The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Valhalla weighs in with support for Strathmore Highland Games return
Highland Games are go – and nowhere is the summer spectacle’s return being more eagerly anticipated than Angus.
Strathmore Highland Games led the drive to pull in a new generation of young heavies before the pandemic struck.
It stages a junior games as a warm-up to its main event, bringing hundreds of primary school pupils together at Glamis Castle.
The games committee also helps organise junior heavies training for secondary youngsters in the area, so they are delighted to be pressing on with plans for the return of the games to the castle grounds on Sunday June 12 – and the schools’ competition the Friday before.
Strathmore official Lorna Cochrane said plans are now going “100 miles an hour” for a spectacular return to form.
“We managed our first proper committee meeting in around two years, so we’re just delighted to announce that we are back this summer.
“There is already a great buzz – as I am sure there will be for other games.
“From the late autumn and into the Christmas period we were inundated with inquiries over whether or not they would be going ahead.”
Strathmore always draws a healthy entry of track and heavy competitors, a strong turnout of pipe bands and solo pipers, and dozens of Highland dancers – as well as a crowd normally around the 1,800 mark.
The Glamis setting makes the event a must-see occasion for many foreign tourists.
However, the disgraced Earl of Strathmore will not be this year’s chieftain in the grounds of his family home after he was jailed for sexual assault in 2021.
He was released from prison after serving half of a 10-month sentence.
A new chieftain is yet to be selected.
Highland games generate an estimated £25 million for the Scottish economy each year and the importance of keeping that source of income alive has not been lost on Strathmore organisers.
“We started the junior highland games a number of years ago and it just took off,” said Lorna.
“However, there will be some young competitors who we will not see again because the games circuit has ground to a halt for two years because of the pandemic.
“We’re trying to counteract that when it comes to the junior heavies by bringing in an age 18-21 competition.
“It can be tough going from junior to senior in any sport.
“Highland games need to do whatever they can to encourage the young competitors.
“And we’ll also have the junior event as usual on the Friday before the main games.”
Strathmore’s task has been helped by backing and support from Forfar’s Valhalla gym.
Brothers Brett and Dexter Hampton, who operate the Orchardbank centre, donated the entry fees from the annual Valhalla Classic powerlifting competition and matched it to help boost the junior programme.
Lorna said: “We’re delighted to get this extra support.
“News is getting out there that Highland games are returning and we know that folk just want to get back to events and get together.”
“There is already a great buzz – as I am sure there will be for other games