Scottish Games in Altamont, NY

The Altamont Fairgrounds is hosting the Scottish Games all Labor day weekend. I stayed busy shooting pipe and drum competitions, highland dancing, Scottish dog shows and caber and sheaf toss contests. A sheaf is a 16 pound barrel of hay, wrapped in burlap and tossed by pitchfork over a bar. The bar is raised six inches at a time until all contestants but the winner are eliminated.

Director/Coordinator Bill Munro did double duty escorting me via golf cart from event to event while coordinating parking, bands and even fielding 911 calls. A hapless woman actually called 911 desperate for directions to the games.

A line of traffic on Route 20 stretched all the way back to Guilderland. Police were helpless to find enough space for everyone. Meanwhile I ducked crowds and tiptoed around judges for the best vantage point to shoot The Boland School Irish Step Dance demonstrations. Bill broke for 10 minutes to applaud his curly-haired red head granddaughter on stage.

The games continue today until 5pm.