News Archive
CRIEFF GAMES LOOK BACK
CRIEFF GAMES 45 YEARS APART writes SHANE FENTON
I'll continue the series of program comparisons, on this occasion with Crieff, from 1975 to present.
20p bought you a 70 page prog 45 years ago now it will set you back £3 to read about the proceedings of the day.
Crieff is synonymous with the Heavy Events and has staged the official Scottish Championship for a long number of years. It's the title all the top 'heavies' want on their CV and all the greats from down the years have their names on the Roll of Honour. Back in 1975 each of the seven disciplines carried a first prize of £5 with the overall champion taking a prize of £100 and a Gallon of Bells Extra Special Whiskey. Nowadays it's £50 and £400 respectively. A 12 o clock toss of the Challenge Caber can win a competitor £1000. Scott Rider bacame the first to achieve this a few years ago.
Interesting that in 1975 the program carried the Tartans worn by all the Heavies and Dancers. Bill Anderson was understandably the Anderson while Doug Edmunds and Arthur Rowe competed in the Rpyal Stewart. In the Highland Dancing, Jean Swanston sported the Drummond of Perth tartan.
On the track, the 100 yards handicap which carried a prize of £20 was won by a sprinter from RAF Edzell Ross Gibble. Bert Oliver who was runner up won the scratch 220 yards. The 880 yards saw victory go to AP Crawford who in later years went on to be handicapper at Crieff for a spell. B Douglas of Kelso did the double winning both the 1 and 2 mile races.
There was no female competitors or Youth races 45 years ago, last year there was 25 female competitors on the entry list and three races for the Youth's. The 2019 90 metres winner Douglas Young Kelso carried off a prize of £300.
The three cycle races on the card back in the day were the half, 1 and 2 miles and were all won by Willie Johnston of Doune now there is 4 races for the bikers with a Deil tak the Hindmost added.
The games have retained the jumps events, Long,High and Hop, Step and Jump but no longer the Pole Vault, in the latter, 4 and a half decades ago any competitor clearing 11 feet would pick up a 'Special Prize' of £3. Market Park was also the venue for the Scottish Light Field Championship for a number of years Popular back then was Wrestling which is no longer on the program.
In 1975 Ewen Cameron was Chieftain while the visitors tent in 1974 attracted 410 from 33 different countries. The Special attraction was the Royal New Zealand Army Band along with the Maori Display Team. The tradition of bringing an attraction from the Edinburgh Military Tattoo to entertain the crowds at the Games continues.
Tug o War was added in the interim and is always popular as is the Primary Schools relay, Highland Dancing and Pipe Band parade.
Sadly Market Park will be a very different place this Sunday.
Published: 2020-08-14 17:27:06
UPCOMING EVENTS
Our Sponsors
