Highland Games | Scottish, Heavy Events & Caber Toss

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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you鈥檝e submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.scotland.org/events/highland-games" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Scotland Is Now - Highland Games</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written and fact-checked by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Highland-Games/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Topics: </dt> <dd><a href="/sports/tossing-the-caber" topicid="87523">tossing the caber</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/public-games-and-contests" topicid="482376">public games and contests</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Highland-Games"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref114587"></span>Highland Games</strong>, originally, athletic meetings carried out in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Highlands-region-Scotland" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Scottish Highlands</a>. The name now denotes similar athletic competitions in any part of the world, usually conducted under the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="auspices" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auspices" data-type="MW">auspices</a> of a local Caledonian society and held according to what are believed to be traditional customs. The games originated in <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="impromptu" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impromptu" data-type="MW">impromptu</a> competitions at clan assemblies summoned by the chiefs for hunting, military exercises, and the conduct of clan business generally. The complete breakup of the clan organization after the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Jacobite-British-history" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Jacobite</a> rebellion of 1745 put an end to these gatherings.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The first of the modern Scottish athletic games was instituted about 90 years later at <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Braemar" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Braemar</a> and Strathdon (the Lonach gathering). Other meetings, notably at Ballatar and Aboyne in Aberdeenshire, at Oban (the Argyll gathering), and at <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Dunoon" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Dunoon</a> (the Cowal gathering), followed between 1864 and 1871. There are currently about 40 major meetings and gatherings in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Scotland" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Scotland</a> alone, the Braemar gathering being the most prestigious.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="5920" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/11041-004-F38B4E59/caber-gathering-Braemar.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/265528/5920"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/11041-004-F38B4E59/caber-gathering-Braemar.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/11041-004-F38B4E59/caber-gathering-Braemar.jpg?w=300" alt="Tossing the caber at a Braemar gathering" data-width="190" data-height="300" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/11041-004-F38B4E59/caber-gathering-Braemar.jpg" data-href="/media/1/265528/5920">Tossing the caber at a Braemar gathering</a><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The local chief, if there is one, usually acts as president and at some gatherings is received with ceremony and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="escorted" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/escorted" data-type="EB">escorted</a> to his place to the music of the bagpipes. At the Lonach gathering, the clansmen, armed with pikes, follow their chief to the arena. Athletic events in the Highland Games include the usual flat and hurdle races, long and high jumps, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/pole-vault" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">pole vault</a>, throwing the hammer, and tossing the weight. In these last two events, there are links with the past in the wooden shaft of the hammer (though the original hammer head is replaced by an iron ball) and in the round stone ball used for putting at many games. An exclusively Highland event is tossing the caber, a <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="tapered" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/tapered" data-type="EB">tapered</a> fir pole about 17 feet (5 m) long and about 90 pounds (40 kg) in weight that must be thrown so that it turns end over end and comes to rest with the small end pointing away from the thrower. Competitors in tossing the weight and <span id="ref114588"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/tossing-the-caber" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">tossing the caber</a> must wear the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/kilt" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">kilt</a>. Competitions in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/bagpipe" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">bagpipe</a> music and Highland dancing also form an important part of the meetings.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/american-sports-nicknames" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/52/139052-131-7A7975D1/Balls-shapes-colors-sizes-sports.jpg" alt="Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others." class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">American Sports Nicknames</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/editor/Amy-Tikkanen/6393">Amy Tikkanen</a>.</span><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":265528,"pageLength":343,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"B","adLeg":"B","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Highland Games | Scottish, Heavy Events & Caber Toss | Britannica