Heritage

2023 celebrates the 41st anniversary of the Carmunnock International Highland Games. In 1982, the Carmunnock Games were unique – for the first time it brought together stellar athletes from the traditional highland games and the strongman worlds.
Competitors over the years have included great champions such as Geoff Capes, Grant and Bill Anderson, and Hamish Davidson, to name but a few of the international stars. The Carmunnock Games also introduced the greatest strongmen of their time such as the world famous Jon Pal Sigmarsson of Iceland and Bill Kazmaier of USA.

The re-introduction of the games in 2009 upheld the same traditions with local champ Gregor Edmunds, arguably the greatest Highland Games athlete of his generation, battling against international challengers. The 2009 games was a great sporting event enjoyed by all. In 2012 the Strongman tradition was revived with an International Champions Challenge and a Local Hero team competition. With temperatures soaring into the 90’s, 2012 was without a doubt the hottest Carmunnock Games since our origins in 1982! In 2013 we had the first Women’s International Highland Challenge which was a massive success and popular with the crowd. In 2014 we introduced the Scottish Muscle Power Championships and some of the competitors have stepped up to heavy events.

Chieftains of the Games have included Michael Kelly, Lord Provost of Glasgow and Alan Deveraux, Chairman of Scottish Tourist Board and actror and comedian Sanjeev Kohli. In addition to our prestigious list of VIPs, Sally McNair of Scotland’s premier TV Channel, BBC Scotland, made her first outside broadcast at the 1982 Carmunnock Games and in 2015 Petra Wetzl, a highly prominent Glasgow businesswoman and owner of WEST brewery, was our chieftain. Our chieftain for 2017 is boxing legend Ricky Burns, who has had a staggering career, winning world titles in 3 weight divisions.

This year we continue to focus our attention on the local community with our “Local Hero” participation events, along with the return of Vadim’s Russian Warriors, which will feature some highly trained comabt professionals battling each other in unique events such as Log Boxings and Stick Fighting – of course alongside the traditional heavy events. Also in keeping with tradition, this year there will be a full program of Highland Dancing, children’s races & Mini highland games, pipes & fiddles and, of course, the legendary Welly Throwing Competition! We look forward to seeing you there on the day!

Have a look at some of our older programmes HERE