Highland Game and Celtic Festival

22nd Annual Official Program July 9 - 10, 2016 A supplement to the Skagit Valley Herald

Caring for our community

Contents Welcome.................................................................................. 4

SKAGIT PUBLISHING

CAF........................................................................................... 6-7

1215 Anderson Rd. Mount Vernon, WA 98274 P: 360.424.3251 • F: 360.424.5300 ©Skagit Publishing, LLC 2016 All rights reserved.

Highland Dancing at the Games.............................................. 8 Piping at the Games................................................................. 8-9 Chieftain of the Games............................................................ 9 Irish Music, Culture and History at the Games........................ 10 The Sheepdog Trials................................................................. 11-12 Heavy Athletics........................................................................ 12-14 Clans at the Games.................................................................. 14-16 The CAF Welcomes National Book Award Winner.................. 17 2016 Pipe Bands...................................................................... 18 2016 Clans................................................................................ 19 2016 Volunteers....................................................................... 19 Map.......................................................................................... 20 Events....................................................................................... 22-23

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2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‡ July 9 & 10, 2016

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Welcome I

n 1994, when planning began in earnest to create a Highland Games festival in Skagit County, there were more unknowns than knowns: Would competitors register? Could we get any Clans there? Which pipe bands would play? And perhaps most important of all, would the local community embrace and support a Scottish festival when the majority of the population wasn’t Scottish? Thanks in no small way to the leadership of Mr. David Ryberg, this year’s Chieftain (who was at that time Skagit Valley College’s Dean of Student Activities), when the dust settled after that first Skagit Valley Highland Games in July of 1995, it was a tremendous success and we were on our way!

Twenty-two years later, the Skagit Valley Highland Games remains one of our community’s most anticipated annual events, attracting visitors from throughout the Pacific NW region and beyond. As one of about a half-dozen sanctioned Highland Dancing Championships in the United States, and with a piping adjudication panel that features three legendary, gold medal-winning Scottish pipers, it’s accurate to say ours is a top-tier Highland Games.

While we’re committed to a very high quality standard, we also continually look to change things up a wee bit each year by adding new and interesting activities to our Games without losing the authenticity and favorites that we’ve all come to so look forward to. Make no mistake, this event is special!

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On the off chance you can’t get enough of this type of music, dance, and celebration, we extend a heartfelt invitation to join us at the Littlefield Celtic Center in downtown Mount Vernon for one of our many activities. What a successful addition this has been for the Celtic Arts Foundation and the entire region! Performers are hearing about the venue, and requests for concerts and event commitments come in on a weekly basis. Music, dance, film, lectures— all manner of celebration!

On behalf of our Board of Directors, volunteers, and sponsors, thank you for your continued enthusiastic support of the Skagit Valley Highland Games and Celtic Arts Foundation. Thank you to everyone who participates, whether as a competitor, performer, vendor, or audience member—we join you in looking forward to a wonderful weekend in Skagit County. Enjoy the Games, and in the words of one of our favorite traditional slogans, “Haste ye Back!”

Skye K. Richendrfer Founder and Executive Director, Celtic Arts Foundation

2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‡ July 9 & 10, 2016

Tickets 2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games Ticket Type One-day Pass Adult - $15 Student/Senior or Active Military Personnel - $12 Family (or group) of 4 - $40 Additional family member (when purchased with family ticket) - $8 Children under 5 are free

Weekend Passes Adult - $20 Student/Senior or Active Military Personnel - $16 Family (or group) of 4 - $50 Additional family member (when purchased with family ticket) - $15 Children under 5 are free

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2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‥ July 9 & 10, 2016

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The Celtic Arts Foundation’s (CAF) mission is “sponsoring, encouraging and promoting Celtic culture through events and educational activities.”

It is a unique organization that has caught attention throughout the world, with international interest in the music, speeches and other events that occur at the Mount Vernon facility. The Littlefield Celtic Center is home to the Celtic Arts Foundation and the space is used throughout the year for Celtic events.

Littlefield Celtic Center update Attended by many local and regional dignitaries, the official ribbon-cutting of the Littlefield Celtic Center was held June 16, 2015. A special grant announcement was made at the event: the MJ Murdock Charitable Trust grant for $245,000, which was used to complete the kitchen and sound system. Landscaping was enhanced in October 2015 with a great team of volunteers. New plants were purchased and a large tree was generously donated by Sally Richendrfer in honor of her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Donald S. Childs of Rochester, Minnesota; and by Randy

and Lynn Kiefer, in honor of Georgie L. Kiefer of Towson, Maryland.

The history of fundraising and construction efforts has been a labor of love for Celtic Arts Foundation Executive Director Skye Richendrfer and the entire Foundation. A 1,300 square-foot house was purchased for $120,000 in 2013 at 1124 Cleveland Ave. in Mount Vernon. The high-quality remodel of the office space was completed in late spring 2014; special touches were added throughout, such as stained glass portraying Celtic life and a meeting table carved from a slab of 150-yearold Ponderosa Pine, donated by Rod MacKenzie and Ruth Flucke of Bellingham. On the same property, construction on the 4,000 squarefoot Celtic event center began in July 2014 after an additional $1.1 million donation was made by the Littlefields.

Said Richendrfer, “We built the best performing venue that we could… it has phenomenal acoustics and we have had a lot of interest from both up-and-coming artists and touring folk as well as Celtic musicians wanting to perform in our beautiful

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2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‡ July 9 & 10, 2016

and intimate theater. Pursuing emerging Celtic artists is a fun and important part of our mission.”

Alasdair Fraser, a well-known Scottish fiddler who tours the United States, is booked to perform with cellist Natalie Haas in 2016.

The Littlefield Celtic Center has already become a place of vibrant cultural and community activity through its promotion and celebration of Scottish, Irish, and Celtic culture, music and heritage.

