Lure of Mey Highland Games trumps Olympics for Prince Charles
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
The almost all-female team of marine mammal medics battled their way to victory after prevailing in the final pull of the blue riband event, which was refereed by the Duke of Rothesay on the penultimate day of his annual stay in Caithness at the Castle of Mey.
The duke, who came north without Camilla, has taken over the role of games chieftain since the death of his grandmother, the Queen Mother, in 2002.
British Divers Marine Life Rescue medic and area co-ordinator Audrey Gunn put the team together and entered the heats, winning against Thurso Scout Pipe Band in round one.
“Then we were up against the heavies and I’m not sure whether they gave us a chance or not, but I don’t think they did,” explained Audrey.
“There were five of them and nine of us so we had a numbers advantage but we were just delighted to have won and the money will be going to the marine life charity.”
Coaching the team through the heats was eight-year-old Sophie Jack, the daughter of Scarfskerry’s Alistair Jack, the Scottish national organiser of the charity.
Her valuable input helped the team win £150 for the organisation as well as a case of beer.
Organisers were delighted that the duke opted to maintain his 100 per cent record as chieftain of the Queen’s Park games while at the other end of the country the rest of the royal family were at the Olympic Games as the track and field events got under way.
“I think the prince was probably quite delighted to get out of London,” said Stuart Webster, who chairs the organising committee of what is one of the smallest events on the Highland games circuit. “We were delighted to have his continued support.
“He’s been coming along since the Queen Mother passed away and he’s continued that tradition.”
On his arrival, the duke met with representatives of the Royal British Legion of Scotland and was given a glass memento from the Wick branch to pass on to the Queen to mark her diamond jubilee.
Crossroads Primary School pupil Keira Nellies, aged six, also presented the duke with flowers before he took up his customary seat overlooking the centre of the ring.
He looked on as the five heavies were put through their paces with weight and throwing events, culminating with tossing the caber.
Tain strongman Sinclair Patience won many of the events under grey skies on Saturday while 14-year-old Shaun Gunn swept the boards in the junior heavy events.
Elsewhere on the field, there was a strong display of Highland dancing.
Later track and field events gave the duke and the rest of the spectators a taste of the Olympics as the high jump, long jump and 100m were fiercely contested, while a few of the youngsters were inspired to enter the junior races.
Mr Webster said that they had been lucky with the weather as it had stayed dry, encouraging a similar turnout to last year.
Organisers had been keen to encourage more stalls from local businesses and charities which also brought more people to the field.
President Charlie Simpson said it had been another successful staging of the games.
“Everything went very well,” he told the Caithness Courier. “The duke always said he would fulfil his grandmother’s obligations to us and he did so again.”
Competition winners:
Piping: march, Strathspey & reel and jig – Will Campbell.
Dancing: 12 years and under – Highland fling, seann Triubhas and hornpipe – Chloe Coghill, Wick. Sword dance – Susie Lyall, Wick.
15 and under – Highland fling – Claire Risbridger, Wick. Sword dance and seann Triubhas – Stacey Webster, Wick. Hornpipe – Hannah Russell, Wick.
16 and over – Highland fling, sword dance, seann Triubhas and hornpipe – Stephanie Webster, Wick.
Overall – 12 and under – C. Coghill. 15 and under – S. Webster. 16 and over – S. Webster.
Track and field: 60m – under-eight – boys – Dylan Alexander. Girls – Charlie Alexander.
100m – boys – eight-12 – Alistair Taylor. 12-16 – Craig Wares. Girls – eight-12 – Chloe Coghill. 12-16 – Stacey Webster. Ladies – open – Stephanie Webster.
Open – 200m, long jump and high jump – Craig Spargo, Thurso.
Heavy events – 14-17 – confined to Caithness – putting shot, throwing hammer, weight for distance and caber – Shaun Gunn, Halkirk.
Open – throwing 22lb hammer, putting 16lb and 22lb shot, throwing 28lb weight, throwing 56lb weight over bar and overall points winner – Sinclair Patience, Tain. Throwing 56lb weight for distance – Murray Gunn, Halkirk. Caber – 1eq – M. Gunn, S. Patience and Alistair Gunn, Halkirk.
Tug o’war – British Divers Marine Life Rescue.
