GILBERT, Ariz. — Scotland returned to the desert Southwest this weekend for the 59th annual Phoenix Scottish Games at Gilbert Regional Park.
While many of those who participate and attend the event are Scottish, you don't have to be Scottish to enjoy the games.
The event featured full Highland pageantry with pipes & drums, Highland dancers, athletics, Celtic bands, and a gathering of the clans.
Colin Dunbar is one of the professional athletes who participated. He traveled from southern California
“We’re throwing weights, we’re throwing hammers, we’re throwing cabers, we’re throwing sheafs, all for heights, for distances, all kinds of cool stuff,” said Dunbar.
“The Highland Games is amazing, it’s like no other sporting event, no other field event,” Dunbar said. “Obviously, this is the start of what we now know as the Olympics and track and field, so to get to compete in the primitive version, the original version of this is amazing.”
Dunbar has actually competed in Scotland.
“I brought home money, and I brought home whiskey, so that’s the most important part,” he said. "I set a field record at every games that I went to, so my name is etched in the history books of Scotland.”
The Phoenix Scottish Games hosts championships for Highland dance and pipe band too.
“The pipers are incredible. It’s wonderful to see the massed pipe bands down at the opening ceremonies, the dancers are incredible as well,” said Eddie Brown, athletic director and professional athlete. "Athletics are my favorite of course.”
Brown said the caber toss is his favorite event.
“It’s the only throw you can have a perfect score,” Brown said.
Men and women of all ages from across North America competed.
“I love the fact that for the Highland Games, one of the best things about this community is the comradery, so it doesn’t matter if it’s your first games or your 100th, everybody supports everybody,” said Heather MacDonald, co-athletic director and retired professional athlete. “You want to do well, you want to win an individual event or win the competition overall, but, your fellow competitors want to see you win too, and that’s just such a lovely feature of this sport.”
MacDonald said this year there was a big first for women.
“This is the first year in Phoenix games history, as far as I know, that the men and the women are receiving equal pay across the board,” she said. “We had five professional men, five professional women... they came out from different states, flew out here to Phoenix to throw and put on a show for everyone.”
If you would like to get involved in future events, click here.