Scottish Heavy Events Worlds coming to the Glengarry Highland Games

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MAXVILLE — As opening day for the 75th Glengarry Highland Games gets closer and closer, organizers are sharing more information on what is being planned for the event’s diamond anniversary.

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Leading the crop is the inclusion of the 43rd Scottish Heavy Events World Championships, which are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3. These championships, which are held at highland games around the world, feature 10 invited professionals who compete for world titles in events such as the hammer, Braemar stone, weight for distance, and 56-pound weight over bar.

American John Van Beuren is the current world champion and will be in Maxville in an attempt to add a third consecutive title after winning in 2022 and 2023.

David Webster started the Scottish Heavy Events World Championships in 1980 in an effort to promote the athletic events held at Scottish games and highland games around the world. Webster has attended previous Glengarry Highland Games where he would provide the commentary for its heavy event competitions.

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The championships will supplement the games’ existing annual heavy events competitions, which are set to get underway at 8 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 2, with the amateur heavyweight competition, followed by the professional women’s competition at 10 a.m., and the masters division events starting at 1 p.m. Keep an eye out for Canadian champion Susan Lajoie, who hails from Nova Scotia, Morgan Palmer from New York state, Jason Baines from Dalkeith, Lee MacKinnon from Lancaster, and other athletes returning to this year’s games.

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As part of recognizing and honouring the 75th Glengarry Highland Games, organizers are seeking out anyone who was at the first games held in 1948. They’re asking anyone who was in attendance, or who knows someone who was present, to email media@glengarryhighlandgames.com before July 26, and provide the name and a phone number and/or email address. The games will salute those who were present in 1948 with a token of their attendance and the games’ appreciation.

Another special event for the 75th games was a Compose a Tune contest, where people were invited to submit a march or a song commemorating the Glengarry Highland Games’ legacy.

Thirty-five people submitted a march to the contest, and the one composed by Mike Dupuis was selected as the winner. Originally from Martintown, Dupuis now lives in Truro, N.S., and is a piper with the New Scotland Pipe Band. His tune will be played at the memorial service scheduled for Friday. Alana MacPhail Morris was named runner-up; her father Allan was a well-known fiddler who played at the games and founded the Glengarry Strathspey and Reel Society. MacPhail Morris who now lives in Ottawa, but is from Loch Garry, will perform her composition at the fiddling concert set for Saturday.

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Eight people submitted an entry into the song contest, which was won by hall-of-fame fiddler who has appeared many times at the games, Kelli Trottier. While now living in Kingston, Trottier is from the Dunvegan area. Trottier will perform her song at the Tartan Ball, which is held on Thursday, Aug. 1. Nelson MacPherson, who is known as one of the members of Fridge Full of Empties, was named runner-up in this competition. MacPherson is from the Kirk Hill area, and is set to perform his song with his band at various venues throughout Saturday.

For more information on the Glengarry Highland Games schedule of events, visit its website at www.glengarryhighlandgames.com, or search for it by name on Facebook.

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