A show of strength for Taynuilt

Competitors are coming from Canada for village’s149th games

Kilted competitors are saving up their strength for Taynuilt Highland Games this weekend.

With trophies to be won and hundreds of pounds of prize money up grabs, entries for events are expected to be heavyweight on Saturday July 21. Prizes include £200 for the first person to toss the Taynuilt caber.

As well as the caber, other heavy events include the shot put, hammer, weight over the bar and weight for distance. There are sections for youths, ladies and men, and there are track events and novelty contests too.

At 1pm, a parade led by the games committee, followed by Oban Pipe Band and representatives from the visiting MacIntyre clan will leave the former hotel on the main road and pass through the village to the events ring.

Other attractions on the day include a hill race, dancing and piping sections.

‘Highland dancing has become very popular. People are coming from all over. We have one group on tour from Canada. It seems to have become quite a highly regarded competition,’ said one of the games’ organisers, Alan Ross.

Pipers will be able to enter different sections from reels to chanter, he added.

Lots of stalls will also be set up on the day, including charities hoping to boost funds.

Parking is free, although organisers are hoping people will use public transport as much as possible.

‘We’re praying for good weather although the forecast is looking on our side so far,’ added Mr Ross.

This will be 149th Taynuilt Games, and the day starts with dancers and pipers at 10.30am.

‘The MacIntyres will have their own tent at the games and we’re hoping they will take part in some of the events. We hear they are putting forward a tug-o-war team,’ said Mr Ross.

More than 250 MacIntyres will be visiting the Oban area during the games for their 2018 world gathering.

Tickets to the games can be bought at the gate.

‘It seems to have become quite a highly regarded competition’