Areyou gamefor Ardblair Stones?
Blairgowrie and Rattray Highland Games takes place from 10am on Sunday this week
Games Chieftain, Laurence Blair Oliphant of Ardblair and Gask, will preside over a full programme of traditional highland games competitions in Bogle’s Field on the town’s Essendy Road.
The day will feature heavy events, junior heavy events, tug o’ war, piping competitions for soloists and pipe bands, track and field athletics, a hill race, cycling competitions and highland dancing.
This year, the parade will be at noon and will be followed by the annual Blairgowrie versus Rattray tug o’ war challenge which everyone is invited to take part in.
The Ardblair Stones are returning to the games for a fourth year. Anyone is welcome to try their hand at the challenge which involves lifting nine stones of increasing weight on to barrels. The ninth Ardblair Stone weighs a whopping 152kg.
Also back by popular demand is the dog show, which this year will once again be run by charity Staffie Smiles Rescue. There will be pedigree and novelty classes, as well as a best in show prize, with all proceeds from class entries going to the charity. The show gets undeway at 12.30pm.
Other family entertainment throughout the day includes a mini fair, bouncy castles, face painting, mini kiddie games, llamas and birds of prey.
There will also be a range of trade stalls selling various Scottish crafts and clothes, and food and drink stands, at the games.
This year, the main sponsor of the games is McCarthy and Stone.
Tickets for the games can be purchased at the gate of Bogle’s Field on the day, where payment must be made by cash.
Entry costs £7 for adults, £4 for children and concessions or £18 for a family of two adults and up to two children. Children under five years old are free. Car parking is £1.
If anyone is available to help set up the field from Thursday evening or with the dismantling on the Sunday evening and Monday, contact Games committee chairman Bob Ellis on 01250 873899. For more information see www. blairgowriehighlandgames. co.uk or search on Facebook.