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A wee bit of a fun and games

If failing means you’re playin’ then yer bum’s oot the windae.
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Penticton’s Jacqui Weiss directs Gio to move the sheep during the festival’s stock dog competition. Mark Brett/Western News

If failing means you’re playin’ then yer bum’s oot the windae.

That may have been the case for some competitors at this year’s fourth annual Penticton Scottish Festival at King’s Park Saturday.

Participants in this year’s highly-anticipated event ranged in age from five to 70 years old and came from as far away as Hawaii.

Lowis Holliday of Gibsons performs in the Highland dance competition. -Mark Brett/Western News
Events ranged from the heavy events to music, dance and even a stock dog competition demonstrating the skills of both handlers and their canines.

“It’s bringing the arts and entertainment of Scotland to Penticton,” said Brian Johnston, who was selected as this year’s Chieftain of the Day.

“It’s fun, there’s a wide range of entertainment from five and six-year-olds doing the hornpipe on stage and then we have 60 and 70-year-old drummers beating their drums trying to be world champions again.”

Born in a small town near Aberdeen, Scotland, Johnston is well known in the local sporting community, particularly soccer and rugby.

Niel Valliere of Penticton strains as he releases in one of the heavy events. -Mark Brett/Western News
The Penticton festival, held the first Saturday in July, which just happened to be Canada Day this time, is the first in a series of weekend summer Scottish competitions for competitors vying for the circuit championship.

Among the top-level competitors was Langley’s Joe Pocock, a Canadian champion in the men’s open heavy events.