Arran Games
Record crowds and a sunny afternoon turned the Brodick Highland Games into a fantastic day of fun at Ormidale Park last Saturday.
It was 20 years, almost to the day, since the Queen came to Arran to open the Highland Games, which was the first event at the new playing fields. So it was fitting, then, that the 2017 games saw a record crowd of 4,108 beating the previous record set two years ago.
And what a day of sight and sounds the large crowd had to enjoy. Four pipe bands this year gave the traditional opening to the games with the march along the shorefront led by Arran’s own pipe band followed by Kilbarchan, Kirkintilloch and Maybole pipe bands.
But it was to prove a year of departures. After many years, Rosie Cooke, who always led Maybole Pipe Band back in wearing the most outlandish of costumes, has retired.
To mark her commitment to the games, she was presented with the MacMillan Trophy in the centre of the field, handed out at the discretion of the secretary Sheila Gilmore. Rosie accepted the cup and a big bunch of flowers as she waved to the cheering crowds.
It was the last competitive games, too, for Scott Clark, who, are reported in last week’s Banner, is calling time on the heavy eventing which has taken him all over the world. However, on the day, the strong events champion was Daniel Carlin from Barrhead, who cleaned up in all the heavy events, lifting the Rev James Currie Cup for the highest overall score.
This year there was also a strongman contest which saw four competitors take part in a series of challenges, culminating in the lifting of the four McGlashan Stones weighing from 110kg to 150kg, first seen on Arran last year. Only Edinburgh strongman Ewan Cameron completed all four, although some of the heavy event contestants also had a go.
The various charity and food and drink stalls did a roaring trade as the traditional races and events were held around the field. Unfortunately, the Highland dancing had to be moved to the village hall as the only shower of the day occurred just as the dancing was starting, but they enjoyed a successful event.
Ahead of the last ferry, the pipe bands made their traditional march back to the pier and held their play-off before the visiting bands boarded the ferry back to the mainland.