The Cabrach Picnic and Games 2024

The third edition of our relaunched Cabrach Picnic and Games heralded the award of the Cabrach Rose Bowl after a 90-year absence.

Families from across The Cabrach, alongside visitors from far and wide, amassed at Inverharroch on Sunday 28^th July for The Cabrach Picnic and Games; an event rapidly gaining the reputation for being Scotland’s most family friendly Highland Games. This year’s event was headlined by the award of a historic trophy for the first time in almost a century, which had been returned to the The Cabrach earlier in the year following a nationwide search.

The Cabrach Picnic and Games played host to over 450 people on Sunday. The day combined an opportunity to participate in traditional highland sports and highland dancing, whilst enjoying performances from the Huntly Pipe Band and excellent Cabrach hospitality provided by our incredible community volunteers.

The sporting programme culminated with The Cabrach Heavy Stone competition, our take on the traditional shot putt. Nine women and nine men competed in an attempt to secure The Cabrach Rose Bowl, a trophy last awarded to the champion “heavy” competitor at the event 90 years ago. Following a very close competition the Rose Bowl was won by Jacqueline Coull of The Cabrach and Ross Ruickbie of the Braes of Glenlivet!

Huntly Pipe Band officially opened the event at Inverharroch’s Walled Garden shortly after midday, with Highland Dancing performances taking place throughout the afternoon led by the Alison Gordon of School of Dance. Have-a-go Highland Games were a real hit for children and adults alike, under the expert guidance of Charlie Murray, President of the Royal Scottish Highland Games Association.

The keenly anticipated tug-o-war competition played out in front of a raucous crowd, before all attention fell on The Cabrach Heavy Stone event and subsequent award of The Cabrach Rose Bowl.

In 2022, the Trust reintroduced the Cabrach Picnic and Games after a hiatus of 87 years, before initiating the hunt for the lost silver Rose Bowl, which was traditionally awarded to the best-performing athlete at the event. After a public plea last summer, Adrian Taylor in Devon, the grandson of the last winner of the Rose Bowl in 1929, returned the silverware to Moray earlier this year so it could be awarded once more at the Picnic and Games. The silverware’s return generated interest worldwide, including in The New York Times.

The Cabrach Picnic and Games was a staple of the Highland Games calendar and ran annually from 1877 to 1935. It returned in July 2022 and now it is our challenge and responsibility to ensure the Games remains a highlight of the Cabrach’s summer.

Around 450 guests enjoyed Sunday’s event. Jonathan Christie, Chief Executive of The Cabrach Trust, commented: “This weekend represented another positive chapter in the return of The Cabrach Picnic and Games, which we are growing each year as part of the Trust’s efforts to breathe life back into the Cabrach after decades of depopulation and decline. While it was with great satisfaction that we secured the return of the Cabrach Rose Bowl earlier this year after a long, nationwide search, it was particularly pleasing to see this historic prize held aloft by the top-performing athletes yesterday, reinstating a local tradition cut short almost a century ago.”