Helmsdale Highland Games 2000 Gallery

The 20th annual Helmsdale and District Highland Games took place on Saturday the 19th August 2000 with the Chieftain's Parade from Dunrobin street to Couper Park.
   The parade was led from Dunrobin Street by Hector MacPherson whose father Frank was the first Chieftain of the Helmsdale Games. This year's Chieftain Dr Sheila Thorpe, whose patronage the games have enjoyed since their revival, accompanied the parade with members of her family. Other former Chieftains were escorted to the park by Inverness British Legion Pipe Band, Wick British Legion Pipe Band, and the Bettyhill Pipe Band, followed by vintage cars from the Caithness and Sutherland Vintage Car Club, and this year's games standard bearer Mark Macbeath.
  Officially opening the Games chairman Andrew Sutherland welcomed everyone to the park especially their foreign visitors.
He also paid tribute to the people of Helmsdale, the young folk of the village in particular, along with the local business community of the Games.
  Introducing the Chieftain, Andrew said he was sure that some of the babies Dr Sheila Thorpe had delivered during her time in Helmsdale must be present on the park , and urged them to come and introduce themselves. By his own admission, he was too old to be one of them!
Dr Thorpe said she was honoured to be chosen as this year's Chieftain at Helmsdale, a place she visits for part of every year and which she remembers with fondness, particularly the generosity of the local people. She was presented with a silver Celtic brooch and flowers by S and James Jappy.

Helmsdale's Sandy MacAulay won the Open Scottish Hill Race after 19 years of entering the competition, in a time of 26 minutes. Creag Bun-ullidh is the hill known as the Helmsdale Rock where the hill racers test their endurance.

For those with plenty of stamina, the celebrations continued until the small hours with the traditional Games Night marquee dance to Red Alert . Pipers from the Wick and Inverness British Legion bands gave impromptu performances in the Bannockburn Inn, followed later by a disco in the lounge, music resounding around the village to cater to all tastes.

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