Waipu Highland Games

[pnodrog]

Not great shots but Donald visited these games in the distant past and I thought I would jog his memory a bit.


One of the interesting things that happened was our young Olympic shot put representative Jacko Gill decided to compete in the games and broke a long standing games and N.Z. record for throwing a 22kg lump of stone. The throw of 15.62 meters smashed the previous record of 13.7 meters. Jacko went on to win another of the events but did not master the caber toss.




The woman below showed the novice men how to toss the caber and she won the overall novice cup. I just googled her (Raisa Blinova) and it turns out she is a Russian shot put star who last year competed at the European under 23 years championships. Not sure how she happens to be at the Waipu games.





Not so pretty caber tossing novices.




Dancing of course.



And plenty of noise.


I wonder if piping judges can be as unkind as photography ones..

[Shadowman]

Nice captures.

[Jim A]

A nice range, Paul. It was certainly a good day out we had, first time there. Plenty of variety. It was not you doing the sky dive was it? One of the throwers of the iron ball is named Rueben and our two women were cheering him as he has the same name as a grandson of one.

[selig1656]

Nice flow of pics , a well captured series in a story line.

[pnodrog]

A nice range, Paul. It was certainly a good day out we had, first time there. Plenty of variety. It was not you doing the sky dive was it? One of the throwers of the iron ball is named Rueben and our two women were cheering him as he has the same name as a grandson of one.

I left before the sky divers dropped in. My wife was at church and had decided we would go out for lunch. So busy in the village that we went to the golf club and for the first 5 minutes had the dinning area to ourselves.

Did you bring Rueben any luck?

I live locally and usually only visit the games when we have visitors that want to go but it was a nice day so I decided to go down for a short time.

[pnodrog]

Nice flow of pics , a well captured series in a story line.

Thanks Raymond. Did a bit of an explanation as the photographs were more journalistic than pictorial.

[Jim A]

Would like to go again next year, Paul, if at all possible. If so, then will send you a PM and see if we can meet up. Maybe share some haggis!!

[pnodrog]

Would like to go again next year, Paul, if at all possible. If so, then will send you a PM and see if we can meet up. Maybe share some haggis!!

JIm you are most welcome to both contact me and eat all the haggis... (I will stick to pork ribs at the Waipu Pizza Barn. They are delicious)

[ST1]

Nice series Paul you caught the action very well. I may have to try out the Pizza Barn on our way to Paihia .

[John 2]

I enjoyed the series Paul and the shot of the dancers is more than just journalistic. It's particularly well caught.

[pnodrog]

Nice series Paul you caught the action very well. I may have to try out the Pizza Barn on our way to Paihia .

Thanks for the comment.

It is well worth a visit. When are you likely to be passing through?

[pnodrog]

I enjoyed the series Paul and the shot of the dancers is more than just journalistic. It's particularly well caught.

Thanks John. Then it is probably worth my while softening and removing some highlights from the background of the dancers to make it more pictorial.

[madcrow]

Great series, with good execution and story well told. Lovely to look at, nearly as good as being there.

[pnodrog]

Great series, with good execution and story well told. Lovely to look at, nearly as good as being there.

Thanks Maurice. Certainly cheaper and more comfortable than being there - $15 to get in, very hot, humid and people getting in the way when you want to take a photo...

[NorthernFocus]

Nicely pictorial story and supporting text, Paul. We're similar in that visiting that sort of event every few years is plenty for us.

Thanks Maurice. Certainly cheaper and more comfortable than being there - $15 to get in, very hot, humid and people getting in the way when you want to take a photo...

We recently had a thread about those people didn't we?

[pnodrog]

Nicely pictorial story and supporting text, Paul. We're similar in that visiting that sort of event every few years is plenty for us.

We recently had a thread about those people didn't we?

Yes, but all of them were obeying the ropes etc.

Actually this was the first time I have been there and not brazenly marched onto the restricted area of the field to take photographs. When you carry a biggish DSLR and look like an official photographer it is amazing what you can get away with. Especially if you stride up to an official and chat to them about one of the competitors. After such a chat everyone else assumes you have permission to be there.....

[NorthernFocus]

...When you carry a biggish DSLR and look like an official photographer it is amazing what you can get away with. Especially if you stride up to an official and chat to them about one of the competitors. After such a chat everyone else assumes you have permission to be there.....

I'll have to try that next time I'm around a sporting event etc.

[Jim A]

In the fourth image, Paul, what is Raisa Blinova (name provided by yourself) tossing? It looks like some kind of wheat sack? Missed that one - but so much going on. Very impressed!

[pnodrog]

In the fourth image, Paul, what is Raisa Blinova (name provided by yourself) tossing? It looks like some kind of wheat sack? Missed that one - but so much going on. Very impressed!

It is called Tossing the Sheaf. They use a pitch fork to fling it over the bar. The men use a 12 pound sheaf and the N.Z. record is 11.5 meters.

[Jim A]

It is called Tossing the Sheaf. They use a pitch fork to fling it over the bar. The men use a 12 pound sheaf and the N.Z. record is 11.5 meters.

My wife, who is kiwi born (I am Scots) was just telling me what it is called. She saw Raisa doing this in competition. I have seen tossing the sheaf quite a few decades ago (Country Calendar??), but then it was not just a sack (if my memory serves me right?).