Said Richendrfer, “the embracing of the facility has far exceeded our expectations…the trajectory is strong. This year’s annual Scotchtasting had 100 people…it was a gala with food pairings and music. People absolutely loved it.” The center has had over 1,000 people participate in its events since January 2016.

The Celtic Arts Foundation puts on a number of events throughout the year, including a Robert Burns Supper, Scotch-tastings, concerts, musical workshops and sessions, lectures on culture and history, and performances by traveling artists and academics. The CAF Board is looking for authors to come for lectures and book signings in the next year.

The Littlefield Celtic Center houses a full commercial kitchen, complex video equipment capable of webcasting concerts and speaking events worldwide, a concert stage, vaulted ceilings for clear acoustics, banquet style seating for 100, and theatre style seating for up to 160.

The center has brought new life and vitality to the neighborhood and community. The space is comfortable and inviting; it displays Celtic culture without being pretentious. People are encouraged to come take a tour Monday through Friday between 8

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a.m. and 4 p.m. or during the Scottish or Irish music sessions. Scottish music sessions are the first Sunday of each month from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Irish music sessions are the third Sunday of each month from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The CAF Winter School Program and Masters of Scottish Arts Concert

Formed in 1996 by three original founders, the Winter School Program is a two week master class for Highland piping, Scottish small pipes, On December 8, 2015, the National Bodhran drums, and fiddling. The Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced its first funding round for classes are taught by some of the world’s top Celtic pipers, drummers, fiscal year 2016. It included an Art Works award of $15,000 to the Celtic and fiddlers. Musicians from all over the region come to participate and Arts Foundation for the Masters learn from the masters. Winter School of Scottish Arts and Winter School 2017 begins Saturday, January 28, and programs, typically held in February of each year. The CAF wishes to thank registration is between September the tireless volunteers and supporters 1 and December 31, 2016. Log on to www.celticarts.org and view who have donated money or their workshops to find the general and time to help remodel the office space and the event center. The CAF scholarship application forms. invites people to make contributions As a special treat for the performers, to support some of the furnishings students, and the public, a Masters still needed to complete the project.

Visit www.celticarts.org and follow us of Scottish Arts concert is held at the Benaroya Hall in Seattle each year. on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram The 2017 concert will be held on to find upcoming events, learn more Friday, February 3. about the Foundation, and make a donation.

2016 Board of Directors & Staff: Directors: Walter R. Briggs, President Patty Dunn, Vice President Jan Gould, Treasurer David Ryberg, Secretary Tyrone Heade, Board Member Marilyn McLean, Board Member Jim Monroe, Ph.D., Board Member William “Bill” Babb, Board Member

Emeritus Board Members: Jill Hilde Craig Sjostrom William J. Toomey, CPA Mary Scott Judge John M. Meyer G. Michael Riedel Melissa Chittenden Scott Peterson

Staff: Skye K. Richendrfer, Founder and Executive Director Lindsay Van Houten, Program and Event Manager Roberta Bjorling, Program and Administrative Assistant

Celtic Arts Foundation Address: 1124 Cleveland Ave. Mailing address: P.O. Box 1342 Mount Vernon, WA 98273 Phone: 360.416.4934

www.celticarts.org goskagit.com

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Highland Dancing at the Games! for championships are an elite group of well-seasoned experts selected from the SOBHD panel.

Solo dancers compete in the four traditional Highland dances with steps set for 2016. Championship dancers receive trophies and medals; cash prizes go to dancers 16 years of age and older. The championship often expands to include 10 age groups, drawing competitive dancers from overseas and across North America.

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he Skagit Valley Highland Games features one of only 14 Open Championships held in the U.S. this year. Championships are the highest level of competitive Highland dance sanctioned by the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing (SOBHD). Judges

The competition will be held in the dancing area from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. The Northern U.S. Open Championship at the Skagit Valley Highland Games and the Celtic Arts Championship held each February in Bellingham are both organized by Heather Richendrfer.

Richendrfer is an expert in Highland dancing and has been teaching year-round classes in three local cities and workshops across North America for 40 years.

The Great Highland Bagpipe Piping at the Games

She is a judge on the SOBHD panel and has judged all levels of competitions, including the World Championships in Scotland.

Spectators at the Highland Games will see a world-class dance competition in both Highland and national dances of Scotland.

While the kilt is worn for Highland dances, females wear flowing tartan skirts with shawls (called plaids) and velvet vests for the softer national dances. The Sailor’s Hornpipe depicts actions of sailors onboard Scottish whaling vessels. The Irish jig is performed in hard shoes and features wonderful rhythm tapped out by dancers as they perform.

The choreography events are always crowd pleasers as the dancers perform unique Celticthemed numbers, often in original costumes. Each year brings new choreography, tartans, and dancers.

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he 2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games piping competition will bring together more than 10 traditional Scottish pipe bands competing before an international panel of judges, including special guests and world champion pipers Stuart Liddell of Inveraray, Scotland, and Willie McCallum of Bearsden, Scotland. Both are also scheduled to perform at the Friday, July 8 “Gathering of the Clans” dinner event at the Littlefield Celtic Center in Mount Vernon.

The solo piping and drumming competition will be held on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the piping area. The full pipe band competitions will be held in the main stage area on Saturday from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Washington State Grade III and

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2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‡ July 9 & 10, 2016

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IV Pipe Band Championships will be held in the main stage area from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, followed by a mass bands performance until 4:45 p.m. Groups are traditionally made up of 6-25 Great Highland pipers, 3-10 snare drummers, 1-6 tenor drummers and usually one, but sometimes two, bass drummers. The entire drum section is known collectively as the drum corps, but the tenor drummers and bass drummer are referred to together as the ‘bass section’ or, in North America, as the ‘mid section.’ The band follows the direction of the pipe major.

