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The countdown to the historic Forres Highland Games is on with it this year boasting a new event category, another new junior chieftain, a French film crew and 10 bands for the massed pipes. The Forres Highland Games will take place at Grant Park on July 6 and the organisers of the event which is now in its 96th year are looking forward to welcoming an international audience. Fred Davidson, president of the Games said: “Every year, we are making changes to the Games to keep it fresh and up to date. We are delighted that for the first time we are introducing women’s heavy events. This is a relatively new thing on the Highland Games’ circuit and they are really gaining traction, so we wanted to make sure that we are keeping with the times and in line with what other Games are doing.” This year, Forres Academy pupil Holly Innes has been chosen to be the Junior Chieftain for the day. She will accompany drum major Mike Munro as chieftain who was chosen for his dedication to the Forres and District Pipe Band. Holly is in S6 and works at Brodie Countryfare. She was chosen by headteacher Jan Sinclair for her commitment to school. Mrs Sinclair said: “Holly is committed and dedicated, she is quietly confident and also worked very hard on a project called Kit For All which is about offering recycled and pre-loved sports kit to individuals and families who need it, for free. I hope she has a wonderful day, this is well deserved.” Speaking of her role, Holly said: “I am really looking forward to the day. I have been to the Forres Highland Games before but it will be nice to see it from a different perspective. I am also looking forward to meeting Mike Munro. I was surprised but also excited and I am delighted to have been asked.” Planning for the Games is an all-year round effort and Fred Davidson also wanted to thank those who support the event through sponsorship and in kind support. “This really is a community-led event. The committee are all volunteers and, on the days running up to the Games, on the day itself and for the clear up, we rely upon so many people to lend a hand. We get in-kind support from AJ Engineering who help with machine and manpower, Forres Rotary Club, Transition Town Forres, Forres in Bloom, numerous farmers and Tartan Tourers to name just a few of those that help us. Many of the volunteers helping are affiliated to other community organisations in the town. Forres ha a great community for helping each other out and enabling successful and much appreciated summer community events to take place.” Fred added: “We have also secured a number of new sponsors this year who have chosen to take banners, message bike plates or events and two of the shops in town, the Highland Hospice and the Forres Area Credit Union have dressed their windows in support of the Games.” He added: “It really is shaping up to be a great day. The massed pipe bands are always a highlight and this year we have 10 and we will also have a French film crew on the park to feature the Games in a documentary, so let’s make it a great day out.”

A French film director who dreams of competing in a Highland Games is set to feature the Forres Highland Games in his documentary. Victor Bergeon battled tuberculosis twice and when in hospital the second time, he vowed to use his illness as inspiration to achieve things he might not have and came up with the idea of making a documentary series about his new found passion for extreme sport. In a bid not to let his illness beat him, Victor created a bucket list of adventures and taking part in a Highland Games was one of the challenges. The 31-year-old, will now attend the Forres Highland Games on July 6, alongside well-known professional heavyweight athlete Sinclair Patience who has been helping Victor realise his dream. Victor said: “I am very excited to be visiting Scotland and attending the Forres Highland Games. I first got tuberculosis in 2013 and it was bad, but after nine months I had recovered. However, I then got it a second time and the doctors could not explain why it happened. They said it shouldn’t have happened. Psychologically, this was very bad for me. I was thinking that I had been chosen to die at a young age. I had deep anxiety for many weeks. Eventually I saw a psychologist and this helped to change my outlook and it was then I decided to choose that my tuberculosis would actually help me lead a great life and to experience things I might not have done, had I not got it.” Victor’s documentary, Voyage au Bout de L’effort is already streaming on popular French channel Canal+ and has already featured Victor climbing Kilimanjaro, taking part in the Iron Man, and skydiving. He has also participated in the calcio storico in Italy which has been dubbed as the ‘most brutal sport in the world.’ As well as attending the Forres Highland Games, Victor also plans to visit the Inverness Highland Games on July 13 where he will compete in the heavy events. “I have been weight training for many years and I am working hard now to get ready for the Games in Scotland. I didn’t know much about the Highland Games, but I am looking forward to learning about them when I am there and meeting the team in Forres. I am interested in the history and the culture. “When I visit a place, I think one of the best ways to learn about it is through taking part and sport, so I am looking forward to learning a lot when I visit Forres and Inverness.” Fred Davidson, president of the Forres Highland Games said: “We are absolutely delighted that Victor made contact with the Forres Highland Games and we are more than happy to help him realise his dream of understanding and competing in a Highland Games.” Fred added: “We are also delighted that the Forres Highland Games will be featured in his documentary. We always knew that the Games have worldwide appeal by attracting an audience from across the world and now our games are set to become part of this wonderful and inspiring story.”

