Waipū kicks off New Year with spectacular Highland Games

The mass pipe band welcomes the crowds at the Caledonian Park in Waipū. Photo / John Stone

At 9.30am sharp, the bagpipe players marched into the gates of the Waipū Caledonian Park and opened, with the mighty tune of Scotland's most prominent instrument, the 149th Highland Games.

Over 5000 people came to celebrate the local Scottish and Nova Scotian heritage on this scorching hot New Year's Day and organiser Pat Hadlee was amazed by how well everything had fallen into place.

"My favourite part of the event is seeing everything getting under way after all the hours of planning and preparing. We have quite a big crowd, and I've heard people were coming from down the South Island, which makes you realise how valued the event is."

Of the 14 clans attending this year's event, the Davidsons had the honour of being the hosting clan which meant they got to lead both the entry parade and the grand opening march.

From morning through until the afternoon, competitors of all ages showed off their dancing, fiddling and athletic skills.

The New Zealand Championship in Piping and Drumming attracted musicians from across the country, and so did the stunning Highland Dancing competition that had entrants as young as five.

Jacko Gill winds up 25kg weights on short chains at the heavyweight competition. Photo / John Stone

Men and women, including Auckland Olympian Jacko Gill, strained their muscles at the heavyweight competition tossing stones, hammers and – most imposingly of all – the great cabers, trying to beat Pat Hellier's legendary records.

Gill said it was his fourth time at the Highland Games and he always enjoyed the event and the crowd.

"It's hard to prepare for something like caber tossing because we don't have that sort of gear at home but it's always a lot of fun."

Donald Ewen, life member of the Waipū Caledonian Society and current chief, said there were a lot of newcomers at the Games this year which was great to see.

"Newcomers bring new expertise to our event. The Games are not only for people of Scottish descent but everyone so we encourage that."

He said the Scottish population in Waipū unfortunately was getting thinner because younger generations were content with calling themselves New Zealanders – the more heartening it was that the Highland Games still drew so many visitors.

As current chief, Ewen awarded Waipū man Fraser Sim as a new life member of the Caledonian Society.

Sim, who described himself as a "Novie", meaning of Nova Scotian descent, said he went to his first Highland Games in 1937 as a five-year-old boy and has been part of many Games ever since.

The first-ever Games were held on Ewen's great-grandfather's property back in 1871, and Ewen said that the Caledonian Society was looking forward to next year's big event, the 150th anniversary of the games.