2008 Highlander Challenge World Championships by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. | ©2007 IronMind

Dr. Douglas Edmunds, fondly known as the godfather of strongman, appears to be focusing his latest efforts on the Highlander Games - a concept that combines “traditional throws, gladatorial challenges and feats of strength.” http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/system/galleries/ironmind/douglasrey_lg.jpg"> Dr. Douglas Edmunds, long a central figure in strongman, appears to be focusing on a new concept, the Highlander Games, and he has announced a television production which will include some traditional events along with the gladatorial element that Edmunds favors. Randall J. Strossen photo. The 2008 Highlander World Championships will be held July 19-20 at Scone Palace (near Perth, Scotland), and the competition will be structured with “two international qualifying heats,” and “all athletes will be world champions, record holders or Olympians,” Edmunds said. Edmunds sees the Highlander Games as “a fusion of historical links and traditional sport echoing the preparations for war by our ancestors,” and the results of his promotional efforts will be three one-hour television programs for Channel 4 in the UK. Although this sounds a bit tame compared to the near-carnage anticipated on the competitive field, Edmunds reported that a “supporting program of interactive dancing, music and other attractions” would also be included.

-Man, I hope this concept takes off. Goddodin games in 2007 looked like a good show. An added strength dimension to Highland games, sounds like exactly the thing I'd want to do if I get stronger with age. Purists may not like it though.

Comments?

Last year you started a similar tread that had lots of interesting comments.  Now that it appears to be more of a reality, I will enjoy reading any new takes on this issue and seeing whose positions have shifted if any.

http://www.nasgaweb.com/forums/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4102 - Prior Thread

Ah, that thread brings back memories. Loved the back and forth between meat and Baab about Baab's daughters. Funny stuff.

Best quote was this by Zolk:

If Doug Edmunds is creating this competition so an American can't win that would explain my invite.

DE- "what are your measurements?"

MZ- "Well, I'm 6'-4" and 280lbs."

DE- "Oh. Your on the small side a bit."

I am glad to hear someone is going to promote our sport. I think we would have a larger viewing audience than the 2 hours of timber sports that was on ESPN last night.

Plus he has his son involved, why not promote your son's sport.

No. The best was when I saw the "Rock - Paper - Scissors" Challenge for $50,000 on ESPN 2!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eanWnL3FtM - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eanWnL3FtM

Oh ya and no one would wana see HG.

What a wast of $$$$ RPS

meat wrote: No. The best was when I saw the "Rock - Paper - Scissors" Challenge for $50,000 on ESPN 2!

And even worse , what did the highest earning pro in highland games get this year ? Sad to think about the difference in pay / earnings ?!

It hurts bad to see that kind of money going to crappy events like that. At least Douglas is trying to make something out of our sport. Even if it is a crossbreed of sports.

I know a lot of opinions last time were against the merging of the 2 sports. What are the opinions now?????

I think it's cool.  My body would have liked it better 10 yrs ago.

I think you guys totally underestimate the RPS skill. 

Crossbread goes great with Butter Jesus.

Mmmmmmmmm

Does anyone think the hybrid games has flooded the sport (HG) with guys who can't pee in a cup, as was a few opinions last year? Or is it still too early to tell?

big MAC wrote: Does anyone think the hybrid games has flooded the sport (HG) with guys who can't pee in a cup, as was a few opinions last year? Or is it still too early to tell?

Let me be the first, and probably only, to say....Who cares? 

You got to love bent abbott! he was on some stuff up here in Utah last june. Its called famous daves bar-b-q. just stuffing his face with it before he would throw. see ya soon brent.

Mr. Natural wrote: Brent Abbott wrote: to answer Craig's question: people who value fair play, honor, health and (in most cases) not breaking the law regarding controlled substances. Gets a thumbs up from me actually.

Not enough to stop you from going overseas, competing with some individuals who clearly don't value fair play, honor, etc.... (according to the above standards) and taking money while invovled in those shows?

Makes no difference to me (i don't travel overseas, have no desire too, and hardly throw anymore), but perhaps Dougie Edmunds goal is to put on the best show, with the most freaks regardless, cause that what brings the spectators in, like it or not.  WSM, Pro Wrestling, NFL, MLB, hell even the Olympics...

Maybe you have some more insight Dave since you have talked with those invovled throughout the years?

I'm not gonna let this thread get too outta hand, but that just jumped out at me. 

I think I have a copy of that poster somewhere - signed of course.

Paul would you clear up a rumor that I once heard about that poster?

That caber actually extends only another foot or two over your head.

That's what I heard. And then after I heard it I smacked the dude around and took his candy!

HOLY FRIGGIN SHONDKIES!!!!!!!thats a f**kin huge caber!!!!!!!!!!Paul F was the man

To keep the thread rolling...

Which American do you think stands the best shot at the Highlander format? Ferency out of retirement? Dave Brown? Baab (sounds like he could make Wenta scared just looking at him)? Brock? Zolk?

