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THE CALEDONIAN GAMES
Ancient Athletic Events Return to Pleasanton

By Floyd P. Busby

The world's top heavy event athletes return to Pleasanton this coming Labor Day weekend to compete in the 35th U.S. Invitational Heavy Events Championship. Five divisions of athletes will compete during the event. The games bring to light the ancient sports of Scotland, including the fabled caber, weight for height, weight for distance, stone putt and the hammer. This year the hammer competition will be for the World Championship!

The premier class of athletes is the professional class. Pleasanton always attracts the world's top performers in this class, including seven-time World Champion Ryan Vierra, current World Champion Sean Betz, British Champion Scott Rider, current U.S. Champion and world hammer titlist Eric Frasure and All-American Champion Harrison Bailey III. Rider was an Olympic bobsledder.

Women's record-holder Mindy Pockoski from North Carolina returns to defend her Pleasanton win over 2007 champion Summer Pierson of Arizona in the popular Women's Open Class. Summer won the women's World Championship, held in Arizona in February, and the battle between these two amazing ladies is highly anticipated.

The top Men's Open Amateur competitors gather from throughout the United States, as do the entries from the two senior classes, Men's 40-49 Masters and Men's 50-Plus Masters. Many of the competitors have a background in college track and field.

Events

Caber: One of the strangest and most ancient of events emerging from Scotland is the caber. Neither a tree trunk nor telephone pole, as described by some, the caber is a straight, tapered pole designed especially for this event. (In ancient days it was a tree trunk!) Its length and weight varies according to the class of athletes attempting to properly overturn it. The caber is tapered; noticeably smaller at one end than the other. The athlete raises the tapered end off the ground into a vertical position with his or her hands, balancing it on the shoulder, then proceeding to move forward, usually into a slow run. When speed and momentum are correct, the athlete heaves the caber into the air with a forward motion so that the larger top end hits the ground vertically and falls forward. A perfect throw would have the caber land straight away from the thrower, as a clock would indicate 12 o'clock.

Scottish Hammer, 12, 16 and 22 pound: The hammer head is round and made of metal and the handle or shaft is made of cane. The overall length is 50 inches and the weight is either 12 lbs. (women's light), 16 lbs. (men's light/women's heavy) or 22 lbs. (men's heavy). The hammer is thrown standing, with the throwers facing away from the throwing area. Throwers usually take the hammer three times around their heads before releasing it. First, they make sure their feet are firmly planted on the ground, sometimes using blades dug into the ground. Under Scottish rules, the feet must not move until after the hammer is released. The number of throws, measurements and foul rules are the same as the Weights for Distance.

Weight for Height, Standing or Spinning: The Weight for Height is a block or ball weight to which a ring handle is attached. It has a total weight of 28, 42 or 56 lbs., depending on the class of the thrower. The objective is to throw the weight up and over a bar similar to that used in pole vaulting. The competitor is allowed to use only one hand. The starting height of the bar is the lowest requested by the athletes. Competitors may pass until the bar reaches the height where they wish to enter the competition. Once they start to throw, they must compete each time the bar is raised. Each competitor is allowed three attempts to clear the bar at each height. If the weight touches the bar on its way over, but does not dislodge the bar, it is considered a successful throw. If two or more competitors fail at the same height, then the one with fewer misses at the previous height is considered the winner.

A new spin on an old sport: The Spin for Height seems to have settled in as a regular part of the competition and will be seen in the Sunday U.S. championship. In this event you will see the throwers spinning up to, rather than standing under, the bar and releasing for attempts at higher throws than with the older technique.

Weight for Distance, 28 and 56 pound: The weights are of metal with a chain and a ring handle attached. The total weight of the implement includes the handle, which is 18 inches in overall length. The range of weights covers light and heavy weights for women, men and masters classes. The weight is thrown one-handed from behind the same trig as in Putting the Stone, but with a 9-foot run-up allowed. Any style may be used, but the most efficient is to spin like a discus thrower. Touching the top of the trig or any other part of the ground beyond the trig is a foul, whether the weight has been thrown or not. The competitor must still be standing after throwing the weight. Number of throws and measurements are the same as for the Stone Putts.

Putting the Stone, Regular Style: This event is the same as the Olympic shot putt except for a smooth, rounded stone weighing just over 17 lbs. for the men and 11.6 lbs. for the women. The stone is delivered from behind a 6-inch-high by 4-foot-6-inch-long "trig" (toeboard) and must be putted from in front of the shoulder using one hand only. The throwing area allows a 7-foot-6-inch run-up and each competitor is allowed three attempts — the best one to count. Measurement is made from the point on the trig where the throw is made to the nearest break in the ground where the stone lands. Touching the top of the trig, or the ground beyond the trig, is a foul. The oldest remaining record is by former Olympian Brian Oldfield from 1972 in the Regular Style Stone Putt.

Putting the Stone, Braemar or Standing Style: This event is similar to the Regular Style except that a 26.6-lb. (16-lb. for women) stone is used and no run-up is allowed. The number of attempts, measurements and fouls are the same as the Regular Style.

And Field Sports Too

Also on the agenda over Saturday and Sunday is Five-A-Side Soccer, Rugby and Shinty tournaments. Five-A-Side Soccer has been a mainstay of the games for many years. It brings together eight teams from California and Nevada, each vying for the Gold and Silver finals on Sunday.

Born in 1823, the game of rugby was a new addition to the games in Pleasanton last year. Local teams compete. Although Shinty is little-known in America, it is Scotland's oldest team sport and makes its second appearance at Pleasanton this year. The Northern California Camanachd (the name in Scots Gaelic) is the first modern-era Shinty club in the U.S.

Fairgrounds Filled With Scottish Fare

The games in Pleasanton are among the largest in the world. Direct from Buckingham Palace, one of the world's premier bands, the Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards, will make their first U.S. appearance since 2002. They will be accompanied by the U.S. Marine Band, annually one of the most popular features of the games. Rounding out the bagpipes and drums will be more than 25 pipe bands from the U.S. and Canada.

Among the many attractions are the Highland Dancing Competition, six stages of entertainment, both traditional and Celtic Rock, nearly 100 clan tents, living-history re-enactments with Mary Queen of Scots, Highland Warriors, Roman Legions and Viking invaders, Birds of Prey, Sheep Dog Trials, Clydesdales, Scottish Highland Cattle, more than 100 vendors in five buildings, Scottish and American food and drink, and much more.

Both days are highlighted by Closing Ceremonies that feature all the pipe bands and marines performing on the track in front of the grandstands: 750-plus pipers and drummers are not to be missed!

Advance sale tickets are available at www.caledonian.org. Advance pricing is $12 for adults, $20 for two-day adults. Youngsters 8-16, seniors and handicapped are $8 in the rollback pricing from 1995. On the day of the event, gate pricing is $17 for adults, $25 for two-day adults and $8 for youth, senior and handicapped. Military with active-duty credentials are admitted free.