The 43rd Auckland Highland Games

The Auckland Highland Games, the first of the Highland Games season, was held at the Ellerslie Events Centre in Auckland on Saturday the 17^th of November.

The day was pleasantly warm with only a light breeze. The crowds started to arrive early to enjoy a full programme, which included solo piping and Highland Dancing competitions in the morning, and the first pipe band contest of the season in the afternoon.

At 12.30 pm there was the parade of the clans followed by the Opening Ceremony. The President of the Auckland Highland Games, David Harvey welcomed everyone to the Highland Games for the second time at the Ellerslie Events Centre and declared the Games Open. Malcolm Campbell sang the Scottish Anthem “The Flower of Scotland”.

The Parade of the Clans led by the City of Sails Pipe Band.

 

Clan Donald in the centre with the yellow banner, during the Parade of the Clans.

 

During the day the Clan Donald Pavilion saw many members and friends calling in for a chat and refreshment including a dram or two.

Clan Donald members in the Pavilion. From the left. Noelene McSkimming, Marni Macdonald, Jeanette McFarland, Diane Winder and Lynnette McDonald.

 

There was a Haggis Ceremony with Tom Sheils giving the well known “Ode to the Haggis” by Robbie Burns. Grant Davidson, The Chief of Clan Davidson, was the whisky bearer for the Haggis Ceremony. The public were also able to try a sample of Haggis.

The crowd was also entertained with the staging of medieval battles and Scottish Country Dancing.

 

Scottish Country Dancers

 

The highlight of the end of the day was the Closing Ceremony. There were the mass pipe bands and the mass Highland Fling by the Highland Dancers followed by the farewell by the Highland Games President and Auld Lang Syne.