Top left: Playing Scottish music on the bagpipe (one needs very strong lungs). Pipers used to compose music to every significant event (weddings, funerals, celebrations at the clanchief's court, etc). Many times a great number of pipers marched together blowing their instrument (eg. marching to battle). Braemar is one of the many places where annual Highland Gatherings or Highland Games are held in Scotland. The origin of these gatherings goes back to the Middle Ages when clan chiefs wanted to see who were the most talented or strongest men in his clan to recruit them as bodyguards, musicians, dancers, or wrestlers.
Left middle: Tossing the caber: pick up a very long and heavy tree trunk at the thinner end, run with it at full speed then stop suddenly and toss in a way that it gives a flick (makes a 180 degree turn in the air) and lands parallel to a line drawn on the ground: the 12 o'clock position. The Braemar caber measures 19 ft 9 ins and weighs 132 lbs. Balancing the caber the highlander runs, preparing to give a sudden stop, toss it up in the air so that it will give a flick.
Top middle: Throwing the hammer. The old hammer has been replaced by an iron sphere on a bamboo shaft, measuring 1.3 m and weighting either 7.3 kg or 10 kg. The thrower stands with his back to the trig (the throwing mark), swings the hammer round his head to gather momentum and then releases it over his shoulder.
Top right: Putting the stone.
Putting the shot (not presented). A standardised iron sphere weighing either 16 lbs (7 kg) or 22 lbs (10 kg). The weight or shot is thrown with one hand only from in front of the shoulders. A run not exceeding 7 ft 6 ins (2.3 m) is allowed up to the trig which is a length of wood 4 ft 6 ins (1.4 m) long and six inches (15 cm) high.
Bottom right: Tug-o-War.
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