Do not miss this opportunity to hear some of the best Highland concert piping in the world! Events run all weekend.

The Scottish Smallpipe/ Reelpipe Event

Smallpipe/Reelpipe event. The event features performances by pipers playing less well-known types of “bellows-propelled” pipes, often played in music sessions with other types of instruments. Held on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.,10 preregistered pipers perform either a solo or in a duet pairing with other pipers, fiddlers, and guitarists to present a musical performance of their choice.

Unlike Highland pipe competitions, which are structured with guidelines and players are rated based on established criteria, the Smallpipe/Reelpipe performance is more focused on musical style (and playing with other instruments, in the case of the duet event). The players receive a critique sheet making suggestions on various aspects of the musical performance of the player.

An unusual feature of the Skagit Valley Highland Games is the

Chieftain of the Games

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n their earliest form, Highland Games were held within each clan to establish the strongest and most valiant clansmen. As head of the clan, the chieftain held a position of honor at the gathering.

To pay tribute to this ancient custom, the Skagit Valley Highland Games invites a community leader who is actively involved in celebrating Celtic heritage to act as honorary chieftain over the games.

The Celtic Arts Foundation (CAF) is pleased to announce Dave Ryberg as the 2016 chieftain of the games.

Said Ryberg, “I am very excited to take on the role of chieftain for the weekend. It is a great honor… should be a great experience. The event has really grown and become

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a big part of the community. My favorite parts of the weekend include the mass band, clans and pipe bands in the opening ceremonies…it is very powerful.

I also love the athletic events. It’s really enjoyable to see a bunch of big, strong people lifting, throwing and grunting.”

Dave joined the CAF board in 2004 after years of working with the organization; taking on the role of secretary in 2015. He has been involved with the Skagit Valley Highland Games since the very beginning and was instrumental in the creation of the Robert Burns Scottish Evening event. Ryberg has also been an active supporter of a number of local arts organizations.

Dave moved to Skagit County in 1984, after a four-year stint in Seattle between 1980 and 1984 while he worked for Seattle Pacific University. In 1984 he was hired

by Skagit Valley College where he served as Dean of Students and the men’s soccer coach for 16 years. He raised his family in Skagit County during that timeframe. Work with the Treasure Valley Community College took him to Ontario, Oregon, in 1998. “Just 50 miles northwest of Boise, Idaho, there were more cows than people,” he said with a chuckle. In 2000, Dave moved back to Mount Vernon permanently and began a new career as a financial advisor for Robert W. Baird & Co.

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Irish Music, Culture, and History at the Games Clans of Ireland Booth

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he Irish and the Scots had been Celtic brethren for thousands of years but became separated hundreds of years ago by their differences. Today, in an enlightened world, there has been a Celtic reconnection based on music, art, history, and language.

The shared Irish-Scot culture is celebrated at the Skagit Valley Highland Games through the returning Clans of Ireland booth, special presentations on Celtic history in the culture tent, and an Irish music session. There has also been a noticeable increase in Irish-related activities at the Littlefield Celtic Center, including a St. Patrick’s event, film showings, and monthly Irish music sessions, to name a few. The upcoming September 9th lecture and book signing by noted Pulitzer prizewinning author Timothy Egan on his book The Immortal Irishman further illustrates the expansion of the Celtic Arts Foundation’s Irish programming.

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Based on recent U.S. Census figures, Irish surnames account for the largest singular population of Celtic people in the United States. To honor the Irish segment of the population at the Highland Games, a Clans of Ireland booth was established in 2009 to provide research and networking services.

At the booth, a genealogist or an assistant surveys several publications in an attempt to provide individuals with information on the origins of their ancestors, both Northern and the Republic, based on their current surname or how it might have originally been spelled. A map of Ireland is provided to point out those ancestral lands and a list of current clan gatherings is available to connect individuals to their historic families.

Brian McGuiness organized the Clans of Ireland booth and has been running it for the last six years. He has been an active member of the Celtic Arts Foundation since 2005 and volunteered over several months to help remodel the CAF office building in Mount Vernon. When asked what draws him to his Celtic heritage, he says that he “loves hearing the music and sharing the history of the Celtic culture” and that the “hair on the back of my neck stands straight up when I hear the pipes playing.” The Clans of Ireland booth shares its space with the regional Irish Heritage Club, based in the Seattle area. Judy Donoghue has managed the Irish Heritage Club’s participation in the Highland Games for the past seven years.

2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‡ July 9 & 10, 2016

Celtic History in the Culture Tent Culture Tent presentations are scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday on Celtic culture, clan histories, and specific events within Celtic history, such as the presentation Scotland’s Bard: fathered 12 children, died at 37, but still had time to write poetry and songs. Maps of Ireland and Scotland will also be displayed with pictures that highlight significant historical sites.

Irish Music The harp has long been the symbol of Ireland. It has been played extensively throughout Ireland and the Celtic world for over 1,000 years. This year, as in the past, the Highland Games will feature harpers in the harp tent who provide an overview of songs and tunes found in the Gaelic world. An “Irish Music Session” is scheduled for Sunday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the fiddle stage that will include harps, whistles, flutes, fiddles, guitars, and small bellows-driven Celtic pipes.

Monthly Irish Music Sessions are held at the Littlefield Celtic Center the third Sunday of each month, from 1-4:30 pm, free and open to the public.

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The Sheepdog Trials Dogs are expected to manage sheep kindly, appropriately, and efficiently and can be eliminated for disrespectful behavior such as biting. Some handlers own sheep for training and some rent from local farms.

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heepdog trials, also known as herding events or stock dog trials, is a competitive dog sport showcasing how handlers work with their herding dogs to move sheep around fields, gates, and fences or into enclosures.

