Scottish festival

Cambridge hosts Highland Games in Churchill Park

CAMBRIDGE — The Cambridge Scottish Festival had a special participant from Scotland competing in the heavy event category — and he was a fan favourite.

Heavyweight champ Lorne Colthart, who now lives in Canada, is on tour at Highland Games across North America.

On Saturday, the Ottawa man was in Cambridge for the games in Churchill Park.

The 27-year-old, who is sixfoot-five, was a title grabber in many of the events. The heavy events include the sheaf toss, the weight over the bar and the crowd-pleasing caber toss.

The cedar log weighs about 120 pounds, and is between 18 and 22 feet long. A winning move means flipping the log end over end and landing at 12 p.m.

Colthart, who moved to Canada to live with his wife, Treena, has been throwing cabers since he was 16.

He won the prestigious Glenfiddich Championship last year and was presented with a trophy by Queen Elizabeth.

Back home, he participated in Highland Games every weekend from April to September. He’s not quite that busy here but will take part in the Fergus Highland Games and other competitions, including in Montreal, San Francisco and New Hampshire.

Watching Colthart was Norma Cousins of Cambridge, who was born in the resort town of Saltcoats, Scotland, but has never attended the festival.

Five months ago, she had a lung transplant and is now starting to feel as though she wants to enjoy activities. She joined her husband and other friends watching the popular heavy events.

Also at the games were competitions involving the police and pipe bands and Highland dancers.

About 200 participants, ranging in age from four to 29, danced for the judges. Competitors were mostly girls, but there were a handful of boys, said Lynn MacDonald, an executive member of the Highland Dancers’ Association of Ontario.

Susan Burnett of Whitby watched as her 11-year-old granddaughter, Madison Velacich, danced.

“I danced. My daughter danced and now she dances. She is better than the both of us,” Burnett said. Madison won second runner-up in the category of 11 and under.

ALL PHOTOS BY MAT MCCARTHY Berle Conrad competes in the weight for height competition at the Cambridge Scottish Festival. Heavy events included the sheaf and the caber toss.

Jim McGillivray judges a pipe band at the Cambridge Scottish Festival in Churchill Park on Saturday. The popular event also featured Highland dancers and strength competitions.

A pipe band marches past the bleachers during competition at the Scottish Festival in Cambridge on Saturday.

Mike McIntyre puts everything he has into the sheaf toss at the Cambridge Scottish Festival as his competitors stand by and watch.

Clinton Dochuk catches his kilt with his fork during the sheaf toss at the annual festival.

Lorne Colthart acknowleges the crowd after a successful throw in the weight for height competition.