A man who was inspired to join his local pipe band after watching them on parade has been chosen as the chieftain for the Forres Highland Games. Mike Munro, the drum major of the Forres & District Pipe Band joined the organisation as a 10-year-old boy after witnessing them parading into the Highland Games arena. Now, he will have the honour of welcoming his own pipe band when they do the same on July 6, to officially open the 96th Forres Highland Games. Mike came to Forres in 1966 as a five-year-old boy. That year, he was taken to the Forres Highland Games as he explained: “My dad was in the army and we had just moved here from Rhodesia. That year, we went along to what was my first ever experience of a Highland Games. We watched the massed pipe bands and they were led by a man called Jimmy Watson and I was totally inspired and thought ‘one day, I’ll be in a pipe band,’ I was just in awe, he was a giant of a man.” Five years later, Mike, fulfilled his dream and he became a junior drummer with the band. “Jimmy became my hero. He taught me everything I know,” explained Mike. “My main drum was the tenor drum, although I started out as a side drummer and eventually learned the base drum too. That’s what led me to being given the role as the drum major, because I know all the drums and took a keen interest in the tuition for the pipe band.” Mike who works for Moray Council as a renewables engineer and has been the drum major for 15 years said he is thrilled to be taking on the important role of Chieftain. “I am truly honoured. I feel really good about it, although it will be strange not to be with the band. We have had a chuckle that the senior drum major will have to ask my permission to lead the bands off the park after the massed pipes have played. I had to do the same a few years ago, when the late John Channon, our former chairman and piper with the band was given the same honour. We couldn’t help but raise a smile at each other.” Mike said that the Forres & District Pipe Band is looking forward to a busy season although recruitment for new members is always something they are trying to improve. They will be attending several other Highland Games and have entered the British Pipe Band Championships which will be held under the name MacPiping Hot Forres in Grant Park on June 8. “We are very excited about the season ahead. We are hoping to reinstate our regular performances in the floral gardens on Fridays throughout the tourist season and we are delighted that the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association is bringing an event back to Forres. It’s great for us a band and it’s fabulous for the town. We are also taking part in the Grant Park 100 event in August, so there is a lot going on.” He added: “We are always looking for new pipe band members though and currently we are operating without a chairperson. We have about 20 members, but it would be great to have more.” Mike who lives in Dallas will joined at the Forres Highland Games by his wife Irene and children Louise and Fraser and his partner Ami and granddaughter Morgan. Major general, Seymour Monro, the Lord Lieutenant of Moray and President of the Forres & District Pipe Band said: “Mike has been in the Forres Pipe Band for so many years and notably has been Drum Major whilst six pipe majors have come and gone. Great continuity. “Mike has been at the head of the Band during the Highland Military Tattoo, the European Pipe Band Championships, Remembrance Sundays and many local community events. “He has encouraged drumming and the Band now have a very strong drum corps indeed with many youngsters in it, a joy to see and hear. I think we all have a great pride in what Mike has achieved in his quiet but determined way. His standards are high. I am really delighted that this fine man and Drum Major has been chosen to be this year’s Chieftain.” Fred Davidson, the president of the Forres Highland Games said they were looking forward to welcoming Mike and his family on July 6. “Given Mike’s service to the Forres and District Pipe Band over the last 60 years, it was only fitting that we asked him to be Chieftain. His commitment to the band has been unwavering and he has been an inspiration to many. It is wonderful to know that Mike will be performing this important role, back where it all began for him as a young boy. We are honoured to have him and will ensure that he and his family have a wonderful ay out.”

