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Scottish Heavy Events. Iain Bennett. Agenda . Personal history The sport The events equipment modern day throwing history Links. Some Terms. Scottish Heavy Events, Highland Games, Throwing Scottish Heavy Athletes, Heavies, Throwers, Tossers. Personal History.
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Scottish Heavy Events Iain Bennett
Agenda • Personal history • The sport • The events • equipment • modern day throwing • history • Links
Some Terms • Scottish Heavy Events, Highland Games, Throwing • Scottish Heavy Athletes, Heavies, Throwers, Tossers
Personal History • Rugby in high school, university, club • Weight lifting in high school, university and beyond, but fell off the boat in 1996 • Started lifting again in 1999 • In October 2000, approached by a friend who wanted to start throwing • Goal: Throwing at Fergus in 2001 • Am I crazy? Probably.
Personal History • Studied the sport • Ordered videos, watched UHATV, All Strength Challenge • “This is going to be a piece of cake” • Found training partners in Acton, Ontario • Started throwing April 6th, 2001 • First training camp: Picton, May 2001 • Three competitions: Prince Edward County, Cobourg, Fergus
Scottish Heavy Events • Six or seven events • Stone put • Braemar Stone • Scottish Hammer • Weight for Distance • Weight for height/Weight over bar • Caber toss • Sheaf toss
Scottish Heavy Events • The sport requires not only brute strength but technique and endurance • A good thrower combines athletic attributes with the fellowship of clansmen
History • King Malcolm Ceanmore in 1057 is credited with creating crude forms of the Highland Games’ athletics • Aimed to improve abilities of his military • More festive by the 16th century, but still a means for kings and chiefs to choose the best men for their retinues • Equipment evolved from items available locally in Scotland
Classes of Athletes • AmateurFirst timers to experience throwers trying to improve and compete with the professionals. There are three levels – A, B, C. • ProfessionalThe highest level of Scottish Athletics, prize money is awarded according to placing. This class is usually entered by invitation only. • MasterThis class is for throwers of ages 40 and up. • Women
The Trig • 4'6 " x 9' • Weight for distance • 4'6" x 7'6" • Stone Put • Braemar Stone
Open and Braemar Stone • Similar to shot put but using a field stone • 17 to 26 lbs. • Must throw from behind a trig • Braemar - standing throw • Open - any style of throw
Open and Braemar Stone • One of the classics, and actually the precursor to Olympic Shot Put
Scottish Hammer • Wicker, rattan or PVC handle • Weight on the end • Women: 12, 16 lb. • Men: 16, 22 lb. • Tacky • Hammer boots
Scottish Hammer • The hammer is rotated over the head and in front of the body • Hips help to transfer energy to the hammer
Scottish Hammer • Came from the blacksmiths of Scotland • A dedicated throwing hammer was given a spherical head to lessen damage upon landing • the modern Olympic hammer has a D-handle attached to the ball by a wire. The Scottish hammer has a rattan or wooden handle
Weight for Distance • block or spherical shaped weight • Women: 14, 28 lb. • Men: 28, 56 lb. • The overall length cannot exceed 18".
Weight for Distance • Must throw the weight with one hand while maintaining control behind a trig • Single or double spin
Weight for Distance • original box (rectangular cubic) weights with handles • used for measuring farm produce • Standard weights were half-hundredweight (56 lb.) and two-stone (28 lb.) • 56 lb. WFD was an Olympic sport, discontinued in the 1920s • Track and field version lets you throw with two hands
block or spherical shaped weight Women: 14, 28 lb. Men: 28, 56 lb. The overall length cannot exceed 18" Weight for Height/Over Bar
Weight for Height/Over Bar • Must throw the weight with one hand over a horizontal bar • Rock the weight between the legs, squat down when the weight reaches it’s furthest point • Let the weight reach it’s lowest point and explode up with the legs and arm • Fluid motion!
Weight for Height/Over Bar • Track and field version lets you throw with two hands • The highest tosser wins
Caber Toss • Tall wood “pole” similar to a telephone pole • 16 to 26 feet • 100 to 180 lbs. • Smaller end is usually cupped
Caber Toss • “Pick”, run, squat and toss • Aim is to land the caber directly in front at a 12:00 position • Not a distance event • Caber must rotate through a 90° angle • Not 90°? Called a “Fifer” and is not counted.
Caber Toss • Caber is Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) for tree • Produced by woodsmen
Sheaf Toss • Burlap bag, bound in twine • Women: 10 to 12 lbs. • Amateur Men: 16 lb. • Professional: 20 lb. • Standard pitchfork
Sheaf Toss • Competitors must throw the sheaf over a horizontal bar • 3 attempts • Like a pendulum, rock the pitchfork and sheaf back and forth. • When the sheaf hits the lowest point, explode up and flick the sheaf off the end of the pitch fork • The highest tosser wins
Sheaf Toss • Derived from the farming traditions in Scotland • Sheaves of hay were tossed with a fork up into the barn loft for storage • grew out of a competition to see who could toss a sheaf of wheat highest
Other Events • Farmers walk • More of a strongman event • Two 200 lb. sections of railroad track with handles in each arm • Walk until you drop
Links - Associations • North American Scottish Games Associationwww.nasgaweb.com • Ultimate Heavy Athletics – TVwww.uhatv.com • All Strength Challengewww.allstrength.tv • Scottish Heavy Events for Womenwww.scottishew.com
Links – Festivals • Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Gameswww.fergusscottishfestival.com • Prince Edward County Celtic Weekendwww.pec.on.ca/celtic • Cobourg Highland Gameswww.highlandgames.nu
Links - Camps • Amateur Heavy Events Training SchoolPicton – April 20 – 21, 2002Kevin Fastwww.pec.on.ca/celtic • Wellington County Scottish AthletesFergus - August 9 – 12, 2002Warren Traskwww.fergusscottishfestival.com/heavy_events.html
Links - Training • North American Scottish Games Associationwww.nasgaweb.com • Scottish Heavy Events for Womenwww.scottishew.com • Iron Sport Gymwww.ironsport.com
Photo credits 3. The Professionals - Fergus 2001 - Iain Bennett 5. Bob and Iain - Fergus - Steve Pyles 7. Colleen Millar, Terry Hunt and Colleen’s Mum - Prince Edward County - Iain Bennett 9. Ryan Vierra - Picton - Iain Bennett 12. Trig - Iain Bennett 13. Stone - Iain Bennett 14. Stone Thows - Colleen Millar, Scott Bukovac - Acton - Iain Bennett 15. Hammer - Iain Bennett 16. Adam Denny - Hammer - Cobourg - Scott Bukovac 18, 21. Weights - Iain Bennett 19. Ryan Vierra - Weight for Distance - Fergus - Iain Bennett 22. Iain Bennett - Weight for Height - Fergus - Steve Pyles 23. Harry MacDonald - Weight for Height - Fergus - Iain Bennett 24. Kevin Fast - Caber - Prince Edward County - John Breithaupt 25. Kevin Fast - Caber - Prince Edward County - John Breithaupt 26. Caber Hazard - Chris Drummonds for Iain Bennett 27. Colleen Millar - Sheaf - Acton - Iain Bennett 28. Steve Aucoin - Sheaf - Cobourg - Iain Bennett 30. Bruce Lloyd - Farmers Walk - Prince Edward County - Iain Bennett 38. Iain’s first competition Caber - John Breithaupt