Handlers direct their dogs with voice and whistle commands and, among other techniques, dogs use a direct stare known as “the eye” to lead the sheep. Herding dogs are primarily Border Collies but Australian Cattle Dogs and Kelpies are also common; they are owned by their handlers as pets.

About 32 handler/dog teams will compete in this always popular event at the 2016 Skagit Valley Games. The trial events run 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday in the farm area. Teams all the way from British Columbia to southern Washington will be there, with about five handlers/dogs from the Snohomish area. Handlers have two qualifying runs to earn their spot in the finals; the first is Saturday at 11 a.m. and the second is Sunday at 10 a.m. Points and times are added together, with fastest time used to break a tie, and the top ten handler/dog teams move forward to the finals on Sunday afternoon.

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The finals are a “clean slate” where a third course is run to determine the winner.

The sheep are treated with respect “…they are not just props to us; handlers consider themselves shepherds first, handlers second”, says Dawn Pucci, the event organizer and a former handler. The Skagit Valley Highland Games works with one herd of Katahdin-American Hair sheep from Arlington’s “On the Lamb” farm. three to five sheep compete at a time and when the run is over they are moved to an exhaust pen to rest. A total of 60 to 70 sheep participate and once the entire herd has been run they rotate through again.

Pucci started in the sport while stationed in Scotland with her husband. After adopting a pet Border Collie, they found that he was bored and their search for activities led them to sheepdog trials. Although Pucci doesn’t compete anymore, she is passionate about the event and greatly enjoys working with other handlers and the Celtic Arts Foundation, who supports the trials through sponsorship.

Sheepdog trials began in the late 1800s in countries with large farming communities, including Scotland and Wales. Most sheepdog trials are held in large fields of 100 or more acres and include a series of specific tests or elements. Elements may include herding resting sheep from some distance away or bringing them to the handler and then back across the field. Dogs are often asked to “pen” the sheep inside an enclosure, such as a gated space or vehicle. Elements may also

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to move sheep in a straight line from one side of the field to the other, and the “double lift,” which requires the dog to move one group of sheep to the handler and then a subsequent trip to bring a second group of sheep to join the first.

include “shedding,” where sheep are divided into two groups. Taking a “single” is a type of shedding where a dog separates one sheep from the group. Some of the most difficult challenges are the “cross drive,” which requires the dog

In most competitions the dog is required to do the fetching and driving tests on their own, with the handler positioned in a stationary spot on the trial course. During the shedding, single, and penning elements, the handler usually leaves the post and works with the dog to achieve the task.

Since 1979, a subjective scoring system has been in place. Judges are hired to watch each run and assign a score based on their

judgment. Each test is assigned a maximum score, such as 10.

As errors are made, points are deducted to reach the team’s score. Each element must be completed before moving on to the next, but a set amount of time (typically 15 minutes) is set for the entire trial. If a handler runs out of time, then the team loses all points for any incomplete or not yet attempted elements.

The final score is tallied by combining points from all elements.

The judges are primarily focused on the behavior of the sheep, not the dog or handler; however, the dogs are judged on the effectiveness of their work and on qualities of good stockmanship.

Heavy Athletics at the Highland Games

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he athletic events for this year’s Skagit Valley Highland Games are being coordinated by a committee consisting of Christy Ham, Luke Lomsdalen, and Sue Gregg. Bob Ham (longtime athletic director, judge, commentator, and Chieftain of the Skagit Highland Games in 2014) retired at the end of the 2014 season, but returns again this year to do the announcing.

Committee member Sue Gregg has been helping with the Skagit Highland Games since 1995, including building stages, stairs, and dancing platforms as well as assisting with the heavy events. A trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, with her dad in 1968 ignited an interest in Highland Games. She was introduced to heavy athletics in 1996 through then Athletic Director Rob Robertson and competitor Bob Ham and has been “hooked ever since.” When Rob passed

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2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‡ July 9 & 10, 2016

away, Executive Director Skye Richendrfer asked Bob and Sue to help coordinate the competition.

Since then, the field of athletes has grown to three classes each day, with many of the athletes going on to compete professionally: Bret Milton, Bob Ham, and Jeremiah Strand, just to name a few.

The Heavy Events will run all day Saturday and Sunday. Most heavy athletic competitions have one judge per 15 competitors; two to three judges are needed at the Skagit Games. These 40-50 athletes compete in distinct classes: Amateur A & B, Lightweight, Novice, and Masters. Athletes competing at the Skagit Valley Highland Games come mostly from the Pacific Northwest region of Washington State, but travel from all directions throughout the region, including British Columbia, California, and Montana. The field has been enlarged each year due to longer

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distances being thrown by the athletes. The longest distances were thrown by Jeremiah Strand and Luke Lomsdalen (national lightweight champ) for hammer throws. Both days an athlete of the day will be named for each division; the Amateur A athlete of the day will have their name inscribed on a trophy. The hat is passed around and the top three places share the wealth donated by the spectators.

Once the medals, trophies, and money are handed out many will head over to the beer garden to enjoy a pint of Jenny’s Ale. Scottish Heavy Events have been a part of Highland games for centuries, with seven original events originating during the reign of King Malcolm Canmore. Most heavy athletes are men over 200 pounds between the ages of 18 and 44 with track and field and strength training backgrounds, but in many

games separate classes are formed for women, men under 200 pounds, and Masters (ages 45 and older).

The women’s and under-200 pound classes compete using lighter weights. The athletes train and compete in seven to nine heavy events requiring full muscle control and exertion.

The “Light Stone Put” event requires that a 17-pound stone known in Celtic legend as the “Stone of Strength” or the “Manhood Stone” be thrown like a shot put for distance. Athletes kick glide or spin inside a seven-foot long by four-foot wide box to gain momentum for the throw.