The Forres Highland Games will once again have an international feel with people from across the world already securing their tickets. Early-bird tickets are currently on sale for the Forres Highland Games and they are already being snapped up by people who will be in the town when the event takes place on July 6. The Forres Highland Games which are now in their 96th year is a popular event with both locals and visitors alike. Last year, the event attracted its biggest audience in recent years. Games president, Fred Davidson said: “It is wonderful to see tickets for our event already selling and at the moment, it’s to a predominantly international audience. The Forres Highland Games attracts thousands of spectators and its common to have visitors from Germany, Hong Kong, Spain, the USA, New Zealand, Ireland, France and Canada.” The Forres Highland Games are steeped in history and the programme will include track and field events, the 10K road race, Highland dancing, piping and field events such as tossing the caber and the hammer throw. A new introduction last year was a solo drumming competition which will return for 2024 and one of the most popular spectacles is the massed pipe bands. Unique to the Forres Highland Games is the message boys bike race where spectators can become competitors. There are also opportunities for businesses to get involved in the event with stalls and sponsorship available. “With thousands of people attending the event, the Games are the perfect opportunity to promote your businesses with a stall or through one of our sponsorship packages,” explained Fred. “The Games is run purely by volunteers, and income from these revenue streams is vital to the Games being staged year on year. “The sponsorship packages start from as little as £70 and range from sponsoring an event or even one of the popular message bikes, to having an arena banner which we can display year on year.” Information on stalls, sponsorship opportunities, tickets can be found at www.forreshighlandgames.com

Forres’ biggest one day event saw record breaking visitor numbers with people attending from all over the world. The sun shone for the Forres Highland Games with record breaking numbers for attendance and solo piping and Highland dancing entries. Over 5000 people descended on Grant Park for the 95th Highland Games with queues forming well ahead of the gates opening at 11am. The Games were officially opened after the Forres & District Pipe Band paraded from the centre of Forres into the main arena where the official Games flag was raised. Jim Lawther who was given the honour of being chieftain for the day said: “It has been an amazing day, I am incredibly proud. I have had a fantastic day and it has been wonderful having my family up from Yorkshire for the event. The sun shone, there was a fantastic effort from the organising team and all the volunteers.” Jim who is a former Forres Highland Games trustee added: “After so many years volunteering, it was great to see it from the other side and really be able to see what an amazing show we put on in Forres.” Isaac Swanson and Maddie Partington had been chosen by their guidance teachers from Forres Academy to be Junior Chieftains for the day. Sadly, Maddie was unwell and was unable to attend the event. However, Isaac said he thoroughly enjoyed it: "It was my first Highland Games and my first time wearing a kilt. I love every minute of the day. I really liked the massed pipe bands and the heavy events." There was record entries in the Highland Dancing and Solo Piping. Claire Bryce, who organises the Highland Dancing contest said: “We have received record entries for the dancing this year as we have been able to open the competition up to all sections rather than just premier dancers. Last year we had less than 20 dancers, but this year we had just under 100. We had primary, beginners, novice and intermediate dancers too this year and the youngest primary dancer we had was five-years-old.” She added: “Forres is a lovely Highland Games, it’s very family friendly and as well as the dancing it also has athletics, solo piping, pipe bands and lots of different stalls.” Scott Hay, Piping convener said: “Once again the Forres Highland Games has been a great day out. This year we have attracted some of the best pipers in the country. There was an amazing number of entries.”

