Hororata Highland Games offers world class competitions

Hororata Highland Games offers world class competitions

The Hororata Highland Games Amateur heavy training day, held 9th September at the Hororata Domain, has seen emerging athletes hone their skills in the traditional Scottish heavy athletic disciplines including caber toss, hammer throw, weight for distance, stone put and sheaf toss.

Coach, 18 times New Zealand Highland Heavy Events Champion, Pat Hellier commented “I am passionate about Highland Games. It is a sport which has taken me all around the world, it has a huge amount of comradery with competitors supporting each other and I am passionate about helping athletes find their way into this sport.

The Hororata Highland Games is leading the way in introducing and fostering people into the sport. The programme the event has developed, right from the Junior Warriors and the Have A Go events, to the Gough CAT Amateur Men’s and Women’s Championships and Oceania Heavyweight Championship, is world class. The competitions get better and better each year and I am looking forward to the 11th of November where we will have some of the best Highland Games athletes go head to head.”

“I know that the Hororata Highland Games committee is dedicated to elevating all the competitive events held on the day and that this has become a must attend competition for not just the heavy athletes, but Pipers and Drummers, Pipe Bands, Highland Dancers and Tug O’ War teams.”

Entries opened for all competitive events on the 1st of September and will close 23rd October. This year the event will host two South Island and six Canterbury West Coast Highland Dancing Championships. This is a nod from the Piping and Dancing Associations that the Hororata Highland Games is staging quality competitions.

"Every year the Hororata Highland Games committee looks for ways to elevate the competitions. We want to ensure we stage the best competitions, which is why we invest in quality medals, stunning trophies hand crafted by local artist, Lorraine Natusch, top judges and offer great prize money,” commented Event Manager, Cindy Driscoll.

“Entries are already rolling in and we are expecting to have a high number of competitors, so much so we have extended the programme to finish later this year. We have had a number of enquiries from Pipe Bands outside Canterbury and are hopeful some of them may attend which will make for a huge Massed Bands’ march at the Closing Ceremony.”

Entries are also open for the team events including the Southfuels Tug O’ War and Harraways Junior Warriors. The Junior Warriors is an event for 8 – 14 years olds where they compete as a team of four in the light version of Highland Games events including caber toss, farmers walk, stone put and new this year the Junior Hororata Stones. There are some great prizes for the winning team’s school and each competitor.

The Hororata Highland Games will be held on the 11th of November at the Hororata Domain. Competitors can enter at www.hororatahighlandgames.org.nz

ENDS

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