men in Scotland, who would often become bodyguards and messengers or warriors for the king. Women are also allowed to take part in the Highland Games.

Disciplines

The competitions at SHGA-Games are held in the following discipline groups:

  • Cycling
  • Tug-o-war
  • Wrestling
  • Light field events
  • Hill Race

There are over 50 different sports at the Highland Games.

Heavy events

The following important information is missing from this article or section:
A few disciplines are still missing. However, they should be widespread and not just take place at individual venues.
Help Wikipedia by researching and pasting it .

while throwing logs

In addition to the numerous competitions, the sporting "Heavy Events" with heavy weights have become the most famous disciplines. In some cases, different weight classes (A-Heavy, B-Heavy and women) are used. A distinction is also made between individual and team sports. There are cultural differences in the heavy events and deviations in other countries from the traditional Scottish variants.

Throwing a tree trunk

With Caber Toss or Tossing the Caber : A tree trunk is held upright with the thinner end facing up. The thrower tries to push the trunk up so that the thick end of it hits first and then falls into a twelve o'clock position (in a straight line away from the thrower). The size of the tree trunk can vary widely, in Scotland traditionally a six-meter-long trunk of a larch weighing 79 kg (175 lb) is used. The difficulty of the throw and the subsequent position are assessed.

Tree trunk pulling

Half a tree trunk, which is attached to a rope, is pulled over a specified distance (approx. 15 m) and passed on to the next team member, as in the relay race . The turning points must not be touched by hand. If they are touched, five penalty seconds will be added.

Tree trunk slalom

The team tries to complete a slalom obstacle course with a tree trunk as quickly as possible. All team members must touch the trunk for the entire duration. The run can be repeated twice. The best run counts for the scoring. Five penalty seconds are added for each release.

Weight throwing

A weight is thrown with one arm from a standing position onto a target area. Any kind of turning movement is prohibited. Each participant has three attempts, of which the best is rated.

Weight throwing

In this discipline, a weight is thrown backwards and with one arm over a predetermined height. Each participant has three attempts, of which the best attempt is counted.

Stone throwing

The stone put or putting the stone is very similar to the Olympic shot put. Instead of an iron ball, however, a stone of different sizes is used. The traditional "Braemar Stone" weighs 20–26 lb (eight to eleven kilograms) when thrown from a standing position. Women also use 13-18 lb. and there are allowed turn / run-up disciplines that are performed with less weight.

Manhood stone

Here a heavy stone or a heavy stone ball is lifted from the ground and placed on a pedestal. If the weight falls to the ground beforehand, start again from the starting position. There are three weights to choose from and they bring different points. Women have less heavy stones than men.

Hammer throwing

The Scottish Hammer or Throwing the Hammer is very similar to the Olympic hammer throw. In the Highland Games, however, the iron block is attached to an actual hammer handle that is 4 feet (1.2 m) long.

Ax throwing

Each athlete throws the ax three times at a round target with five target circles. The best throw counts for the evaluation.

Tug of war

Tug of war

In tug -o-war, the two teams, each on the opposite side of the rope, pull the rope in the opposite direction. The winner is the team that pulls the rope to their side up to a specified mark.

Carry suitcases

Two suitcase-like weights are carried in a maximum of five rounds over a distance of 30 meters. One round is worth two points. It is allowed to stand still and each participant has two attempts.

Heusack throw up

When Haybag high-throw attempts with the hay sack pitchfork to throw as high as possible. For this purpose, measuring lines are used, which stand for the scores.

Haybag throw

Haybag throw

In sheaf toss, an attempt is made to throw the haybag as far as possible with a pitchfork. Typical weight is 7 kg.

Horseshoe throwing

The attempt is made to throw horseshoes from a distance onto a marked area.

Barrel rolls

In this discipline, a full barrel must be rolled once around a circle by two members. Then the barrel is passed on to the other team members, who roll the barrel in the opposite direction. After three laps, the time is stopped and the fastest team receives the most points.

