Forres Highland Games 2007
This year our Highland Games Commentator Fred Davidson, took on the role of Highland Games Chieftain.
Fred has been involved with Forres Highland Games for many years as a competitor, Official and Commentator for the past 25 years.
The weather as usual, played it's part once again on Games day. As the rain fell all around Moray, there seemed to be a glass roof over Grant Park, with just the odd light drizzle to keep the competitors cool (not so pleasant for the spectators though). Once again there was a fantastic turnout of Pipe Bands, seven in total and they certainly added to the atmosphere on the day. Elgin Pipe Band won one of the awards on the day; for being the best turned out Band and Nairn & District were judged to be the best marching band.
The events on the Athletics Track were as competitive as ever and once again Athletics Coach Neville Stiltoe had a squad of young Australian athletes from Melbourne competing at the Games. This is the Tenth Year the lads from Melbourne have been competing at our Games and we hope to see them back again with us next year.
There was a cracking competition in the Heavy Weight Athletes division and two new Ground Records were set on the day Graeme Allan of Elgin set a new Ground Record for the 28lb Weight for Distance, the new mark being set at 23.02 Metres a 10cm improvement on the mark he set last year.
World Scots Hammer Record Holder Bruce Aitken made a welcome return to the Games (his last visit being 11 years ago) and he was also in record breaking form, smashing the Ground Record for the Hammer with a distance of 43.59 Metres.
Jason Young narrowly failed to beat the Weight over the Bar ground record on his way to winning that competition.
With so many Top Class Heavies on show, it was no surprise that the Caber event was one of the keenest fought competitions we have had in a number of years and it was Jason Young who narrowly beat Bruce Aitken and Craig Sinclair with an 11:59 toss.
In the Tug O War competition, two old rivals once again went head to head in the final, with Elgin just getting the better of Cawdor in an extremely entertaining competition.
This year's Highland Dancing competition was of the highest possible standard and the number of competitive dancers taking part reached an all time high. The overall winner was Rebecca Thow of Belhelvie.
Our Games Sponsors hosted the Benromach Cask Strength Challenge which raised the sum of £125 for the Forres Hydrotherapy Pool.
