Pipe bands galore at games

The Turakina Highland Games - claimed as New Zealand's oldest land-based sports event - turns 150 this Saturday. Photo/File

A single malt whisky, specially struck medals, world champions, international judges and a record numbers of bands will make the 150th Turakina Highland Games something very special today.

The first games were held in the tiny Rangitikei settlement, 20km south of Wanganui, in 1864 and served to underline the influence of the Scottish settlers who trekked up from Wellington to make the place their home in the 1840s.

The games were officially under way last night with a lament played at the village cemetery, followed by a function at the Ben Nevis Tavern when Ben Nevis whisky was launched.

Debbie Benton, one of the games' organisers, said the 10-year-old single malt whisky was specially bottled and labelled for the 150th celebration at the Ben Nevis distillery at Fort William, Scotland.

The bottles will sell for $95 each at the tavern and 120 of them have been shipped in for the games. "This year we've got 17 pipe bands competing and that's a record. We usually get around a dozen," Mrs Benton said.

And there will also be record numbers competing in the piping and drumming events. Turakina is also playing host to New Zealand's open piping championships. "The top pipers from among those bands coming here will be playing. They're the top guns," she said.

Two of the country's A grade bands will be competing, NZ Police and Manawatu No 1, and the resurgence of youth bands will be apparent with two new bands from Napier making their debut at Turakina.

"Morgan Bamford, the current world highland dance champion from Taranaki is competing and she will also put on a special display at the after games party on Saturday night," Mrs Benton said.

That function will also feature a performance by the NZ Youth Pipe Band which will compete in the world championships in Canada later this year.

The games will also be a chance to see Turakina side drummer Finlay Benton in action. The 18-year-old former Wanganui City College student plays for Manawatu No 2 but has just been named lead snare drummer for that youth band.

Among the drumming judges is Reid Maxwell, lead drummer for the Simon Fraser University pipe band in Vancouver, which held the world title a few years ago. "We've put a huge marquee in this year and that's where the after party is being held," Mrs Benton said.