Selwyn Times: April 27, 2018

18 Selwyn District Residents' Guide 2018
H ORORATA HIGHLAND GAMES
The Hororata Highland Games was created in 2011 from
the community’s desire to take charge of its own future
following the devastation suffered during Canterbury
earthquakes. Being proactive, a motivated group of
individuals developed a theme which resonated with them
and filled a unique gap in the event market; the Hororata
Highland Games was born and is now a permanent fixture
in the Canterbury event calendar.
The event attracts over 500 competitors who compete
in highland dancing, piping and drumming, tug o’ war,
highland spin (fleece to garment challenge), small bore
shooting, amateur heavy athletics (men’s and women’s)
and the Oceania Heavyweight Championship (professional
heavy athletics).
Visitors don’t come just to sit on the bleaches, but all
ages can have a go themselves in modified or replicas of
the competitive events. Have A Go events include the junior
warriors, caber or sheath toss, lightweight farmers walk,
small bore shooting, archery, kilted mile, haggis hurl and
the hororata pie eating competition. Most of these events
are free to participate in.
The event hosts over 100 stalls offering quality merchandise
and produce. In the stalls area there is a children’s
fairground, music entertainment, Scottish country dancing
and the Taste of Scotland offering a range of Scottish
themed food and wine. Visitors discover Scottish heritage
and their ancestry in Clan Lane.
The Chieftain’s welcoming ceremony is a unique blend
of Scottish and Kiwi culture. A Karanga welcomes the
chieftain, but the response comes from bag pipes. A kapa
haka group adds even more flare and excitement to this
spectacle. The massed bands closing ceremony is heart
pounding and a fitting end to the day.
This is a family friendly event that appeals to all ages and
visitors don’t have to be Scottish to enjoy it. Over 11,000
people attend each year.
Above all else the Hororata Highland Games is a
community event; run by the Hororata Community Trust
for the benefit of the community. Over 200 volunteers
join Clan Hororata each year to make the event happen.
The Hororata Highland Games is a truly inspiring story of
what a rural community can achieve with motivation and a
shared vision.