Who would you like to see take part in this compeition that isn't already?

Yeah Paul I had heard it was REALLY early.

Free McD's?!?! Oh yessssssssssssss!

I'd go with Dave Barron with this format. You gotta be strong and freewheelin' and I think he's got both going for him.

1. Wout Zijlstra
2. Gregor Edmunds
3. Dave Barron
4. Dan Ford
5. Mike Z tied with Gerard Benderoth.

dWood wrote: Paul F was the man

Oh Boy......

As far as Americans.What about Pullcinella ? He competed at both Worlds Strongest Man and pro highland games ?

caber catcher wrote: i wonder what happened to my post on this subject??

We're not going down that road.  If you see my non-naive, realistic viewpoint as something other than that, then so be it.  Keep wearing your rose colored glasses. 

/thread

I remember seeing Charlie compete at the Boston indoor strongman..think he was nursing some hamstring issues but dude was quite a freak..he would fit well in this format...believe he came to the strongman show with a hippie looking guy named kizzy....Zolk likes these comp's and has the frame and strength to do well...............Dave Brown would also do well-a few years back at highland games pro worlds in NH Dave fooled around with the car hold(being held next to the highland games) and actually eneded bettering the time form the previuos day............Dave Barron is a freak..with a capitol F..freaky strong..freaky explosive who is real strong..manhandled weights(FW 295 per hand) in Boston indoor strongman..was training with Dave barron once and he walked in to the gym(IRON ISLAND) in jeans asked what the rubber bands on the bench were for..explained..he said can I try..bar had 185lbs on it + a monster mini band..he unracked and drilled up 10 lighning q

uick piston like reps and said thatsit

Koklyaev is my favourite strongman , but agree with Dave, Wenta or Kiril would probably do better.

Dave, is it true you could only deadlift 500lbs or so? Going off memory on that one. Doesn't seem right given your freaky CRS...

C. Smith wrote: big MAC wrote: Does anyone think the hybrid games has flooded the sport (HG) with guys who can't pee in a cup, as was a few opinions last year? Or is it still too early to tell? Let me be the first, and probably only, to say....Who cares?

Craig, the question was about Hybrid games getting juicing freaks into the Highland Games and you asked who cares (about juicing freaks in the Highland Games?)

Thats what I was answering. Dont get me wrong I enjoy watching MET-RX shows of Worlds Strongest Man. I remember one guy on there from Scotland that Malcolm and I beat at the Shotts Highland games despite his astronautical WFH.

I just beleive that the precedent in Highland Games has been with the rest of the worlds sports: that illegal use of controlled substances is truly unethical and should be/is policed against in HG competitions. I believe that most HG atheletes agree, but realize all dont. I dont want to see this change as a bunch of dishonoring, win-at-all-cost, health-mortgaging dopers seeking money or fame, try to steer it that way. Just my humble opinion. You asked the question.

I can respect that. 

Difference of opinion brought about in a civil manner.  I can dig that approach.  Precedent is all too often not reality, and that's just the way i choose to look at it.  I also just don't care what anyone else is doing, i'm selfish like that.  I do; however, think we can both agree that if people are seeking money or fame in HG, they should probably look somewhere else...

LarryBrock wrote: money fame in the highland games.......what you cant achieve that....Damn

Maybe not, but there are some of us that certainly look up to several Pros (and Ams) and are proud of the way they handle themselves.  That can certainly be looked at as fame by some. I regularly show video of Pros to family and friends who are (for good reason) in awe of some Pro performances. It's a great sport and should be respected. You got a little fame on you Larry (those headbands you wear often scream "FAME!" as well).

Sorry if I was WAY too serious with that response.

a CHALLENGE for you guys!

practise the specific events and go over their and KICK ASS !

i am an irishman not an american, but i would like to see the best highland games athletes in america, canada, and scotland  kick the strongmen's asses for the good of real highland games!

I also guarantee he will not invite any current top US or european T and f throwers, because they would surprise a lot of his guys as well.

 I would love to see a real HIGHLAND GAMES ATHLETE win this one,Ryan, brockstar?

hopefulthrower wrote:   I also guarantee he will not invite any current top US or european T and f throwers, because they would surprise a lot of his guys as well.

Agreed.

Have they ever attended in the past?  BTW, I was only intending to refer to the last half of that quote, as I know nothing about the organizer of this event.  I suspect someone like Christian Cantwell might be the best at that type of event...

I notice they have chosen the same weekend as Inverness Highland Games for this event.

What a shame.

I would have loved to have gone down to see it because I really enjoyed the show at Blair Athol last year and so did the rest of the crowd.

Gerry

PS I love the way that every event the Doc organises is is a World Championship or a World Cup or a World Team Challenge.

The Doc makes Don King look like a novice when it comes to event promotion and I for one applaud the creativity and imagination of the guy!

Even though its great that Scottish games will get more tv coverage from this, I must say I was seriously p**sed off with the way channel 4 crew who where traipsing around as if they owned the place... 

