A guide to the Scottish athletic events
Distance events (the winner is the one who goes the farthest)
Braemar Stone
Technique: Athletes must throw a round, 22-pound stone from a stationary position (no running or spinning allowed). The competitor is not allowed to touch the top of the trig (the toe bar) or the ground beyond it before or after the throw.
History: A common practice of early Highland chiefs was to keep a large stone outside their gatepost to challenge the throwing arms of every visiting clan's warriors.
Open stone toss
Technique: Similar to the Olympic shot put, the competitor runs up a 7-foot, 6-inch approach path and, using only one hand, throws a 16-pound stone from behind the trig.
History:When under siege, a stone putter would be posted on the battlements where he could hurl boulders down onto the attackers.
Weight-for-distance
Technique: Men use 28- and 56-pound weights that are attached to a ring handle by a chain. The athlete holds the weight in one hand and swings it from side to side to build up momentum, then he spins the weight around and lets it fly. Competitors are scored on their best of three tosses.
History: Another useful demonstration of strength that clan chieftains used to judge their warriors.
Hammer
Technique: A metal ball is attached to a wooden handle to make a hammer no more than 50 inches long. Categories are light (16 pounds) and heavy (22 pounds). The athlete spins around for two or three complete turns and releases. The best of three tosses is scored.
History: The original hammer used in Scotland was that used by the men working in the granite quarries.
Height events (The winner achieves the greatest height)
Sheaf Toss
Technique: A burlap bag weighing 16 to 20 pounds is hurled straight up in the air and over a crossbar with the aid of a two- pronged pitchfork. Each competitor gets three tosses at each height, and has to make the height to move on to the next one.
History: Said to have its roots on the farms of Scotland, where young men would pitch wheat into the storage loft on a barn's second floor. Legends also say it was used in times of siege, when torched bags of hay were tossed over castle walls.
Weight-over-bar
Technique: Using only one hand, the competitor tosses a 56-pound weight up and over a crossbar. Each competitor gets three tries at each height and must successfully toss in order to move on.
History: Believed to have been used as a training method for tossing grappling hooks and scaling tall, fortified walls.
Accuracy events (The winner comes closest to the desired mark.)
Caber toss
Technique: Probably the most famous event. A caber is a 90- to 120-pound log that averages 18 feet in length that is held upright against the shoulder while the athlete runs a short distance and then tosses the caber end-over-end, so that it falls directly away from the athlete in a "12 o'clock" position. Points are deducted according to the number of degrees it varies from that perfect position. Athletes are allowed three tosses.
History: Dates from about the 16th century when it may have begun as a military tactic used to breach barriers or bridge rivers.
Women also compete in separate competitions and use lighter weights.
SOURCES: Utah Scottish Association; The Celtic/Scottish Festival Primer (www.maclachlans.org).
Copyright C 2005 Deseret News Publishing Co.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.
Distance events (the winner is the one who goes the farthest)
Braemar Stone
Technique: Athletes must throw a round, 22-pound stone from a stationary position (no running or spinning allowed). The competitor is not allowed to touch the top of the trig (the toe bar) or the ground beyond it before or after the throw.
History: A common practice of early Highland chiefs was to keep a large stone outside their gatepost to challenge the throwing arms of every visiting clan's warriors.
Open stone toss
Technique: Similar to the Olympic shot put, the competitor runs up a 7-foot, 6-inch approach path and, using only one hand, throws a 16-pound stone from behind the trig.
History:When under siege, a stone putter would be posted on the battlements where he could hurl boulders down onto the attackers.
Weight-for-distance
Technique: Men use 28- and 56-pound weights that are attached to a ring handle by a chain. The athlete holds the weight in one hand and swings it from side to side to build up momentum, then he spins the weight around and lets it fly. Competitors are scored on their best of three tosses.
History: Another useful demonstration of strength that clan chieftains used to judge their warriors.
Hammer
Technique: A metal ball is attached to a wooden handle to make a hammer no more than 50 inches long. Categories are light (16 pounds) and heavy (22 pounds). The athlete spins around for two or three complete turns and releases. The best of three tosses is scored.
History: The original hammer used in Scotland was that used by the men working in the granite quarries.
Height events (The winner achieves the greatest height)
Sheaf Toss
Technique: A burlap bag weighing 16 to 20 pounds is hurled straight up in the air and over a crossbar with the aid of a two- pronged pitchfork. Each competitor gets three tosses at each height, and has to make the height to move on to the next one.
History: Said to have its roots on the farms of Scotland, where young men would pitch wheat into the storage loft on a barn's second floor. Legends also say it was used in times of siege, when torched bags of hay were tossed over castle walls.
Weight-over-bar
Technique: Using only one hand, the competitor tosses a 56-pound weight up and over a crossbar. Each competitor gets three tries at each height and must successfully toss in order to move on.
History: Believed to have been used as a training method for tossing grappling hooks and scaling tall, fortified walls.
Accuracy events (The winner comes closest to the desired mark.)
Caber toss
Technique: Probably the most famous event. A caber is a 90- to 120-pound log that averages 18 feet in length that is held upright against the shoulder while the athlete runs a short distance and then tosses the caber end-over-end, so that it falls directly away from the athlete in a "12 o'clock" position. Points are deducted according to the number of degrees it varies from that perfect position. Athletes are allowed three tosses.
History: Dates from about the 16th century when it may have begun as a military tactic used to breach barriers or bridge rivers.
Women also compete in separate competitions and use lighter weights.
SOURCES: Utah Scottish Association; The Celtic/Scottish Festival Primer (www.maclachlans.org).
Copyright C 2005 Deseret News Publishing Co.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.
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