The “Light Hammer” or “Scottish Hammer Throw” event requires an athlete to take a 16-pound steel ball with a 55-inch cane handle, stand stationary with his or her back to the throwing field, then lift and rotate the handle around his or her head to build momentum before releasing over the shoulder for distance.

The “Light Weight for Distance” or “Weight Throw” event requires that a 28-pound metal weight attached by chain be thrown one-handed for distance. Athletes spin inside a seven-foot long by four-foot wide box to gain momentum for the throw.

The “Heavy Weight for Distance” is like the “Light Weight for Distance” but uses a 56-pound weight.

The “Weight for Height” or “Weight over the Bar” event requires a 56-pound weight be spun, lifted, and thrown over a bar set across two upright beams. The bar is raised each round as a form of elimination. In the last few years, athletes have been allowed to choose between a spin and release motion or a stand and deliver motion to move the weight.

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The “Sheaf Toss” requires an athlete to use a pitchfork to pitch a 20-pound burlap bag of straw vertically over a high bar. The bar is raised each round as a form of elimination. There is some debate about whether the “Sheaf Toss” is an authentic Highland event rather than a country fair event, but it is commonly performed anyway due to its popularity. In the last few years, athletes have been allowed to choose between a spin and release motion or a stand and deliver motion to move the straw.

The “Caber Toss” requires an athlete to vertically hoist and run with a large tapered wooden pole.

The athlete then flips the pole for accuracy; it has to flip end over end and land on its larger end pointing straight up, which is called a 12 o’clock throw. If the feat is accomplished, the athlete is said to have “turned the caber.”

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The “Second Stone” event* is similar to the “Light Stone Put” event and requires that an athlete push a 22-pound stone called a Braemar off the shoulder for distance after a twist and turn.

The “Heavy Hammer” event* is like the “Light Hammer” event but uses a 22-pound hammer.

At the end of the competition the Keg Carry Challenge Event is carried out. The men’s keg weighs 226 pounds and the women’s keg weighs 85 pounds. A tape measure is stretched out 50 feet and every time an athlete goes further he or she is cheered on by the crowd and the other athletes.

*The Second Stone and Heavy Hammer events will only be performed if there is a small group of athletes, as each event has 15 competitors and takes about 45 minutes to allow three turns per athlete.

Clans at the Games 2,000 years ago, before the

Roman Empire expanded, Celtic tribes lived and prospered from the British Isles to Northern Turkey with a core population in central Europe. Clans are families, groups of families related to the Clan Chief by blood, or those who owed him their allegiance for his protection.

The concept of a clan is Gaelic and literally translates to children/ offspring. Each major clan has a castle in Scotland where the chief lived with his family. Traditionally, the clansmen with the matching surname lived right outside the castle and the related groups or septs lived in the surrounding areas, relying on the main clan for support. Some clans recognize over 100 different surnames as their

septs. Sept names attached to each clan are determined by the main clan, but are also based on the septs’ geographical location within Scotland. Each clan has a chief, motto, badge, crest, and, since the 19th century, a tartan.

Clans are an integral part of Celtic

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2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‡ July 9 & 10, 2016

heritage; even today there are over 150 major clans and hundreds of related septs. Today’s clan members are spread throughout the world, but they are bonded through their shared culture, music, language, art, and history.

Thousands come together at Highland Games events to share and celebrate their culture and history and to attract members back to the fold. Says Dr. James Monroe, “The clans are to the Games what the bass section is to its choir: the foundation.”

Volunteers are on hand to help people match up to their clans; a group called National Tartan Day hosts a booth to help visitors learn more about their clans. Many clans are represented at the Skagit Valley Highland Games, bringing history,

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traditions, and information to share with fellow clan members. A single clan (family) booth may represent many Scottish clans, who each wear their individual tartans and crests.

Some clans will accept anyone who shows an interest in the clan and Scottish history/culture, others will accept only those with the matching surname, and still others will accept only those with the matching surname and any of the sept names under their clan. The Skagit Valley Highland Games are the second largest Highland Games in Washington State and there will be about 30 clans represented this year.

Each year, the Celtic Arts Foundation invites one clan to be honored as the “host clan” for the Games. For 2016, the Clan Donald was selected for this distinction.

Celtic Arts Foundation Executive director Skye Richendrfer explained “the Clans are such an important part of Scottish history and culture—from the very start of our event we wanted to be sure to appropriately showcase and honor their respective contributions to Scottish culture.”

Clan Donald Motto: “By Sea, by land” Clan Donald is widely acknowledged as one of the oldest and bestknown of all the Scottish clans. As with much of early Celtic history, a rich intertwining of Clan Donald’s Celtic and Norse history and lore provide the backdrop to this clan’s ascent and prominence. Reaching back to antiquity (before the 6th century) in ancient Ireland to find Celtic roots, Norse Viking lineage enters the Clan Donald bloodline in the 8th century, and by the 1100s the historic founder of the “Clann Domhnaill,” Somerled MacGillebride MacGilladamnan, is first recognized.

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Pictland Evolves Into Scotland

The Celtic world, even at its height, was never an empire.

Since it did not have any central government, it functioned only as a culture. What identified the widely-dispersed Celtic tribes were their similarities of language, religion, technical innovations, extensive trade, and their tendency to migrate. When faced with a crisis, a tribe would frequently pack up all its people, belongings and animals and move en masse to a new location, expecting better conditions.

On the western fringe of the Celtic world, one of those migrations is noted in history as having a significant impact on the occupied territory. A Gaelic-speaking tribe, known as the Scotti, migrated eastbound in the Fifth Century AD across North Channel waters from Hibernia (modern Northern Ireland) to southwest Pictland, establishing a solid foothold that eventually superimposed the “Gallic” language and culture on the entire native people. The result, after hundreds of years, was the evolution of an earlier Pictland into modern-day Scotland.

Historical information submitted and paid for by Brian McGuiness.

