Sunday @ Stone Mtn

**Yaish** · 23rd October 07, 09:11 AM

WooHoo!

Great news. It's an addicting sport to be sure. How did you feel at the clinic?

Favorite event? Least favorite? Any events you were a 'natural' for? Any you just couldn't get the hang of?

**Shriner** · 23rd October 07, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by Yaish

WooHoo!

Great news. It's an addicting sport to be sure. How did you feel at the clinic?

Favorite event? Least favorite? Any events you were a 'natural' for? Any you just couldn't get the hang of?

Yaish,

Yes, it is. I can't believe at age 43, I am starting something like this. Alot of the guy are in thier twenty's.

Favorite event the Stone.. Least favorite Sheaf toss... Natural for the stone, that why it's my favorite.... Caber toss, I havn't got the hang of only because I only have tried it twice and that was during competetion.

John

**McFarkus** · 23rd October 07, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by Shriner

Yaish,

Yes, it is. I can't believe at age 43, I am starting something like this. Alot of the guy are in thier twenty's.

Favorite event the Stone.. Least favorite Sheaf toss... Natural for the stone, that why it's my favorite.... Caber toss, I havn't got the hang of only because I only have tried it twice and that was during competetion.

John

You're a better man than I am Gunga Din.

**Yaish** · 23rd October 07, 05:50 PM

I really like Sheaf, but I wouldn't want to use those three pronged forks. We usually go with two. You get a better toss off it.

The trick with sheaf is to bend forward at the waist, look up ABOVE the horizon (not down at the fork) and keep your arms stiff. Swing like a pendulum, swing them in the same plane in front of you, not around to your sides.
Always swing higher on the backstroke than you think, it won't fall off the forks. Swing hard, but NOT behind you on the final swing, bring your hand nearest the bag up to about a 60 degree angle from your shoulder, and HIT THE BRAKES HARD! You need that sudden STOP at the end to get the proper flick off the forks.

The final trick is to have someone watch you and tell you where you are peaking, either in front or behind the bar. On your set up take steps either forward or back as appropriate to peak directly over the bar.

**thescot** · 24th October 07, 05:18 AM

Originally Posted by Shriner

Yaish,

Yes, it is. I can't believe at age 43, I am starting something like this. Alot of the guy are in thier twenty's.

Favorite event the Stone.. Least favorite Sheaf toss... Natural for the stone, that why it's my favorite.... Caber toss, I havn't got the hang of only because I only have tried it twice and that was during competetion.

John

Man, Shriner, I did some of that when I was over 40 as well. I remember learning how to throw the weight, and realizing I was the only guy over 40 on the field!

There was one young fellow, a big, strapping kid about my height with broad shoulders and narrow hips wearing a tee shirt with Macon Police Department on it. I asked him if he was part of the local constabulary, and he told me that he wanted to be . . . when he graduated from high school. That was my last trip to the field.

The guys who do that competitively are tremendous atheletes, and I am way too old to do that as anything other than playing around.

The only event of them all that I didn't really stink at was the sheaf toss, of all things. I came in 2nd. The weight throw is harder than it looks since there is so much cetrifugal force once you get that beast going. And the rock throw was just like shot putting, an event I did as a kid.

In all seriousness, if you have never tried it, you should. It's enlightening and makes you appreciate the guys who do it well, if nothing else.

Good luck. Protect your back, and purchase lots of liniment.

**Shriner** · 24th October 07, 08:12 AM

Thescot,

I found out yesterday, that I can play with the young guys for the next two years.. Then at 45 I can join the Masters division and that would make me the young guy. Ha ha..

I have already sign up for The Tampa Bay Highland Games Nov. 3rd in the Amateur division "C" for novice.

John

**beowulf67** · 24th October 07, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by Shriner

Thescot,

I found out yesterday, that I can play with the young guys for the next two years.. Then at 45 I can join the Masters division and that would make me the young guy. Ha ha..

I have already sign up for The Tampa Bay Highland Games Nov. 3rd in the Amateur division "C" for novice.

John

It's a load of fun, isn't it? I've been doing it for the last 3 or 4 years now and really enjoy it. I just turned 40 this year so I know what it's like to be one of the oldest on the field.

Good luck in Tampa!!

Oh yeah, who ran the clinic at Stone?

**Shriner** · 24th October 07, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by beowulf67

It's a load of fun, isn't it? I've been doing it for the last 3 or 4 years now and really enjoy it. I just turned 40 this year so I know what it's like to be one of the oldest on the field.

Good luck in Tampa!!

Oh yeah, who ran the clinic at Stone?

I don't remember his name but he is the one with the mic.

John

**thescot** · 24th October 07, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by Shriner

Thescot,

I found out yesterday, that I can play with the young guys for the next two years.. Then at 45 I can join the Masters division and that would make me the young guy. Ha ha..

I have already sign up for The Tampa Bay Highland Games Nov. 3rd in the Amateur division "C" for novice.

John

Great news. I'm sorry I won't be able to make it down this time to suport a brother, but I've pretty much put in for a trip to the Foothills Games in Hendersonville, NC that same day.

We'll be thinking of you and pulling for you, though. Keep us posted. And get lots of pictures.