Late harvest flings Highland Games final into chaos

THE final Highland Games event of the season has been called off after the “exceptionally dry weather” caused a late hay crop – meaning a farmer could not spare his unharvested field.

The Invercharron Highland Games attracts thousands of people every year for events including caber tossing, tug ‘o’ war and traditional dancing.

The event was due to be held next Wednesday but Peter Campbell, who farms the land, said he needed to leave the hay growing in his field to provide winter feed for his animals.

Those behind the event said they had to cancel the games “with severe regret”, adding they were not left with enough time to find a replacement venue or apply for a new licence.

Organisers explained: “The farmer, whose field we use, grows his winter feed hay crop in the field and because of the exceptionally dry weather we have had, the crops are growing too slowly and as a result he will not be able to harvest before the games and the feed is urgently needed.”

The cancellation of the final games of the season left many of the Scottish Highland Games Association league results on a cliffhanger.

Mr Campbell, of Balblair Farm in Bonar Bridge told The Scotsman: “We’re awfully sorry this has happened but something’s got to give. During the games we usually put the horses elsewhere but we don’t have sufficient grazing elsewhere this year. Public events are not usually held on private land, so it is quite unusual to hold them on farms.”

He said he had to be able to feed his 40 horses during the winter months, so it was crucial he let his hay grow.

Judges said they would try and finalise the results at other events, with heavies (such as the shot put and caber) and track and field events decided at the Glenurquhart Highland Games by Loch Ness, on Aug 25. The cycling results will be finalised at Grantown on Spey Games, Moray, the following day.

The heatwave has caused a headache for UK farmers, with crops growing slowly. Potato and carrot growers have looked on in dismay, while a lack of lush grass for cows to graze on has meant that cheese and meat production has stalled.

Michael Gove last week promised government assistance after the National Farmers’ Union put out a plea on behalf of its struggling members.