An evening Highland Games, putting a 101-lb. stone, and some top competitors - that’s part of the story on the Kenmore Highland Games, won by Bruce Robb.  Francis Brebner filed the following report for IronMind®.


2009 Kenmore Highland Games

Reported by Francis Brebner

The Kenmore Highland Games in Scotland attracted more than 2,500 locals and tourists to their event on 1 July.  These Games are traditionally held in the evening during the work week, which allows the locals to attend after they have finished their work.  The open heavy events begin around 6:30 p.m. and usually finish around 10:30 p.m.
 The top heavies included Bruce Robb, Craig Sinclair, and the young up-and-coming Sinclair Patience, who is fast making a name for himself in the sport, following in the footsteps of his father, George Patience, former world champion and one of Scotland’s top all-round athletes in the Highland Games.
 The opening event with the 16-lb. shot saw Bruce Robb take the win with a distance of 49’ 6”; in second was Sinclair Patience at 47’ 1” and in third was Craig Sinclair at 45’ 11”.
 The next event was the Stone of Tirine, which weighs 101 lb. and is thrown or putted from the shoulder.  Here, a run-up is allowed, unlike at some other Games where a put is allowed only from a standing position.  Bruce Robb dominated the event with a winning distance of 15’ 10”; in second place once again was the young Sinclair Patience with a very fine throw of 13’ 2”, and in third was Pete Hart at 12’ 6”.
 In the 28-lb. weight for distance, Craig Sinclair, who has been dominating this event since the beginning of the season, had a tussle with Robb for the very close win at 76” 10”, with Robb right on his heels at 76’ and Patience in third spot at 68’ 11”.
 In the light (16-lb.) hammer, Craig Sinclair won with a very good throw of 135’ 11”, nearly 10’ farther than his nearest opponent Robb, who claimed second place with 126’ 4”.  Patience was just behind him at 124’ 5”.
 The heavy weight for distance, about 50 lb., was won by Robb with a throw of 49’ 1”; in second was Craig Sinclair at 43’ 4”, and in third Sinclair Patience at 42’ 10”.
 A massive caber that weighed a colossal 200 lb. and was 18’ in length was next brought out.  As there were no turns with the caber, it was judged on degrees, with Robb having the best performance with 90 degrees.  In second equal were Craig Sinclair and Sinclair Patience with 85 degrees, and in fourth place was Stuart Anderson with 70 degrees.

Bruce Robb produced a winning height of 15’ in the 56-lb. weight over the bar, with Craig Sinclair and Sinclair Patience again tying for second, at 14’ 6”, and Stuart Anderson holding fourth place with 14’.
 The final event of the evening was the 20-lb. sheaf toss, which was very large lengthwise.  It was won by Robb at a height of 21’; in second place was Stuart Anderson at 20’ and in third, Pete Hart at 19’.
 The next event on the Scottish circuit will be the Cupar Highland Games on 5 July.

1. Bruce Robb
2. Craig Sinclair
3. Sinclair Patience