If you are an athlete or are interested in participating in the athletic competition at the Southeast Florida Scottish Festival And Highland Games please download the application at http://www.sassf.org/events/festival/athletics/Athletics_Entry_SE_FL_Games_2012.pdf If there are questions that the form does not address contact Nigel MacDonald at nigelm@bellsouth.net.
HEAVY ATHLETIC EVENTS
See a video posted at Scottish American Athletic Association
THROWING THE WEIGHT
The weight is made from iron and is spherical or box shaped with a
chain and ring attached. The total length is 18 inches and the
weight is either 28 lbs. (2 stones) or 56 lbs. (half a
hundredweight). The stone and the hundredweight are standard British
weight measurements. The weight is thrown with one hand for distance
from behind a marker or trig and the best of three throws is
counted.
THROWING THE HAMMER
The hammer head is a 16 or 22 pound iron ball on the end of a cane
shaft, measuring 4 feet 2 inches overall. The hammer is thrown from
behind a trig and the athlete is allowed to count the best of three
throws.
TOSSING THE SHEAF
A 16 lb. sheaf of hay, enclosed in a jute sack is tossed over a bar
with a pitchfork. The bar is raised in steady increments until all
but one competitor is eliminated. Each athlete receives three tries
at each height.
TOSSING THE CABER
The caber is a long straight tree trunk for which there is no
standard size or weight. It should, however, be too large for any
athlete to toss and then be cut shorter by stages until one
competitor is able to toss it end over end. To do this athlete
balances the caber on its small end and then picks it up and runs
with it before heaving it end over end to land, he hopes, pointing
directly away from him. This would be called a 12 o'clock throw. The
competitor who tosses the caber closest to this position wins the
day. Cabers generally measure between 15 and 20 feet long and
between 90 to 120 lbs. in weight.
STONE OF STRENGTH
The stone of strength is the Scottish shot put. It weighs about 16
or 22 pounds. Legend has it that the distance a guest of a Scottish
landlord could put the stone of strength determined the sleeping
accommodations he could expect to receive during his stay. The stone
is put with one hand, from behind the trig.
TOSSING THE WEIGHT
The weight is the same as that described for the throw and is tossed
upwards and slightly backwards over a bar above the athlete's head,
just missing his head on the way down. He may commence at any height
he wishes but, having commenced, he must continue. He must toss with
one hand and is allowed three attempts. The height is measured from
the ground to the center of the bar.