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Although the Clan Donald controlled vast Scottish territory, their exploits in the Scottish Hebridean Islands and their legendary clashes with Vikings over the centuries are especially noteworthy. Equally so is standing with “The Bruce” at the battle of Bannockburn, defeating the English, and winning independence for Scotland. Although divided, many members of the Clan Donald were prominent in supporting the Stewarts in the Jacobite uprisings of the 18th century.

Today in the United States, the Clan Donald USA works to help members “celebrate our common heritage, to preserve the customs and traditions of our ancestors, and encourage the accomplishments of ourselves and our children.”

The Gathering of the Clans Dinner is a now annual event to celebrate the beginning of the Skagit Valley Highland Games; this year, it will be held Friday, July 8th. It will feature entertainment by Stuart Liddell of Scotland, one of the top pipers in the world, and Piper Major for the Grade I Inveraray & District Pipe Band from Scotland.

Also performing will be champion piper Willie McCallum of Bearsden, Scotland. Many Clan representatives attend this dinner and enjoy visiting, the special showcase performances, and perhaps a wee dram or two before the big weekend of celebration!

Zero to Gaelic

adult language education program

Seirm

Gaelic song and music

Féis Seattle language, music and cultural festival

Embrace Living Tradition www.slighe.com • 206.903.9452 16

2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‡ July 9 & 10, 2016

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The Celtic Arts Foundation Welcomes

National Book Award Winner, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter & New York Times Op-Ed Writer Timothy Egan “As with Egan’s last two narrative works of history, ‘The Big Burn’ and the National Book Award-winning ‘Worst Hard Time’, the author gracefully transforms the past into vivid scenes that employ all five senses.”

—Minneapolis Star Tribune

highest readership among pieces on the NYT site. Before the column, he worked as one of the newspaper’s national correspondents, serving the Pacific Northwest region. In 2001, Egan was part of the Pulitzer Prizewinning team that wrote the series “How Race Is Lived in America.”

Photo By Barry Wong

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he Celtic Arts Foundation (CAF) is honored to announce a visit from National Book awardwinning author Timothy Egan “(The Worst Hard Time” and “The Immortal Irishman)”.

He is scheduled to come to the Littlefield Celtic Center on Friday, September 9, 2016, for a lecture and book signing for his latest work “The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero”. Says CAF Executive Director Skye Richendrfer, “ We think this is a significant event for the Skagit County community but also for the Celtic Arts Foundation as we branch out into more diverse programming (a literary event) and specifically of an Irish nature…CAF was initially created to celebrate Scottish culture and heritage and over the years we have steadily embraced Irish events and cultural activities as well.”

Timothy Egan is an accomplished author; his interests and stories span broadly to cover the American landscape and American history. He is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, a popular columnist at the New York Times (NYT) and a National Book award-winning writer. His weekly online NYT column, the “Opinionator,” consistently enjoys some of the

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Egan’s epic book, “The Immortal Irishman,” is a riveting read. The protagonist is Thomas Francis Meagher, a 19th century Irish hero of the 1848 rebellion who is exiled to Tasmania by the English for his revolutionary opinions and actions.

Subsequently, he escapes to the United States where is given a hero’s welcome in New York. He goes on to fight for the Union as a famous Civil War general of the Irish brigade and later becomes governor of the Montana Territory. He dies under questionable circumstances but what a life he led!

“Egan fills his chronicle with bright turns of phrase and radiant descriptions, making both places and people come alive . . . A sweeping tale about two vanishing ways of life.”

— The Wall Street Journal “Mr. Egan uses the past powerfully to explain and give dimension to the present.”

— The New York Times

Egan is the author of several other books including “The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire That Saved America,” which was a New York Times bestseller and winner of the 2009 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award.

“The Big Burn” was also the basis for a documentary of the same name, which aired on “American Experience” (PBS) in 2014. Egan’s book “The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl” won the 2006 National Book Award for nonfiction and was praised by Walter Cronkite as “can’tput-it-down history.” Egan is also featured prominently in Ken Burn’s acclaimed 2012 film, “The Dust Bowl.”

For more information and to purchase tickets for this exciting event, please visit www.celticarts.org.

2016 Ornament Premier July 9th ...Keepsake Moments happen every day! Capture yours with this year’s collection of ornaments Sat. July 9th 10am - 8pm

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2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‡ July 9 & 10, 2016

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2016 Pipe Bands Sunday Pipe Bands

Saturday Pipe Bands

Portland Metro Pipe Band

Grade 2

Greighlan Crossing Pipe Band

Beaverton, OR

Clan Gordon Pipe Band

Ungraded Tacoma, WA

Grade 3 Surrey, BC

Elliott Bay Pipe Band

Ungraded Seattle, WA

Clan Gordon Pipe Band

Grade 4 Tacoma, WA

Keith Highlanders Pipe Band

Ungraded Bellevue, WA

Clan Macleay Pipe Band

Grade 4 Salem, OR

Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Ungraded Shoreline, WA

Elliott Bay Pipe Band

Grade 4 Seattle, WA

Portland Metro Youth Pipe

Ungraded Lake Oswego, OR

Keith Highlanders Pipe Band

Grade 4 Bellevue, WA

Kenmore & District Pipe Band

Grade 4 Lynnwood, WA

Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 4 Shoreline, WA

Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band Grade 4 Lake Oswego, OR White Spot Pipe Band

