History

The First Seventy-Two Years of the Victoria Highland Games Association

Highland Games have links with Victoria which stretch back almost 150 years to the founding of our city when Scottish influence was strong in business and culture. Sir James Douglas, Chief Factor of the Hudson’s Bay Company and Roderick Finlayson of the same Presbyterian ilk, were associated with the 1859 founding of the St. Andrew’s Society, a Scottish benevolent association which became the St. Andrew’s and Caledonian Society. The first Games were jointly organized by this Society and the Sir William Wallace Society and held in 1864 at the old Caledonian Grounds on Cook Street in Victoria.

During the early 1930’s, the Tourist Trade Development Association organized Games which were usually held in the former Willows Fair Grounds. The Burns Club and Scottish Societies of Victoria were strong supporters of the Games.

Seventy-two years ago, the newly formed Victoria Highland Games Association sponsored its first Scottish gathering at MacDonald Park. On that 1938 day, over 2000 spectators and competitors saw the Honourable T.D. Pattullo, Premier of British Columbia, perform the official opening with the Honourable James A. Farley, Postmaster-General of the United States of America.

During the war years of 1939 to 1945, the young Victoria Highland Games Association continued its annual highland gatherings with proceeds donated to the Scottish war effort.

As the Games became established, they took on a multi-cultural flavour. In the 19th Games, a Yugoslavian-born Vancouver athlete, John Pavelich, excelled. “MacPavelich” was the top man with the greatest number of aggregate points in all events. He threw the shotput a Canadian record distance of 52 feet, one inch. In those same Games, Betty Chan, a pretty young Saskatoon lass, capture the dancing aggregate for under 11 and, today, one only needs to scan the list of competitors to see that interest in highland games is not limited to those of Scottish lineage. There are no national or racial boundaries for the skill and agility required to compete in highland events nor in the enjoyment derived by competitors and spectators alike.

The association has promoted the highest standards in highland dancing, piping, drumming, athletics and Scottish culture over its 70 years history. The association has also given Victorians and visitors the opportunity to enjoy a time each year that is set apart from the work-a-day world – a taste of Scotland – a time to renew old acquaintances and extend a welcoming hand to new friends.

The Games have been held at various venues around Victoria in the last several decades, and moved to Victoria’s Topaz Park in 2008 for a 2-day Victoria Highland Games & Celtic Festival. Besides the traditional Games events, over the May long weekend, spectators will view a sheepdog herding competition, kilted mile athletics, tug of war competition and a variety of Scottish and Celtic dance and music entertainment.

The future looks very bright for the association as it continues to enhance the Highland Games & Celtic Festival and achieve its mandate to promote Scottish culture, art and sport through other events during the year such as the Victoria Tartan Parade, various competitions and educational and promotional activities. The VHGA will be hosting the 2010 World Heavy Events Championship, a prestigious event for the top 12 world-ranked strongmen from around the world!