Competitor Stephanie Outhwaite couldn't be more excited to be a part of the upcoming event featuring the Manitoba Heavy Games coming to the Deloraine Fair this year.
It's a rich history going back a long time, as Outhwaite explains. "It's a traditional game from the Highlands of Scotland," she says proudly. "It's been a tradition for many years when they would compete to find the strongest competitor in each clan. Since then, it's gone all over the world, but it's true to the Scottish heritage."
In total, there are nine different competitions that will take place, as Outhwaite shares some details on each one. "It goes from the Caber Toss, which is the only one that's not for weight or distance, it's for flipping. It's flipping the pole type thing and trying to flip it exactly at 12:00 when you flip it over. So, that's where the technique has advanced that you're trying to balance it before you even flip it. From that, you go to the Sheaf Toss, it's where you take a pitch fork and some bailer twine with a potato sack and you pitch it off your fork in a fast motion. A lot of the events are speed/power, so you flick it and I've seen people flick it up to 30 feet in the air, so it's quite the interesting event. There is also weight for distance, that's when you do a spin and throw a weight, you huck it. The weights depend on the age, so if you're a Masters, like I am over 40, I get to use lighter weight, so I'm throwing weight for distance about 21 pounds. The hammer is the event where whip around the head with a long pole and you actually use these shoes that stick into the ground, so that you're attached to the ground thanks to spikes on your feet, you swing the hammer around your head and then you release it behind your back, kind of back into the spot you can really pull on it."
There are a couple more people can experience, Outhwaite says. "These two are more traditional, stone throws, they're like shotput and then you can do like a heavy shotput. Those are all the events, it's mainly speed/power but it's also endurance, because we go from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m."
Having the heavy games come to Deloraine is huge for Outhwaite and the other competitors in Manitoba. "It's so exciting and I'm so glad they're hosting it. It's the second time they've had it at the fair and last year it went really well. I'm about 45 minutes from Deloraine, but I should be able to bring some fans out and even cousins of mine are coming from Winnipeg to cheer me on, because there are not many events at all in Manitoba for us to display and do a show for."
For Outhwaite, she says it's a special event for families and having kids see these games up close is pretty magical. "It's something to watch, for sure. You're seeing very heavy weights being thrown a far distance. We'll even let people come up and hold the weights that we're throwing, and sometimes there are even demonstrations so families can really get a feel for it. We like when people can give it a try with maybe some lighter weights. For example, men are throwing 56 pounds for height and distance, but they can make it look very light."
Outhwaite says it's a full day event. "The event's at the fair are going on all day and the heavy games start at 9:00 a.m. and go to about 3:00 p.m.There's about 15 athletes, men and women in open and masters, which is 40 and over. Myself and Jason McDonald are both ranked in the top 3 in Canada. Jason is ranked first in the Masters right now, so everyone should come on out, experience it and cheer the athletes on."
Details about the Deloraine Fair can be found here: Events Guide