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Grade 4 Surrey, BC

2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‡ July 9 & 10, 2016

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2016 Clans Baird Clan Clan Cameron of the Pacific Northwest Clan Campbell Society of North America Clan Chisholm Society - US Branch The Scottish Court Daughters Daughter’s of the British Empire Clan Donald Clan Farquharson Clan Forsyth Clan Fraser PNW Clan Gregor Clan Gregor Society Innes Clan Society Clans of Ireland Clan Johnston/e in America Clan Keith USA Clan Maclachlan Society WUSA Clan MacKay Clan MacKenzie Society Clan Maclaren PNW Clan MacLea (Livingstone) Clan MacLean Clan MacLean Clan Maclellan Clan MacLeod Society, USA MacMillan Clan Washington State MacMillan Clan Washington State Clan MacMillan Clan MacMiullan Clan Maxwell Scottish American Military Society Clan Morrision Clan Muir Muirhead Clan Society Clan Munro/Monroe Northwest Junior Pipe Band Slighe nan Gaidhael Clan Sutherland National Tartan Day Society of Washington

http://www.ccsna.org/ www.clanchisholmsociety.org https://www.facebook.com/groups/scottishcourt/ www/clandonaldusa-northpacific.org www.clanforsyth.com www.pnwclangregor.com www.pnwclangregor.com http://www.clanjohnstone.org/ clan-keith-USA.org http://www.maclachlanwusa.com www.clanmackayusa.org www.clanlivingstone.info www.clanmacleanPNW.org https://clanmacleodusa.org http://www.clanmacmillanwashington.com/

clanmaxwellsociety.com www.post1889.org clanmorrison.net www.clanmuirhead.com http://slighe.com/

Volunteer Chairpersons Howard Anderson Cate Anderson Bill Babb Ward Beebe Roberta Bjorling Charles Boyd Jerry Bromberger Mary Bromberger Mairi Campbell Rob Campbell Craig Carlile Kelly Dodd Margaret Driscoll Patty Dunn Susan Easthouse Ellen Gamson Jan Gould Amra Graham Sue Gregg

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Electrical Children’s Events Special Ops Fiddle/Session Special Ops Parking First Aid/Special Ops Whisky Bar Clans/Gates Clans/Special Ops Special Ops Farm Music/Session Fiddle Tent Harp/Session Merchandise Tent Finance Hospitality Athletics

Bob Ham Christy Ham Jack Herring Micah Kelley TJ Larrick Luke Lomsdale Aaron Malcomb Brian McGuiness Marilyn McLean Pam McNaughton Ali Mears Jim Monroe Heather Richendrfer Skye Richendrfer Sally Richendrfer Kayalyn Stewart Tina Tate Lindsay Van Houten Sally Verrinder

Athletics Athletics Country Dance/Spec Ops Whisky Tent Gate Supervisor Athletics Music/Session Culture Tent/Special Ops Finance CAF Booth/Command Vendor Coordinator Special Ops/Culture Tent Highland Dancing Other Parking CAF Booth Gate Supervisor/Command Other Harp/Session

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map & schedule of events CELTIC ARTS FOUNDATION/INFO TENT:

536 W . DIVISIO S. BALL ST.

S. BAKE R

FREE SHUTTLE PARKING FROM DOWNTOWN: • Located on Kincaid St. (Just off Exit 226)

GARFIELD

N ST.

ST.

• Purchase your 2016 Games T-Shirts & Hats • Lost & Found Items • First Aid & Emergency Personnel

ST.

PARKING

WESTSIDE BRIDGE TO FREE HIGHLAND GAMES SHUTTLE IN DOWNTOWN MOUNT VERNON

PARKING

SOLO PIPING & DRUMMING SKAGIT BANK

MORE PARKING AVAILABLE AT WASHINGTON SCHOOL

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REN

BEH

HANDICAP PARKING

D. TT R

E MILL

MAIN GATE

THE WELL

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE

NORTH GATE

CAF/ INFO TENT

CULTURE TENT

HIGHLAND DANCE

SKAGIT RIVER

Skagit River

CLANS FIDDLE TENT FOOD ARTS & CRAFTS HARP TENT CELTIC FARM & SHEEPDOG TRIALS BEER GARDEN/ WHISKYS OF THE WORLD

SOUTH GATE

CHILDREN’S EVENTS

N

MAIN STAGE

SPINNERS & WEAVERS

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ATHLETICS

Copyright Skagit Publishing LLC

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CAMPGROUND

Parking:

Parking is FREE at Edgewater Park and in the downtown Mount Vernon parking lot, with complimentary shuttles running at regular intervals to transport guests to the grounds from the parking lots. The shuttle runs in 20-minute intervals all weekend, from approximately 9am - 8pm Saturday and 9am - 7pm Sunday.

canine visitors:

Dogs will be allowed at the Highland Games only if they are leashed (extend-a-leashes are NOT allowed). Unleashed dogs and their owners will be asked to leave immediately. Plastic bags are available at each entrance gate for animal waste. Please clean up after your animals. A watering station is located near the information booth. Thank you for being a responsible pet owner.

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2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‡ July 9 & 10, 2016

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THANK YOU TO THE 2016 SKAGIT VALLEY HIGHLAND GAMES SPONSORS! BUSINESS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS HIGHLAND GAMES EVENT FOR CASH AND IN-KIND SPONSORS: SUPPORT $1000+ Bayview Land Maintenance Blade Chevrolet Cascade Mall ’ Museum of Skagit County Childrens Dahl Electric, Inc Fisher Construction Group Holland Healthcare Services, Inc. Karl’s Paints Mount Vernon Auto Repair & Towing Pacioni’s Restaurant Port of Skagit County Robert W. Guild, The Kilted Advisor at Robinswood Financial Skagit Farmers Supply Cosaint.com – Athletic Event Sponsors e Gather Market The Country Store The Tattered Page Bookstore

Grandy Lake Forest Associates

CORPORATE SPONSORS: $2000+

STILLAGUAMISH Tribe of Indians

SKAGIT PUBLISHING

STILLAGUAMISH Tribe of Indians

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Events Saturday 9 A.M.–10:30 Highland Dancing: Pre-premier Events (Dancing Area) 9–2. Solo Piping & Drumming Competition (Piping Area) 9–10:30 Instrument Petting Zoo (Fiddle Tent) 9–9:45 Try the Harp! (Harp Tent)

