144th Waipu Highland Games a huge success

 

The weather gods more than made up for the inclement dish they sent last year by serving up a scorcher to ring in 2015 for the first day of the year, the regular day for the annual Waipu Highland Games.

The new layout of the Caledonian Park and the wonderful weather contributed to make the Games on New Year’s Day a real hit. Thousands came to watch the Highland Heavyweight Competition which battled through the day.

Jono McFarlane won the heavyweights belt and immediately gave it back to the Caledonian Society to hang in the new Celtic barn. Jono lives in Scotland and acknowledged the 17-odd years local Pat Hillier has won the belt resulting in its real cultural home being Waipu. His generosity was greatly appreciated.

The Highland Dancing held a surprise for long-term stalwart Jean Baxter who was honoured by the Patron of the Piping and Dancing Association of New Zealand (Inc), Mrs Kay Grout of Auckland, who presented Jean with a Piping and Dancing Meritorious Service Award. These are very special awards presented to persons who have made outstanding contributions to Piping and Dancing in New Zealand.

The sky dive team The Ballistic Blondes was eagerly awaited by the crowd who were blown away by the last parachute being a Scottish flag. After their drop in, the massed bands led a parade into the arena where there was a mass Highland Fling followed by the singing of the Flower of Scotland by the assembled crowd.

Hurling a mini haggis and tossing a mini caber proved very popular with not only the young. Many saw it as an ideal opportunity to ‘give it a go’.

The climbing wall, face painting, zoo and ride-on mower racing also kept the kids happy and the clan tents displaying their individual tartans added even more colour to the day.

A new event, the tug-of-war, proved a fun event by the five teams who participated, capped off by a challenge to the winning team from the heavyweights to round off a very successful day.

This was also a special year in the hearts of those of Nova Scotian descent as it was on Gallipoli on that year that the first of the Waipu soldiers were killed in action in the First World War.

The Highland Games in Waipu is the biggest event of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

In the evening Ceilidh, entertainers Twisty Willow let those who still could, kick up their heels in a fitting finale to the day.

n Results for all the dancing, piping and drumming competitions may be found at waipugames.co.nz.

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