Visitors from all over Scotland and beyond descended on Blackford at the weekend to experience the atmosphere of a traditional highland games.
As always the event on Saturday in the games park was a mixture of contest and spectacle with events including throwing the hammer, tossing the caber, tug o’ war and athletics, track and field events keeping the large crowds entertained.
The day got off to a grey start but quickly brightened up, missing the heavy rain that fell elsewhere. The large crowd witnessed the breaking of two Blackford records.
Jordan Charters of Dolphinton cleared the high jump bar at 190cm smashing the previous year’s 170cm.
New to Blackford games, Vlad Tulacek of the Czech Republic cleared 16ft 4ins with the 56lbs weight over the bar, breaking last year’s record by one inch. The standard for this event was set in 1980 by Geoff Capes at 16ft and wasn’t equalled until 2015 by Lucasz Wenta.
The 148th games to be staged in the village, this year wrestler Andy Robin was the game’s chieftain.
Other diversions included traditional dancing along with side shows and trade stands.
Results –
Running – 90m – 1 J. Charters, Dolphinton; 2 G. Kelly, East Kilbride; 3 E. Briggs, Inverness.
200m – 1 E. Briggs; 2 G. Desport, Hawick; 3 C. McWilliams, East Kilbride.
400m – 1 M. Archer, Aberdeen; 2 C. McWillans; 3 E. Bradley, Inverness.
800m – 1 S. Ross, Pitreavie; 2 E. Bradley; 3 M. Murdoch, Falkland.
1600m – 1 M. Dougall, Galshiels; 2 C. Robertson, Logierait; 3 R. Anderson, Hawick.
Youths – 90m – 1 I. Lewis, Peebles; 2 E. Lecrivian, Aberdeen; 3 E. Thomson, Aberdeen.
200m – 1 I. Lewis; 2 E. Thomson; 3 N. Turnbull, Peebles.
800m – 1 E. Lecrivian; 2 C. Lecrivian, Aberdeen; 3 S. Bates, Tullibody.
Cycle events – 800m – 1 J. Melville, Dumbarton; 2 R. Kier, Newburgh; 3 G. Gillies, Peebles.
1600m – 1 C. Horden, Falkirk; 2 J. Melville; 3 G. Gillies.
3200m – 1 G. Gillies; 2 C. Horden; 3 J. Melville.
Dei’l tak the hindmost – 1 G. Gillies; 2 C. Horden; 3 J. Melville.
Youths – 800m – 1 K. Thomas, Edinburgh; 2 J. Penny, Newport; 3 A. Ball, Lothian.
1600m – 1 J. Penny; 2 K. Thomas; 3 R. Birrell, Edinburgh.
Light field jumps – High jump – 1 J. Charters, Dolphinton; 2 S. Clark, Stonehaven; 3 E. Bradley, Skye.
Long jump – 1 J. Charters; 2 A. Daffurn, Coatbridge; 3 S. Clark.
Triple jump – 1 A. Daffurn, Coatbridge; 2 J. Charters; 3 S. Clark.
Heavyweight events – 16lb ball – 1 Vlad Tulacek, Czech Republic; 2 Lucasz Wenta, East Kilbride; 3 Scott Ryder, London.
22lb ball – 1 Vlad Tulacek; 2 Lucasz Wenta; 3 Scott Ryder.
28lb weight for distance – 1 Scott Ryder;  2 Sinclair Prentice; 3 Lorne Colthart, Blair Atholl.
16lb hammer – 1 Vlad Tulacek; 2 Lorne Colthart; 3 Lucasz Wenta.
22lb hammer – 1 Vlad Tulacek; 2 Scott Ryder; 3 Lorne Colthart.
56lb weight over bar – 1 Vlad Tulacek; 2 equal Lucasz Wenta and Scott Ryder.
Tossing the caber – 1 equal Lorne Colthart, Lucasz Wenta and Scott Ryder.
Overall points – 1 Vlad Tulacek (43 ¼); 2 Scott Ryder (37 ¾); 3 Lucasz Wenta (34 ¾).
Tug o’ war – 1 Strathardle; 2 Moffat B; 3 Elgin.
