Mey Highland and Cultural Games to be ‘bigger and better’
Event chairman Captain Richard Otley said that the Mey Highland and Cultural Games 2018 will be “bigger and better” this year and “will surely put Caithness on the map”.
The 2018 event is the first Highland games to include para-athletes’ events. People with physical, vision and intellectual disabilities are eligible to compete.
“This is a golden opportunity for local groups, individuals and businesses to raise awareness to their cause and raise funds from their stalls on the day,” he said. “We are hoping the event will showcase Caithness in a positive way for tourism, business and the community.”
Sixty para-athletes will travel from as far afield as America and Australia and all over the UK to take part in the milestone event. The Mey Games will be unique as it welcomes both para and Invictus athletes to compete in traditional Highland track-and-field competitions. This will be the first time that para-athletics has been included within a traditional Highland Games context in Scotland.
America’s Alex “The Tank” Armor, who holds the world record for wheelchair caber-tossing, as well as several top Australian para-athletes will be competing.

Last year saw a revamped games event held at John O’Groats, with Prince Charles – known as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland – in attendance.
The duke – whose late grandmother, the Queen Mother, regularly attended the games during her summer stays at the Castle of Mey – did an impromptu tour of the various marquees on the site to chat with local organisations and vendors.
Capt Otley – who is also chairman of the Wick, Canisbay and Latheron branch of Royal British Legion Scotland (RBLS) – said that all proceeds from the games will be going towards supporting the veterans and their families within the branch area. There will be in the region of 15 marquees this year, including seven new ones as a result of successful applications to local community benefit funds.
“The Mey Games is now a major annual event in Caithness,” Capt Otley said.
“It’s organised by the Wick, Canisbay and Latheron branch of the RBLS who took on the running of the games when visitor numbers were dwindling to as low as just 30. Last year, we had 1500 visitors and this year we hope to welcome between 2500 and 3500 people.
“We are all volunteers and work hard to ensure the event is a big success. It’s a community event and we want the local community to be part of it. We offer free stalls to local businesses as we want to encourage them to be involved.
“At the RBLS we provide a lot of veteran support and our ethos is focused on military support and participation inclusion.
“We are delighted to have so many para-athletes taking part this year from around the globe. A delegation from the RBLS Wick, Canisbay and Latheron branch visited Australia in April this year to mark Anzac Day so it’s fitting that we will have a number of Australian para-athletes taking part.
“We want to make sure each of the para-athletes and everybody at the games has an enjoyable time.”
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He stressed how the games have been “ramped up” by comparing the number of marquees this year with the total put up two years ago, only three.
“There has been a massive amount of work behind the scenes by a dedicated group of members to ensure the games not only takes place but grows to a more sustainable level.”
The build-up to the Mey Games will get under way with a North Coast 500 cycling challenge that will depart from Wick’s Market Square on July 28 and arrive back in the town on August 3, the day before the games.
On the morning of the games, at 9.30am, there will be a rededication ceremony at the grave of General Lord Horne in Wick cemetery. “We shall honour Wick’s own hero of the Great War with a colour party and piper in attendance at this short but poignant event,” Capt Otley said.
Events kicks off at 11am and include Highland dancing competitions, pipe and drum bands, the tug of war, dog show and live music, as well as various exhibitions, local art, crafts and food stalls.
The event will take place at John O’Groats for the third time after travel company Natural Retreats stepped in after the previous games location, close to the Castle of Mey, became waterlogged.
Since then the company has continued to provide ongoing complimentary use of the showground.
Ewan Kearney, chief operating officer at Natural Retreats, said: “We are absolutely delighted to support the Mey Games again this year.”
For more information, visit the Mey Games Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MeyGames/