Athletic Events Sponsored by the Spa at Lost Creek Ranch

Celtic athletic competitions comprise the following categories: the Scottish Highland Athletic Competitions (or Heavy Events), team sports and traditional Celtic sporting events. The Heavy Events test the athlete's strength, skill and endurance. Events containing the word Toss generally refer to competitions for height whereas events containing the word Throw are for distance.

Turning The Caber . The caber is a 90 to 120 pound log, 16' to 20' in length is tossed end-over-end. Once the narrow end of the caber is vertically balanced in the arms of the athlete, the athlete runs forward, stops and heaves the caber upward. The caber must spin in such a way that the large end hits the ground. The caber will then fall over with the narrow end falling away from the athlete. A perfect throw will land at the 12 o'clock position, straight away from the athlete that released it.

Sheaf Toss . The sheaf toss involves hurling a bag of hay straight up into the air over an adjustable crossbar with a three-tined pitchfork. The bag of hay weighs 16 to 20 pounds for men and 10 to 12 pounds for women. The winner is the athlete who tosses the highest.

Weight Throws . Men throw 28 and 56 pound weights for distance in this event. For women, the weights are 14 and 28 pounds. The athlete grasps the weight in one hand and begins swinging the weight from side to side. Once a bit of momentum is achieved, the athlete spins the weight around, usually twice, to impart additional momentum and releases the weight. The winner is the athlete who throws the weight the farthest. Weight Toss . Men will use a 56 pound weight, which is thrown for height, in this event. Women will use a 28 point weight. The athlete stands beneath an adjustable height crossbar, grasps the weight with one hand and swings the weight back and forth between the legs. On the final swing, the athlete brings the weight up in a smooth arc and releases the weight so that it will pass over the crossbar. The winner is the athlete who tosses the weight the highest.

Stone Throw . A rounded stone, called a clachneart , weighing between 16 and 32 pounds for men and 8 to 12 pounds for women is thrown for distance in this event. Some athletes spin to gain momentum before releasing the stone, in much the same way a shot put is tossed, while others impart momentum via a forward glide. The winner is the athlete who throws the stone the farthest. As the weight of the actual stones used is so variable, distances achieved vary from festival to festival.

Braemar Stone . This is similar to the Stone Throw except that the heavier stone must be "tossed" without the glide or spin.

Hammer Throw . For this event, a metal ball is attached to a wooden handle, usually rattan, to create a hammer. The total length of the hammer must not exceed 4' 2" (50"). For men, the "light" hammer weighs 16 pounds and the "heavy" hammer weighs 22 pounds. For women, the "light" hammer weighs 12 pounds and the "heavy" hammer weighs 16 pounds. The athlete spins the hammer in a circular motion building up momentum. When ready, the hammer is released. The winner is the athlete who throws the hammer the farthest.

Farmer's Walk . In the farmer's walk, the athlete picks up two weights, each weighing up to 150 pounds, and walks around series of pylons. The winner is the athlete who walks the farthest.

Team events

Tug-of-war . It's a traditional tug-of-war with a Scottish flavor. All participants are kilted. Some games have teams from the various clans and families compete against one another. Others permit anyone to compete. The winner is the team that pulls the opposition past the center line.

Seven-a-Side Rugby / Rugby 7's . Seven-a-Side Rugby, invented in the lowland Borders area of Scotland, is a streamlined version of the normal fifteen-a-side rugby played by the rugby football unions. Since the field is of normal size, and the playing rules remain the same, players must be in excellent shape to cover the field with half a regulation team. Traditional Celtic Sports are those sporting events that originated centuries ago that are considered part of the "heavy" events.

Battle Axe Throw . The battle axes used in the modern competition are frequently replicas of the type issued to the 78th Fraser Highlanders, a military regiment from the Highlands of Scotland. The axe is light enough to be used with one hand and heavy enough to dent or puncture armor. In the competition, axes are thrown at increasing distances towards a target. The winner is the individual whose axe, thrown from the greatest distance, strikes blade first in target center.

Kilted Mile . The kilted mile is a Scottish version of a traditional track event. In this race, the runner runs the entire race while wearing a kilt. The weight of the kilt adds an additional degree of challenge to this foot race. The winner is the individual crossing the finish line first.

The Fell Race . The Fell race derives its name from the hills of Northern England where it was originally contested. It is a non-traditional endurance test of both running and cross-country skills over rough terrain. This cross country race typically features several natural and man-made barriers. These barriers can range from hurdling obstacles 18" in height to climbing mountain peaks.

Kilted Golf . The Kilted Golf Tournament is a one day golf outing with participants required to wear a kilt. Standard golf rules apply.

Fly Casting . Since fly fishing is traditionally considered to have originated in Scotland , some events are now sponsoring Fly casting competitions. The contestant casts towards a target with the winner being the individual who can cast into the target area from the greatest distance.

Children's Games . Some events have competitions that mock Scottish athletic events. Others include special events like sack races, egg-and-spoon races, pillow fights and lawn bowling.