Crowd enjoy 77th edition of Aberlour Highland Games after three-year absence
AN enthusiastic crowd donned their waterproofs and wellies on Saturday to celebrate the 77th edition of the Aberlour Highland Games.
Games secretary Brian Cameron was delighted to see the event return after a three-year absence and a challenging set up.
He said: “It’s been a very different experience this year organising the games. Everything is different now and the world has changed.
"We encountered a lot of different problems post-covid. It was harder to get the committee back together after three years because people's schedules have changed, the first aid company and toilet company we used both closed too.
"So it became a doubly difficult challenge to plan the games this year.
“Our expectation for the day was that we would be able to run an event, so our expectations have already been hugely exceeded by the fact there are crowds all the way round the field – and that’s great.
"Although this year has meant a lot of changes, we have managed to embrace them and the pipe bands are playing, the athletes are on the track, the dancers are dancing. We couldn't ask for more."
The games offered a fantastic line up of both competitive and fun events. Featured in the programme were the traditional light and heavy athletic events, children's events, highland dancing and a pets parade.
Aberlour Highland Games also offers the unique chance for international visitors to participate in Haggis Hurling and the Tug O’War which saw some enthusiastic overseas visitors be coached by the events team in some games traditions.
The games also had a spectacular offering of pipe bands, with Aberlour, Banff, Buckie, Dufftown, Forres, Keith Strathisla and Portsoy all marching.
Brian added: "This is what Highland games are about, the atmosphere – it’s the weather, it’s the people, it is small but perfectly-formed.”
Results
Primary 6 years
Pas de Basque, Fling and Swords – Blair Fisher (Inverurie)
PDB & HC – Thea Bailey (New Deer)
Beginners 8 years and under
Fling, swords, reel, lilt, Most Points and Overall Beginner G & M Whyte Trophy – Rose Townsend (Stonehaven)
S/T, Flora & Runner-up – Ella Bailey (New Deer)
Beginners 10 years
Fling, Reel, Flora – Phoebe Houston-Bailey (Ellon)
Swords, S/T and Lilt – Millie Bailey (New Deer)
Most Points – Millie Bailey & Phoebe Houston-McMillian
Runner-up - Cait Milne (Cairnie)
Beginners 11 & over
Fling, Flora and Runner-up – Chloe Powell (Banff)
Swords, Reel, Lilt, Most Points and Local Beginner – Rowan Bain (Archiestown)
S/T – Hanna Lukacsa (Dufftown)
Novice
Fling, Swords, S/T, Reel, Flora, Lilt, Most Points and Overall Novice Bunty Godsman Memorial Trophy – Cara Lovie (Dunecht)
Runner-up – Isla Gerrard (Barthol Chapel)
Local Novice
Ciara Millsopp (Archiestown)
Intermediate 12 years and under Fling – Alexis Neville (Turriff)
Swords, S/T, H/P, Most Points and Overall Intermediate The Frank Ogg and Son Trophy – Caitlin Cooper (Huntly)
Reel – Blair Porter (Pitfoldels)
Jig and Runner-up – Kirsty Addison (Banff)
Intermediate 13 years & over
Fling, Swords, Reel, Jig, H/P, Most Points and Local Intermediate Dancer – Ellie Thomson-Bialy (Mulben)
S/T – Devin Fitzpatrick (Inverness)
Premier 11 years & under
Fling, Reel, Jig & Most Points – Alisa Gordon-Duff (Glass)
Swords, H/P & Runner-up – Freya Anderson (Huntly)
S/T – Martha Cowe (Aberdeen)
Premier 13 years & under
Fling, S/T, Reel, Jig, H/P and Most Point – Louisa Milne (Cairnie)
Swords – Amelia Pagett (Crieff)
Premier 15 years & under
Fling & Runner-up – Robyn Hall (Newmachar)
Swords, S/T, Reel, H/P and Most Point – Lucy Strachan (Peterhead)
Jig – Niamh Yeoman (Ellon)
Local Premier – Katie Taylor (Craigellachie)
Premier Adults – Fling, S/T & R/up – Abbie Kellas (Keith)
Swords – Olivia Richardson (Strichen)
Reel – Suzanne McDonald (Elgin)
Jig, H/P & Most Points – Catriona Dempster (Huntly)