1–2 Bagpipes: What to listen for and how they work: Skye Richendrfer & John Brock (Celtic Culture Tent) 1–2 Bellingham Scottish Country Dancers (Country Dancing Stage) 1–2 Instrument Petting Zoo (Fiddle Tent)

9-10 Open Tent with Displays (Culture Tent)

1:05-1:35 Molly Bauckham: Solo Harp and Voice (Harp Tent)

9:50-10:15 Becky Fox: Wire Harp And Voice (Harp Tent)

1:40-2:10 Seumas Gagne: Solo Harp and Voice (Harp Tent)

10–10:30 “Preserving the Past: A Castle’s Preservation” with Rick Boman (Culture Tent)

2-3 “Tracing Your Celtic Roots” with the Skagit Genealogical Society (Celtic Culture Tent)

10:20-10:50 Cynthia Kuni: Solo Harp (Harp Tent)

2–3 Slow Celtic Music Session (Fiddle Tent)

10:30–Noon Scottish Fiddle Critique (Fiddle Tent)

2:20-3 Cara Harp Ensemble (Harp Tent)

10:30–3 Northern United States Open Highland Dancing Championship (Dancing Area)

2:30–4 Pipe Band Competition - Main Stage

10:30-11 “Red Hair in Europe: Viking or Celtic?” with Brian McGuiness (Culture Tent) 11-11:30 Serim, Gaelic singers and multi instrument band (Harp Tent) 11–Noon Bellingham Scottish Country Dancers (Country Dancing Stage)

4-4:45 Puirt na Gael Scottish instrumental quartet - Main Stage 3-4 Open Celtic Music Session (Fiddle Tent) 3–4 Bellingham Scottish Country Dancers (Country Dancing Stage) 3–7 Open Tent with Displays (Culture Tent)

11-Noon “Gaelic Dream: Harp & Voice” with Becky Fox (Celtic Culture Tent)

3–5 Highland Dancing Choreography Competition (Dancing Area)

11-11:30 Seirm: Gaelic singers and multi instrument band (Harp Tent)

3:10-3:45 Lolloy Brasseur: Solo Harp and Voice (Harp Tent)

11–6 Sheepdog Trials (Farm Area)

4-4:30 Seirm, Gaelic Singers and Multi-Instrument Band (Harp Tent)

11:40-Noon Try the Harp! (Harp Tent) Noon–12:30 Opening Ceremonies, Parade of the Clans, Anthems & Lament (Main Stage) 12:30–1 Nancy Chouinard: Harp and Voice (Harp Tent)

4:30-7 Harp Circle - Open to All (Harp Tent) 4:45–5 Massed Bands - Main Stage Area 5–6 Celtic Legends Concert: Celtic String Trio band - Main Stage

1–2 Celtic String Trio - Main Stage

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2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‡ July 9 & 10, 2016

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Events Sunday 9 A.M.–11 Beginning Scottish Fiddle Workshops (Fiddle Tent)

1–2 Local Celtic Musician Showcase - Main Stage

9–10 Try the harp! (Harp Tent)

1:45-2:20 Dinas o Frain, fiddle, flue, concertina and harp (Harp Tent)

9 –5 Highland Dancing Competition (Dancing Area)

2–3 Irish Music Session (Fiddle Tent) 2:30-3 Harp Circle - Open to All (Harp Tent)

9-10 Open Tent with Displays (Culture Tent)

2:30-3:30 “Tracing Your Celtic Roots” with the Skagit Genealogical Society (Culture Tent)

10–10:30 Becky Fox: Wire Harp and Voice (Harp Tent)

3–4 Bonnie Dundee Scottish Country Dancing (Country Dancing Stage)

10-10:30 “Preserving the Past: A Castle’s Preservation” with Rick Boman (Culture Tent)

3–4 Open Celtic Music Session (Fiddle Tent)

10–11 Music Workshops: Celtic String Trio artists (Fiddle Tent)

3–4:30 Washington State Grade IV & Grade III Pipe Band Championships Main Stage Area

10–6 Sheepdog Trials (Farm Area)

3:10-3:40 Harper Tasche: Solo Harp (Harp Tent)

10:30-11 “Red Hair in Europe: Viking or Celtic?” with Brian McGuiness (Culture Tent)

3:30-6 Open Tent with Displays (Culture Tent)

10:35-11:10 Linda Khandro: Double-Strung Harp (Harp Tent)

3:45-4:15 Seumas Gagne: Solo Harp and Voice (Harp Tent)

11-Noon “The Real World of Celtic Harps” with Harper Tasche (Culture Tent)

4:15-6 Anything Can Happen Harp Jam (Harp Tent) 4:30–4:45 Massed Bands - Main Stage)

11–12:30 Scottish Smallpipe Solo and Duet critique events - (Fiddle Tent)

4:30-close Anything can happen harp jam (Harp Tent)

11:20-11:50 Beth Kollé: Solo Harp (Harp Tent)

5 P.M. Event Closes: Haste Ye Back!

Noon-12:30 “When the Blind Harper Took on the Chief of MacLeod” Lecture and performance with Seumas Gagne (Harp Tent) 12:30–1 Opening Ceremonies, Parade of the Clans, Anthems & Lament - Main Stage 1-1:35 Eric Bowen: Welsh Vocal and Guitar (Harp Tent) 1:30–2:30 Bagpipes: What to listen for and How they work: Skye Richendrfer & John Brock (Celtic Culture Tent) 1–2 Quist Fiddlers (Fiddle Tent) 1–2 Bonnie Dundee Scottish Country Dancers (Country Dancing Stage)

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2016 Skagit Valley Highland Games ‡ July 9 & 10, 2016

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