From bears to heavies for Blackford Games chief Andy Robin

148th event: Former wrestler is named as chieftain of Perthshire event

The owner of Hercules the bear has been named as the chieftain of this year’s Blackford Highland Games.

Andy Robin and his wife Maggie will spend the day watching the competitions and presenting prizes at the 148th event on May 27.

A former wrestler, Andy was famed for raising Hercules, who he bought for £50 as a cub in 1976. Hercules performed in a bear-wrestling show with Andy and is perhaps most famous for going on the run for 24 days while filming an advert on Benbecula in 1980.

The bear’s career ended in 1997 when he slipped a disc in his back, but was painstakingly nursed back to health by Andy. He died in 2000 at the age of 25.

The Blackford Highland Games marks the start of the Perthshire season.

Competitors from across the country are expected to descend on the village to compete in the running and cycling races, light field events – such as high jump and long jump – and the Highland dancing competitions.

The top teams from across the country will be taking part in the tug-owar championships, which is the first “major” in the season.

The heavy events will be split into the local Perthshire heavyweights competing in the morning, with the open competition in the afternoon. Several overseas competitors are expected to take part in the seven heavy events, including the British championship for the 28lb weight for distance.

Last year’s games saw two records broken over the course of the day.

Lucas Wenta from East Kilbride broke his own record of the previous year by throwing the 56lb weight over the bar at a height of 16ft 3in. This record had been set initially by Geoff Capes who threw 16ft in 1982.

Scott Ryder from London cleared the previous record for the 22lb hammer by 2 inches, throwing at 119ft 5in. Bruce Aitken from Auchenblae held this record from 2001.

The games will be officially opened at 1pm, when Comrie Pipe Band lead Blackford’s gala queen, Tegan McLaren, and her attendants, Millie Williams and Iona Shedden, into the ring.

The Perthshire heavyweight contest starts at 10.30am, with all other events starting at 12.30pm.

Andy Robin in his wrestling heyday with his best friend, Hercules the bear.