A day to remember at Brodick Highland Games

The 2023 Brodick Highland Games was a day to remember for a host of reasons.

 

More than 4,000 people packed into Ormidale Park during the course of the day where pipe bands, heavy events, running races and stalls entertained the crowds on a dry day that helped them settle into their camps all round the field.

 

This was the 135th staging of the games. Visitors poured off the ferries in the morning, making use of extra sailings, and right from the start it looked like being a bumper day as healthy numbers crammed the shorefront pavements to watch the procession of the marching pipe band from the pier. Two visiting bands, from Maybole and Kilbarchan, joined Isle of Arran Pipe Band and Isle of Arran Schools Pipe Band on their rousing march to the park. During the day, they made their customary march of the massed bands round the field to the delight of visitors.

 

In the main arena, there was a fierce contest in the heavy events which this year saw the best entry in several years with 11 men and for the first time in games history four women. In 2018, Yvonne Currie from Lamlash became the first female heavy event competitor at the games and has competed in the games held since, however, she was joined this year by Mhairi Porterfield, Liz Elliot and Rachael Hunter.

 

The heavy events were overseen, as always, by Alan Pettigrew in his own intimtable style and he got the crowd going as Ayr's Rachael Hunter set a games record when she threw the 28lb weight for height a massive 15 feet 4 inches to win the competition - the first time she has thrown that height.

 

The feat left the crowds hungry for more and that suited the Arran Mountain Rescue Team fine who sold out their stock of 800 burgers in record time.

 

And there is a new name on The Lady Jean Fforde Cup for the winner of the 100 metres sprint confined to Arran. Having won the trophy 12 times in a row, Archie McNicol was unable to attend the games this year and the proud winner of the race this year was Ross Dobson. There is also a new name on the ladies trophy, which was won by Rosie McNamara.

 

Earlier, the fancy dress proved a colourful spectacle with a healthy entry this year and the popular pillow fight attracted lots of entrants.

 

The day drew to a close with the tug-of-war as the crowds drifted to the exit but many still lined the route for the pipe bands' march back to the ferry terminal, where they played their traditional final set before boarding the ferry.

 

Members of the hard working games committee are aleady looking forward to welcoming everyone back on Saturday August 10 2024.

 

 

 

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Rosie McNamara powers through the 100m women’s race to earn herself the Bob Cameron Trophy. 01_B32BHG01_23_Rosie_Bob_Cameron

 

Arran Pipe Band welcome the other pipe bands and visitors off the ferry. 01_B32BHG02_23_Arran_Pipe_Band

 

Brodick main road is lined with spectators from the ferry terminal all the way to  Ormidale Park. 01_B32BHG03_23_spectators_line_street

 

Kilbarchan Pipe Band march down Brodick main road. 01_B32BHG04_23_Kilbarchan_Pipe_Band

 

Arran Music School Pipe Band. 01_B32BHG05_23_Arran_Music_School

 

Maybole Pipe Band in their impressive uniforms. 01_B32BHG06_23_Maybole_Pipe_Band

 

All the ladies who competed in the female heavy events. 01_B32BHG07_23_ladies_heavy_events

 

All the heavy events entrants. 01_B32BHG08_23_heavy_events_entrants

 

Mhairi Porterfield’s impressive throw in the shotput. 01_B32BHG09_23_Mhairi_Porterfield_shotput

 

Liz Elliott hurls the shotput ball into the air. 01_B32BHG10_23_Liz_Elliot_shotput

 

Alan Pettigrew provided spectators with historical and other interesting facts about the heavy events. 01_B32BHG11_23_Alan_Pettigrew

 

Rachael Hunter prepares to make her final throw in the shotput. 01_B32BHG12_23_Rachael_Hunter_shotput

 

Arran’s strongwoman Yvonne Currie launches the shotput into the air. 01_B32BHG13_23_Yvonne_Currie_shotput

 

Arran local Ernie Weir puts all of his strength behind the shotput ball. 01_B32BHG14_23_Ernie_Weir_shotput

 

Regular contender Alan Butler of Port Glasgow watches to see where the shotput ball lands. 01_B32BHG15_23_Alan_Butler_downfield

 

Young Highland dancers display the results of hours of practising during their performances at Brodick hall. 01_B32BHG16_23_Highland_dancers

 

The entrants in the fancy dress costume which was won by Alexi An-Ansary, left. 01_B32BHG17_23_fancy_dress_competition

 

Musicians perform in the mass pipe band parade around Ormidale Park. 01_B32BHG18_23_mass_pipe_band_parade

 

Young boys race in the under five category. 01_B32BHG19_23_childrens_races

 

Scott Clark receives a thunderous round of applause as he prepares to launch the hammer. 01_B32BHG20_23_Scott_Clark_hammer

 

Local contender Andrew Earle put in a fine performance in the heavy events. 01_B32BHG21_23_Andrew_Earle_hammer

 

The adult races were well subscribed with many participants joining in the fun. 01_B32BHG22_23_adult_races

 

Ross Dobson pushes himself in the 100m men’s race to take the Lady Jean Fforde Cup. 01_B32BHG23_23_Ross_Dobson

 

Arran Mountain Rescue Team members did a roaring trade at their burger stall. 01_B32BHG24_23_AMRT_burgers

 

Police Scotland officers hosted a stall at the event. 01_B32BHG25_23_Police_Scotland_stall

 

The pipe bands perform a joint set at the ferry terminal at the end of the day. 01_B32BHG28_23_Pipe_Band_terminal_goodbye