They kept faffing around with equipment, pausing the proceedings so they could get a better shot, presenters rudely sauntering in front of performers WHILE THEY’RE PERFORMING, etc etc.  The crowd was getting annoyed with this carry on so I can just imagine how disruptive it must have been for the guys actually competing. This behaviour just shows they had nothing but contempt for everyone there...

And the ENGLISH commentator was damn lucky my husband was there to restrain me.  With all his snide remarks and blatant routing for the english contestant, I was very close to ramming his microphone up his nether orifice And I’m not even Scottish!

boogbuster wrote: And the ENGLISH commentator was damn lucky my husband was there to restrain me.  With all his snide remarks and blatant routing for the english contestant, I was very close to ramming his microphone up his nether orifice And I’m not even Scottish!

ummmm That was Colin Bryce. He's Scottish.

I was one of the athletes interfered with. I almost hit the camera man with the 28 FD on my wind up when he didn't move fast enough. It was tough with the camera set up, we showed up to start filming at 9am and didn't finish until 8pm.

Hopefully it will get refined and become more spectator friendly.

Well, I’m back home and more or less recovered from the long weekend in Scotland. First off, I need to say “thanks” to the Edmunds family for putting us up and organizing the whole event. Running an entire Games and coordinating with 16 athletes form various countries/languages can't be easy, but it came through really well.

The entire event was filmed for Channel 4 (UK) television, so in addition to the ever-present cameras we had to take time out to set up shots, re-film interviews, organize crowds, march around the field multiple times and generally be available to look pretty at a moment’s notice. This obviously made it harder to focus on competing, as there was a lot of down time between events. I was actually trying to grab a nap between events, as I had flown in the day before and was feeling pretty jet lagged.

Colin Bryce was actually a great announcer - you've probably seen/heard him on WSM, and he's competed in the games in the past, so he knows his stuff. Unfortunately we had to do without two of our star attractions – Terry Hollands pulled out with injury a week beforehand, and Janne Virtannen was a no-show at the airport.  But here’s how some of the other guys did.

Sean: He put on a clinic, winning the hammer and throwing the stone over 53’. He was great all weekend, and only some unfamiliarity with the strongmen events kept him from placing higher. He impressed a lot of the other guys who had never seen him before, and damn right.

Scott Rider: For my money though the performance of the weekend belonged to him. He won the stone, hitting over 60 feet, and followed that up with a 138’ light hammer throw, and even won the caber for good measure. Scott is an incredible athlete, especially for his size (maybe 250 lbs, but with a 400 lb. clean). He’s come a long way in the last two years, and should be a very serious contender for the World Championships title next year.

Gregor: He looked tired and worn out from all the promoting he’s done for the games and from setting up the entire competition almost single-handedly. Still, he did what he needed to do to get into the final, then had a stellar performance in the manhood stones to jump onto the podium at the last minute.

Wout: won the caber, tied for first in the WOB, and is still an all-around beast. Even at 42 he put a bunch of us to shame. Every time I feel like I’m getting old I look up at him and say “maybe a little longer…”

Mike Z was the only non-strongman stuck into heat two, but he showed he could hang with the best of them. Only some bad luck and questionable judging in the wrestling kept him from the finals.

Brock: I don’t think Larry was too disappointed at not qualifying for day 2 – he’s been on a tear in Scotland, setting field records and winning games left and right.

All in all this was a fantastic competition, and I think will bring a lot of exposure to the sport(s) in the next year or so. I was happy to make the final, and can’t wait for the games at loon Mountain, New Hampshire to do it all again.

Wow Dave,

I posted to you on marunde-muscle but I don't think you read it.

Congrats on your placing! You are always a fierce competitor!

Look forward to seeing you at  Loon!

Derek Hurley

Nicely done, Dave! Interesting to see you said next to nothing about your own performance....

Dave you truely are a freak.  I applaud you my friend.  Well done.

big MAC wrote: Nicely done, Dave! Interesting to see you said next to nothing about your own performance....

Hell, I was happy just to make the final. I did well enough once i got there - turned the caber, won two out of three in the pole push,had a good run with the pictish stone - but everyone else was just on a different level. The guys I could beat in throwing events crushed me in strongman, and vice versa. It seems like half the field actually got stronger on day two, so I think conditioning and recovery play a bigger role than I realized.
Also, it's very hard to breathe while hugging a 440 pound slab of granite!

STONE CARRY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ljxmniGcXM - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ljxmniGcXM

WOUT'S CABER TOSS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbTDrh5UiEk - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbTDrh5UiEk

WFH

http://youtube.com/watch?v=L1OcIYtTXNk - http://youtube.com/watch?v=L1OcIYtTXNk

david barron wrote: Should also probably mention that our judge was a very nice gentleman name of Grant Anderson. Heard he used to throw a bit himself.

Glad you had a great time Dave.

Thanks for the report

Gerry