154th Turakina Highland Games 2018

Sat 27th JANUARY 2018

A Little History: The first ‘Turakina Highland Games’ were held in 1864, and are New Zealand’s oldest on-land sporting event. The Games were established by the Turakina Caledonian Society Inc. – Est. 1864.

Clan Donald Wellington once again did its annual pilgrimage to Turakina, a small village in the western Rangitikei district in the southern North Island of New Zealand. A twenty-minute car ride south of Whanganui.

Supporting John and Patricia McKechnie, Vice President and Secretary Clan Donald Wellington, over the weekend were the North Island Commissioner Tom McDonald and his wife Lynnette, Vice President Clan Donald Auckland, and the New Zealand High Commissioner Alan MacDonald. This group followed the tradition of staying at the Rutland Arms Hotel in Whanganui for a weekend of conviviality, and of course some whisky sampling.

 

Outside the Clan Donald Wellington tent are John McKechnie Vice President Wellington, David Moore Committee Wellington, Alan MacDonald High Commissioner for New Zealand, and Tom McDonald North Island Commissioner.

 

This year Clan Donald Wellington decided to add to the usual decorations in the Clan tent. We bought Scottish flag bunting and a large Scottish flag, plus 4 large and 4 small Clan Shields, to liven up the interior and exterior of the tent.

 

John McKechnie’s decorating skills are been supervised by Alan MacDonald and Patricia McKechnie.

 

And of course on the day we were supported by the Clan Donald Wellington President Carl Bradley and Committee Member David Moore, plus our newest members Roger & Diana McDonald.

Visitors on the Day:

 

Newest Clan Donald Wellington members Roger & Diana McDonald.

 

Lynnette McDonald Vice President Clan Donald Auckland and Tony Franklin-Ross from Clan Mackenzie.

 

We had many visitors on the day including one from Clan Campbell

 

From the left John McKechnie Vice President Clan Donald Wellington, Lindsay Campbell from Clan Campbell, and Clan Donald High Commissioner Alan MacDonald.

 

From the left Patricia McKechnie Secretary Clan Donald Wellington, with Bruce McGechan Immediate Past President Clan Donald Auckland, and Lynnette McDonald Vice President Clan Donald Auckland.

 

At lunchtime we took part in the Clans March.

 

The Clan Donald Wellington Colour Party. Banner Bearer John McKechnie, Aida Tavassoli, High Commissioner Alan MacDonald, Carl Bradley President Clan Donald Wellington, David Moore and North Island Commissioner Tom McDonald.

 

Colour Party. Aida Tavassoli, Carl Bradley, Tom McDonald, Alan MacDonald, David Moore and John McKechnie.