Abernethy Highland Games Association
Nethy Bridge
Inverness-shire
PH25 3DA
Scotland

Enquiries to Games convenor

Games Day approaches and, on Saturday 14th August, Nethy Bridge will resound to the thrilling sights and sounds of the Abernethy Highland Games and Clan Grant Rally.

Lots of interest happening this year; the Games hosts an International Gathering of the Clan Grant, and the spectacle of the massed pipe bands, 8 bands in all, will include a visiting German band.

Nethy Bridge welcomes all these international visitors, not least a very special delegation, from the USA, of members of the Cherokee Nation, led by their Principal Chief, Chad “Corntassel Smith”.
Chief Smith holds a Bachelor's degree in Education; Master's degree in public administration, and a Juris Doctorate, Law, and is credited with leading the Cherokee Nation out of a time of turmoil, unrest and controversy into an era of cooperation and achievement.
During his tenure as Principal Chief, since 1999, Smith has focused on three initiatives: economic self-reliance for the tribe, Cherokee language and cultural revitalization, and community development in North-eastern Oklahoma. He has also popularized the term gadugi, which in Cherokee refers to the spontaneous work crews communities formed, as needs arose, but has evolved to mean coming together to work for the good of all Cherokees.

Chief Smith, along with many of the 300,000 strong Cherokee Nation are descendants of Ludovick Grant, younger of Creichie, who sailed to Charlestown, South Carolina in 1716, having escaped with his life after being captured as a Jacobite at the siege of Preston.

Hopefully around 20 members of the Cherokee Nation will attend the Games and join in the March of the Clan Grant.

Abernethy Highland games 2010 will play host to an International Gathering of the Clan Grant.

See 2009 Games report for full results from last year.

As part of our fundraising we run a very successful Raffle. Tickets availabe from committee members in advance of the Games or on the field on Games Day. See Raffle prizes

Keen readers of local lore may have noticed a reference to the Abernethy Games in Rev. Dr. W Forsyth's book "In the Shadow of Cairngorm".

Here it is noted, in a letter from Colonel Grant to his friend William Forsyth, (the author's father) that he enjoyed the Games on his visit to the Dell of Abernethy in 1838 - well before the generally accepted foundation date of 1880!

"The people down here are talking a lot about our doings and I am praising Abernethy up to the skies for dancing and everything that is good. I cannot repeat to you too often how very much I am indebted to yourself and Mrs Forsyth for all your kindness to me, for I must say, and I hope you will let it be known, that a happier fortnight I never spent. If I omitted calling on anyone, it was not that the wish, but the time that was wanting. I only hope that you and Mrs Forsyth have not suffered from your exertions. I trust that you will keep me in the remembrance of the people of Abernethy, and keep alive the Kilt, Games, and Highland Fling, for next summer I hope to see all in perfection. Remember me to all my friends, and your neighbours, at Rothiemoon, and particularly to Lewis Grant, as I depend on him to throw the hammer next time far beyond the Mason of Grantown. (Thomas Stewart and Grigor Burgess, Grantown, had carried off the first prizes at the Games)"

So, it seems there was already a well established tradition of competition between the parishes, in dancing as well as heavy events, as far back as 1838. Who knows when the very first Abernethy Highland Games was contested?

Our Twins in New Zealand - Turakina Highland Games

Turakina is a small village in the western Rangitiki district of New Zealand, midway between Wanganui and Palmerston North. The Maori explorer Hau named Turakina on his journey south when he felled a log to cross the river [from "Turaki" - to fell]. The first European settlers arrived from Scotland by ships into Wellington and later walked 150km up the beaches to Turakina, following the land purchase negotiated by Sir Donald McLean, from the Ngati Apa people in 1849. At its peak in the late 1880's, Turakina and the surrounding area boasted 3 churches, several schools, businesses, industries, 2 railway stations, 4 hotels and an illicit whisky distillery. At that period it was a prosperous and busy township and the Annual Highland Games was established in 1864. They are New Zealand's oldest on-land sporting event.

A committee member of the Abernethy Highland Games, who lived his youth in the district, visited the Turakina Highland Games in 2004. He was warmly welcomed and subsequently it was agreed that 2 of the oldest Games, 125 and 140 years respectively, located at opposite ends of the world, would twin.

The next Turakina Highland Games will take place on Saturday 29 January 2011.

www.turakinahighlandgames.co.nz

Principal Chief Chad Smith of the Cherokee Nation is this year's Games
Chieftain