The pipers will be blowing and the athletes will be throwing at the 81st annual CNY Scottish Games and Celtic Festival at Long Branch Park on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The big draw at the games is burly people throwing big rocks and other heavy objects as far and as high as they can. It’s a Scottish tradition that goes back to ancient times, says Courtney McGuire, an Ithaca native who will be competing in multiple events on Saturday.
“We like to call this the oldest extreme sport in the world,” McGuire said.
Ever since she tossed her first Braemer stone—an ordinary rock weighing around 15 pounds, heaved like a shot put—McGuire has competed in dozens of Scottish Games, including the Masters World Championship, where she finished second in her age class in 2023.
McGuire says she loves competing in the CNY Scottish Games in Syracuse each year because of the great vibe she gets from the crowd.
“The Syracuse crowd is one of the largest, rowdiest crowds we’re ever in front of,” she said, “which is great for us because we feed off that energy.”
Tickets are $15 for adults (13+); $12 seniors (60+); children $10 (6-10); kids 5 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased online.
Syracuse.com photographer Scott Trimble tries his hand at the 'weight over bar' toss, under the tutelage of Scottish Games Masters World Champion, Courtney McGuire, of Ithaca.Steve Featherstone | sfeatherstone@syracuse.com
Scottish Games athletes will compete Decathalon-style in four main events, including Stone Throw, Sheaf Toss, Weight Throw, and Caber Toss.
However, they can’t do the hammer throw at the games here because the field isn’t big enough to safely accommodate a 22-lb metal ball flying 100 feet through the air.
McGuire pointed out that the CNY Scottish Games are one of the few games that allow attendees to compete in what is probably the most well-known event, the Caber Toss. ‘Caber’ is the Gaelic word for tree. Contestants carry a tree or wooden pole upright and try to toss it accurately end over end.
“You can’t do that at most games,” McGuire said. “You can sign up for caber and compete amongst fellow people in the audience and learn how to do it. It’s kind of exciting and a lot of fun.”
McGuire demonstrated how to properly hurl heavy objects with Scott Trimble, Syracuse.com photographer, long-ago Scottish Games participant, and proud member of Clan Turnbull. As it happens, Clan Turnbull is also one of McGuire’s sponsors.
In addition to the athletic games, the festival is jam-packed with cultural activities, including Drumming and Pipe Band performances, Highland Dancing, Celtic-themed vendors and food, clans and societies, harpers, a wandering minstrel, and Syracuse Irish Session and Massed Bands.
Steve Featherstone covers the outdoors for The Post Standard, syracuse.com and NYUP.com. Contact him at sfeatherstone@syracuse.com or on Twitter @featheroutdoors. You can also follow along with all of our outdoors content at newyorkupstate.com/outdoors/ or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/upstatenyoutdoors.