Spokane man wins overall Highland's title

"The Highland Games, held Saturday at the Greenbank Farm, provided a wide variety of competitions from the precise, ballet-like moves of traditional highland dancing to boisterous bagpiping and bouts of brute force.Part and parcel to the games were the strength events. Developed by bored soldiers with too many cannonballs on hand and by farmers with too many rocks in the fields, the events included a 17-pound stone throw, a 25-pound weight-for-distance throw, a 16-pound hammer throw, a 56-pound weight-for-distance throw, a caber throw, and a 56-pound weight for height toss. Winning the overall competition for in the open class was Jeremiah Strand of Mount Vernon. In the novice competition, Spokane's Jason Artis was the most Scottish of athletes after being invited to the Highland Games by his cousin, Marius Artis of Langley. Some of the throws at this year's event were almost unbelievable. Brent Twaddle of Spanaway set a new record in the light stone toss, sending the 17-pound rock almost 44 feet through the air. Twaddle was also tops in the 25-pound weight for distance with a 72-foot toss.The only athletic champion from Whidbey Island this year was Kayleah Artis of Freeland. Competing in the only womens event this year, the 5-gallon keg toss, Artis made a 23-foot, 11-inch throw. The athletes were not the only people to put out a physical effort at the games. A legion of young Scottish Highland dancers put on a show and demonstrated their prowess at the art. Some of the dancers taking home trophies were Elana Campbell, Kristen Barrow, Sarah Aronson, Katie Campbell, Amer Henderson, Jessy Caseldon, Lucy Burnett, and Laura Barrow. "

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