HELENA — Organizers say around 900 people attended the first Helena Highlands Gathering on Saturday, July 15, 2023.
The event is a showcase of Scottish, Irish, and Gaelic heritage. Attendees wore traditional dress like kilts and competed in traditional games.
For many, the games are the highlight of the event.
"I think the caber toss is everybody's favorite. I think my favorite is probably the weight-over-bar," says Tami Greaney, Helena Highlanders Association Treasurer.
The caber toss involves lifting a heavy wooden beam, trying to flip it 180 degrees and having it land as close to vertical as possible.
The gathering's other games included the weight-for-distance, weight-over-bar, the Scottish hammer throw, the sheaf toss, and the stone put.
Many of the events closely resemble modern track and field events. That's how Bozeman resident Justin Jessop got his start in the games.
"I was a track athlete for Montana State University and when I was done I met up with some people who had been doing this and they just kind of gradually worked me," Jessop explained.
Jessop is in his 13th year competing and this year he has earned a chance to compete internationally at the Masters World Championship in Switzerland in August.
Beyond the games, the Pipes and Drums of the Black Devils performed in an opening ceremony. The ceremony included a Flowers of the Forest remembrance of those lost in the past year. Organizers also recognized the 11 clans in attendance and read each clan's motto.
The Helena Highlanders Association recognized clan MacCallum-Malcolm as this year's honored clan.
Clan MacCallum-Malcolm representative Darin Rindal, of Great Falls, told MTN, "These events are just a great way of learning some of your Scottish history, some of your Irish history; learning names, kind of learning where you come from."
Organizer brought the event to the Helena Valley after an event in Libby decided to take a year off. Greaney told MTN she expects the Libby event to return in 2024, but they have already started planning the next Helena event.
To learn more about the Helena Highlanders Association, visit their Facebook page.