Competitions outside the Scottish cultural sphere

Highland Games have also been held in Germany, Austria and Switzerland - here with licensed Scottish judges - for several years.

In Germany, the DHGV has been awarding the official German championships for individual competitors (A-Heavys and women) to an organizer every year since 2009 (2009: Angelbachtal, 2010: Machern ). Before 2009, the organizers in Machern called their Highland Games the German championships . The International Highland Games are held under the auspices of the British Embassy and are considered the largest Scottish event in Germany. In 2012, the Highland Games moved to the Trebsen Castle and Park for reasons of space and ground conditions in Machern . The first German championships for teams were held on September 4, 2010 in Rüsselsheim at the Mainland Games. For 2010, 28 Highland Games were announced in Germany.

The team competitions held in Germany are very popular with participants and spectators. Many competitions are held here on one day: a mix of Scottish heavy events, strongman competitions and skill competitions such as horseshoe throwing or tree trunk slalom. The devices used are, however, lighter than in the original events.

In Austria, the Austrian Highlander Cup (AHC) took place every year between 2006 and 2013 to find the Austrian Highlander of the year . There are the individual results for tossing the caber , weight throw , weight throw high and down a pint of elected Highland Games used. The Tyrolean Highlander Games , Langenzersdorfer Highland Games , Vienna Highland Games and the Veitscher Highland Games were chosen for 2011 . A total of 15 to 20 highland games take place in Austria every year according to AHC rules, which are held as team competitions. The individual evaluation is calculated from 3 competitions. The competitions held there are only partially similar to the usual international heavy events and are mostly held with lighter throwing devices. As part of the AHC competitions there are also some competitions that are not heavy events such as B. Fast beer drinking and throwing eggs. In the team competitions, rope pulling is also used. A group from Carinthia established this mix of Scottish and Austrian competitions (the original Carinthian Highland Games ) as early as 1984. The First Carinthian Highland Club still organizes its Classic Games every September.

The AHGF (Austrian Highland Games Federation) organizes common international heavy events with the specified throwing devices and throwing weights in Austria every year together with various local organizers. In 2011, Austrian championship titles for A-Heavies, B-Heavies and women were awarded for the first time in Vienna-Stadlau. The AHGF is an association recognized by the IHGF (International Highland Games Federation). In 2011, the strongest athletes of the AHGF competed for the first time at the international championships of the IHGF. The first Scottish Heavy Event in Austria was held in Vienna-Stadlau in 2005 and has taken place annually since then. The Austrian strongman Ralf Ber won the first two competitions (2005, 2006). The strongest international field so far was in 2015 in the Seestadt Aspern at the international Austrian championships. The first three places went to guests from abroad.

In Switzerland, the Highland Games Swiss Championships are held annually in St. Ursen . The sporting disciplines are stone poking, weight throwing , tree trunk throwing and weight throwing . There are also bagpipe competitions.

Highland Games have also been held in South Tyrol since 2006.

On the Swedish island of Gotland , the Gotland Olympics will take place in the style of the Highland Games with similar disciplines.

In order to unite Scottish and East Frisian culture, the Highland Games Ostfriesland have been held annually in Großheide since 2017 , organized by the non-profit Scotland & Moor GbR and the municipality of Großheide. This is a recreational sporting event that mixes the typical Highland Game disciplines such as Tossing the Caber, Putting the Stone, Throwing the Sheaf and Tree Trunk Slalom with disciplines borrowed from the local culture. It's about throwing rubber boots or the "crazy tea party". East Frisian and Scottish specialties are also offered. In addition to live music from various folk bands, the regular program includes Celtic Dance and Pipes & Drums.