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Two pupils from Forres Academy have been given the honour of acting as junior chieftains at the Forres Highland Games which takes place on July 8. Isaac Swanson and Maddie Partington were chosen to represent their school at the Games. It is the second consecutive year that the Forres Highland Games committee has welcomed junior Chieftains from Forres Academy, with Isaac and Maddie following in the footsteps of Amy McGhee and James McPartlin last year. Isaac and Maddie (both 17) are now gearing up to spend the day at the Games meeting competitors, stallholders and handing out trophies alongside Jim Lawther who will act as Chieftain for the day. Maddie who is starting an internship with Mackenzie and Cruickshank Garden Centre over the summer on a Career Ready programme and Isaac who hopes to go to university to study environmental sciences or environmental geo science were nominated by their guidance teachers. Isaac represents Sueno house, whilst Maddie is in Dava. Speaking about the honour, Maddie said: “I’m really happy that the school thought I would be a good person to represent them at the Forres Highland Games. I don’t know much about Highland Games, but I am looking forward to finding out a bit more.” Maddie who is studying art, modern studies, history, mathematics and literacy and communications added: “It will be a really good start to the summer when I am also looking forward to starting work with Mackenzie and Cruickshank.” Isaac who recently performed his own piano composition at the school’s prize-giving ceremony and is studying advanced high biology, advanced higher music, level six science technology and leadership said: “I’m really looking forward to the day. I am proud that the school has chosen me to represent them in something like this. This will be my first ever experience of a Highland Games, so I hope to learn a bit about the games and make the most of the experience and just enjoy it.” Jan Sinclair, head teacher at Forres Academy said she was delighted the school was involved with an event in the local community: “We are delighted to have been able to nominate two of our pupils for a second year in a row to act as junior chieftains at this year's Forres Highland Games. It is important for our school to be involved in community events and it is exceptionally important that we have a link with this event given its heritage and historical importance.” Mrs Sinclair added: “Isaac and Maddie were chosen because throughout their time at Forres Academy these last five years they have shown great determination and commitment to the school. They are great role models for younger pupils and I am delighted they have this opportunity in this important local event.”

A man who has spent the best part of 40 years involved with Highland Games across the Highlands and North East of Scotland has been announced as this year’s Chieftain for the Forres event. Jim Lawther a well-known Forres volunteer has been given the honour for his contribution to the Forres Highland Games committee which began in 1987. A former aircraft electrician in the RAF, Jim who also volunteers with the Forres Heritage Trust and Forres Area Credit Union and is a volunteer buddy, became involved in the Games after being posted to RAF Kinloss. He was persuaded to get involved by Forres Highland Games president Fred Davidson, and before he knew it was qualifying as an athletics official and was travelling all over Moray and the Highlands officiating at different Games. Jim said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be given the honour of being Chieftain. It’s certainly not something that I expected. It’s been part of my life for a very long time, and I am looking forward to being able to see the Games from a different perspective this year.” Over the years, Jim has carried out most roles on the day of the Forres Highland Games which this year takes place in Grant Park on July 8, as he explained: “I have done most roles from doing the gate, being in the secretary’s tent, acting as the arena manager and I am keen to help out in the run up to the day itself by helping to mark out the arena and getting the site ready.” He added: “Interestingly, although I am a qualified field official and have travelled to many, many Highland Games to judge, it is many years since I have officiated at Forres Highland Games as I have always been too busy doing other tasks.” Now in the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Games, the event has always been a real international affair attracting participants and thousands of spectators. The event incorporates massed pipe bands, Highland dancing, piping and drumming, sideshows, stalls and other entertainment, but it is the track and field events which Jim likes the most. “My two favourite events are the caber toss and the Scots hammer. If you see a skilful athlete, who does it really well it’s fantastic, there is a real skill to it and it can be amazing to watch.” Jim, who has been a sponsor of the junior heavy events for many years added: “I also love seeing the youngsters compete and giving it their all. Where they are placed is neither here nor there, it’s just great to see youngsters turn up and have such passion for whichever event they are competing in.” Fred Davidson, president of the Forres Highland Games said: “The trustees of the Forres Highland Games wish to sincerely thank Jim for the many years of much valued service to our organisation. Jim has always been an active and well-respected committee member and trustee, fully contributing to the organising and running of the Games each year and helping drive innovation and continuous improvement and success. On the day, Jim will be invited to take part in the opening ceremony, parading behind Forres and District Pipe Band, then delivering a few words of welcome over the PA system to all before declaring the Games officially open.”