EDMOND—As the sun shone on the Herbert W. Armstrong College campus on May 4, 20 men from the college and the local congregation competed outside the John Amos Field House in the second annual Gary Rethford Highland Games. Spectators congregated underneath shade tents and a few trees to watch the men, dressed in their Scottish best, hurl heavy objects.

During one of the hottest afternoons of the year so far, the contestants divided into two class groups based on weight and height and participated in traditional highland games events, including the hammer toss, weight for distance, weight for height, sheaf toss, caber toss, braemar stone and open stone throw.

Local member Matthew McCarty and P.E. instructor Dan Burns organized the games, choosing events, establishing weights and preparing equipment. They helped procure the cabers, two cedar trees cut from a member’s property, stripped of branches and trimmed to weights of 50 and 100 pounds. Some contestants spent weeks honing their skills. Some of those with Scottish heritage wore their family tartans and wore their family heirloom apparel, others spent hours sewing, and some searched Walmart or elsewhere for suitable plaid table cloths to serve as their kilts.

“I enjoyed the challenge that each event brought,” sophomore Michael Cocomise said. “The challenge at each event was trying to perfect your form while you were being restricted by the kilt.”

Sophomore Justin Goodearl commented that he found the caber toss to be the most difficult event. “That tree was sticky because it was freshly cut on Friday, and the tree was just massive,” he said.

Senior Callum Wood, who participated in the Highland Games last year, noted that the competition improved from the previous year. “This year was different because it was far more professional. Everything seemed really well planned out and prepared,” he said.

Burns said that the Highland Games originated as a competition for kings and clan chiefs to select new recruits. “The events we used are the standard events used at any competitive Highland Games throughout the world,” he said.

“I really enjoyed the camaraderie among the competitors,” senior James Brandon said. “Everyone is really excited for someone who does well. It’s really an uplifting form of competition that encourages everyone to put forth their maximum effort.”

McCarty said that P.E. instructor Joel Hilliker suggested the idea a couple of years ago “to bolster some unique events where true individual manliness could be contested.” He said that the event honors the memory of its namesake, the late pcg headquarters minister, “and his love for all things Scottish.”

“He loved history, and Scottish history was one of his favorites,” Mrs. Mary Ellen Rethford said, relating that he was of the Rutherford clan, a clan closely associated with the Armstrong clan, to which Herbert W. Armstrong traced his roots.

Brent Nagtegaal won first place in the A division, retaining the title from last year, while Joel Hudson-Stewart won the B division. Runners-up included Brandon Nice (A) and Daniel Westerbaan (B).