Master lists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland

Germany:

  • German championships for individual starters
year place Men A-Heavys Women Master men Master women Juniors
2014 Oßweil / networks Daniel Dorow Michaela Pennekamp Andy Deuschle Michaela Pennekamp Leon Swan
2013 Trebsen Daniel Dorow Sylvana Bomholt Andy Deuschle Michaela Pennekamp Luca Tagliarina
2012 Bundesliga series David Frey Raffaela Büscher
2011 Ossweil Uli Müller Michaela Pennekamp
2010 Angelbachtal Gunnar Pentecost Michaela Pennekamp
  • German championships for teams (officially since 2010)
year Men Women
2019 Paradise Punks (Kempen) Black Widows (Nettetal)
2018 Paradise Punks (Kempen)
2017 Dragon Fighters (Hamm)
2016 Paradise Punks (Kempen)
2015 Paradise Punks (Kempen)
2014 Stoneheads (Nettetal) Nic Williams (Raunheim)
2013 Celtic Warriors (Raunheim) Spleen Queens (Krefeld)
2012 to be Strong (Barsinghausen) Spleen Queens (Krefeld)
2011 Dragon Fighters (Hamm) Stoneflowers U18 (Nettetal)
2010 Dragon Fighters (Hamm) Nic Williams (Raunheim)

Austrian Championships (organized by AHGF since 2011):

year place International rating Men A-Heavys (Austria) Men B-Heavys Women
2016 Vienna did not take place Martin Schiller did not take place did not take place
2015 Vienna Vladislav Tuláček (CZE) Martin Schiller David Kirchmayr did not take place
2014 Vienna Attila Szabo (HUN) Martin Schiller Lukas Prettenthaler Sonja Spendelhofer
2013 Vienna did not take place Gerhard Zillner Florian Stadelmayer Julia Hofbauer
2012 Vienna Robert Fazekas (HUN) Martin Schiller Stefan Dumitrica Sonja Spendelhofer
2011 Vienna David Frey (GER) Gerhard Zillner Franz Kastenberger Sonja Spendelhofer
2010 Vienna David Frey (GER) Martin Schiller Franz Kastenberger Sonja Spendelhofer
2009 Vienna did not take place Martin Schiller Lukas Prettenthaler Sonja Spendelhofer
2008 Vienna did not take place Martin Schiller Robert Katzenbeisser Sonja Spendelhofer
2007 Vienna did not take place Georg Kepplinger Robert Katzenbeisser Sonja Spendelhofer
2006 Vienna did not take place Ralf Ber Robert Katzenbeisser Sonja Spendelhofer
2005 Vienna did not take place Ralf Ber did not take place Julia Siart

Switzerland:

year place Men A-Heavys Women
2012 St. Ursen Daniel Stämpfli Irène Stritt-Lustenberger
2011 St. Ursen Daniel Schmocker Irène Stritt-Lustenberger
2010 St. Ursen Gery Rubin Irène Stritt-Lustenberger
2009 St. Ursen Christoph Stritt no competition
2008 St. Ursen Christoph Stritt Irène Stritt-Lustenberger
2007 St. Ursen Peter Michel Irène Stritt Lustenberger
2006 St. Ursen Markus Maire Franziska Hayoz
2005 St. Ursen Peter Michel Nancy Wagner
2004 St. Ursen Pascal Bächler no competition
2003 St. Ursen Pascal Bächler no competition

Web links

Commons : Highland games  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

literature

  • Niklas Jung: The Scottish Highland Games. Their history and living tradition: Sport - Competition - Myth, GRIN Verlag, 2005, ISBN 9783638428224
  • Helmut Novacek: Scottish "Highland Games": traditional popular sport of an ethnic minority through the ages, 1989

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Report from the Highland Games In: Der Tagesspiegel
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h The competition disciplines. Retrieved September 3, 2019 (German).
  3. ↑ John Nauright: Sports around the World: History, Culture, and Practice [4 volumes]: History, Culture, and Practice . ABC-CLIO, 2012, ISBN 978-1-59884-301-9 ( google.com [accessed September 3, 2019]).
  4. ↑ Discipline 7: Barrel Rolls. Retrieved September 3, 2019 .
  5. ↑ Highland Games Swiss Championships (de / fr / en)