New Years Resolution

Well I've been horrible about posting this past year so my resolution for 2012 is to be More consistent in blogging this year. Since I last posted anything I have completed my first year of Highland Games competitions. I competed in 7 games in 2011 learned alot, made great new friends and had a blast. My first competition was Memorial Day weekend at the Alma Highland Festival, I was amazed I was able to get in there on my first attempt. My goals in this games was to 1) not embarrass myself and 2) learn what I could from the other competitors. I succeeded in both. I finished last in my age group but I acquitted myself well. I didn't finish last in every event and picked a caber in competition for the first time. I didn't turn it but I picked it. ( For those of you that don't know a caber is literally a tree that is usually 17 to 20 feet long and weighs 90 to 120 lbs. You pick it up from the top and balance it in your hands, run with it and try to flip it end over end.) Picking it was a big deal because I had only picked a much smaller caber in practice and never a full sized one. I 4 more competitions in June and July and I finally started to come into my own at the Gaylord games  on July 23. I would up taking second in my age group and turned the caber for the first time in competition. It was really a close competition for second coming down to the last event Weight over bar. I wound up taking 2nd by one point over my buddy Ken. In Kalamazoo I actually won my first event in the sheaf toss clearing 22 feet. (where that came from I don't know I haven't cleared that in a comp since and in practice a hand full of times since then.) I struggled in a couple of events I don't normally struggle in and wound up 4th that day. The final games of the year was Oct 1 at the Red Flannel Games. I had a pretty good day setting a Personal best in the hammer and taking 3rd overall I missed 2nd by a point. Over all I was very pleased with my first year of competition. As I said I had fun and learned alot but most importantly I made some great new friends, Highland competitions are the only contests I've been in where your competitors help you to improve your game often to the detriment of themselves. It is really more like family than competition.and every time we get together it is like a family reunion. I want to thank everyone that has helped me this year particularly Dale and Jason who pushed me in practice 2 days a week and encouraged me when  I would get discouraged and Mark, Ken, JT and all the other geezers out there throwing big heavy things because we can you have all become like brothers to me and I can't wait for next season to start.

Kalamazoo Weight Over Bar

Kalamazoo Caber

Saline Hammer PR 65 Ft

The crew who threw at Gaylord great people.

 On the family front Vicki is right there with me at all the competitions and has even become involved with score keeping and has developed some great relationships with the other wives and girlfriends. My son has helped out at games shagging weights and setting cabers and all the guys really appreciate him helping and ask if he is going to throw someday. Vick is busy with her quilting and Sean is almost 17 and really starting to develop his own life (ie: friends, girlfriends, sports etc.) Well that's it for now I'll try to keep up on this this year.