John Wood Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Oh man, what a day. I had never been to a Highland Games event before and this was an incredible way to start out. The St. Andrews festival is the largest and oldest Highland Games festival in the country. It is held at a fair grounds in Livonia, Michigan which is a suburb of Detroit. I stuck mostly around the heavy athletics but there were many other things going on. Among other goings on there were Scottish dancing, bagpiping and craft competitions. One tent had every type of sword imaginable. If you wanted a samurai Sword, battle axe, mace, or the sword from Braveheart, that was the place to go. They also had the helmet from Gladiator but made up as a motorcycle helmet. Very cool. Anyhow, it was great watching the caber toss, weight for height, hammer toss etc for the first time in person. There was one guy there, Harrison Baily who just blew everyone away. He also happens to be the world record holder for the weight for height. At the conclusion of the heavy athletics event they had a Farmers Walk contest open to the public. This event was sponsored by Atomic Athletic and used their Farmer's walk handles. Last year I read that the world record in the event was set at this competition. A local guy Brian Duncan walked an incredible 431 feet with 200 in each hand. This year his record was to be challenged by another local strongman named Jared Spybrook. When the first five guys went a total of 30 feet combined I knew I had to enter. I didnt try to sprint as my knees were feeling a little iffy but made a decent showing of 124 feet. It was good enough for second place and a hundred dollars. Jared ended up going 370 feet+ and didnt break the record but vowed to break 500 next year. The uneven turf gave him some trouble but 370 feet is still pretty damn good in my book. Later, as the games were drawing to a close, some of the highland games guys were having an impromptu grip contest just for fun. They had turned the farmers handle over and were seeing how high they could lift it using just the 2 inch thick section. One guy had gotten it to mid-calf. I walked over and said watch this and proceeded to do a full deadlift with it. They were blown away. Then I really blew their mind by lifting it with the 1 and 1/4 handle but with two fingers. None of them could do that either. All of a sudden I was a popular guy to talk to. They were most impressed and tried to talk me into joining one of the clans. I politely refused and just told them I'd just see them next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Van Weele Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Thanks for the report John. I would like to have tried that farmers walk. I did 200 in each hand for 200 feet but that was on pavement. Was my first time though. I would have liked to see the look on some of those guys faces when you lifted that farmers walk implement though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Piche Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Great report John. Nice job in being the "ringer" in the crowd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tou Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 A strong grip guy always makes good impression when peforming in front of non-initiated grip peoples. It is fun and rewarding. Good job John ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maverick Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 I envy you for having the oppertunity to go to a festival like that. One question, Doesnt Wout Zilstra(sp?) hold the record for the weight for height? If he no longer does what is the new record? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wood Posted August 5, 2003 Author Share Posted August 5, 2003 I dont follow Highland Games at all except for the occasional article in (edited to save space). According to the program (which is the extent of my knowledge), the world record in the 56lb weight for height is 18'8" by Harrison Bailey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maverick Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 I think I have this figured out. According to the website I just went to Ziljstra had a throw of 18' 8.5" where Harrison Bailey has a throw of 18' 8". The problem in next to Ziljstra's name it says "pending verification of implimenjt" or something to that effect. You should check out the site, it has a video of Baileys record throw. He uses an odd throwing style I have never seen. The site is here: http://www.highlandgames.net/records.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Highland games are a lot of fun to watch, but they're even more fun to compete in! I have competed in two games now, both in the B class, and took 3rd in my first games and actually won first in the Monterey games last weekend. There was no farmer's walk though I'm not sure I would have won that anyways, since one of the competitors was a powerlifter who deadlifts something like 750 and does nearly 1,000 from knee-high pins. At the Dunsmuir Games in Oakland last month, Dale Harder brought his grip dynamometers and some grippers and let everyone have a crack at them. Josh Grace, a solid A thrower, and I pulled 94kg. Nice work with the impromptu feats of strength. It's odd how people look at you after they've seen you do something like that. It's like instant respect. I'm surprised that the WR is only 431 ft. with 200lbs in the farmer's. I'll have to see what I can do in it later this month when I finally get to break in my FW implements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom of Iowa2 Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Isn't Josh Grace the kid that recently certified on the #3....may have closed it the first time he touched it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Josh Grace is probably in his late 20's. I understand that he spent some time working up to certification but hasn't even touched a gripper since his certification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom of Iowa2 Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 OK.Thanks!! for clarifying....must have go my wires crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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