Highlanders Tug-o-War Challenge Cup

Once again the Highland Militia will take to the field for their chance to take home the Highlanders Tug-o-War Challenge Cup.

All Highland Militia units in Canada are invited to send a team.

Outline• Origin of the Competition

– The Original Cup– Today’s Cup

• 1st Highlanders Challenge• Recent Champions

– 2008– 2009– 2010– 2011– 2012– 2013– 2014

• Standing Invitation to Canadian Highland Militia• Contact

Origin of CompetitionThe idea for this competition stems an off-the-cuff tug-o-war competition between a team made up of soldiers from The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa and a team from The Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders of Cornwall in August of 2006.

There had been talk of a tug-o-war challenge between these two units for over a year before that day, brought on by good natured esprit de corps and regimental rivalries. It wasn’t surprising then to see these two units take up the rope when the time presented itself at the end of the annual MilCON exercise in Petawawa that summer of ‘06.

Following the ad hoc competition in field conditions in the summer of 2006 where the Camerons defeated “all comers”, talk of further competition was escalated to make it something more formal and public in nature. With the Glengarry Highland Games being a central location for the two units and the fact that both units participate in these games to one degree or another every year, it seemed natural that the tug-o-war challenge become part of the scheduled events.

The net result is that The Camerons and SD&G (and any other Militia unit who can scrape together a team) compete annually for the "Highlanders Tug-O-War Challenge Cup" in front of the Grand Stand as a main event for the Glengarry Highland Games.

The Original Cup

• The "Highlanders Tug-O-War Challenge Cup" consists of a 26 oz pewter quaich mounted on a cut-down 105mm brass artillery shell mounted on a blackened wooden base.

• The cap badges of The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa and The Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders are mounted on forward side of the brass casing. Engraved on the front of the casing is "The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa - Advance" and "The Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry Highlanders - Dileas Gu Bas" (Faithful unto death).

Today’s Cup

• After their win on 30 July 2011, The Black Watch took the cup home to Montreal and added their cap badge and a new base.

• Since then, the base has been expanded once more to allow room for more name plates.

1st Highlanders Challenge4 August 2007

• To add some drama and flare to the event, the competition began with a small skit....a bit of a pantomime, put on by the two CO’s.

• Once the heavy events cleared the field, a small cocktail table and chairs were placed in front of the Grand Stand on the competition field…tended by a waiter. Following the introduction to the event by the Master of Ceremonies, the two unit commanding officers made their entrance...first the CO of the Glens (LCol Roy Clark) and then the CO of the Camerons (LCol Bud Walsh).

• Drinks were served and a toast offered. A toast to The Queen!

1st Highlanders Challenge

Following the toast, the CO of the Camerons signalled to his piper to "play some tunes of glory.” As the piper was half way through a tune, the CO of the SD&G had his piper start up a tune as well....thus interrupting the first piper..."HOW RUDE!!!”

1st Highlanders Challenge

The rude behaviour almost came to blows, had it not been for the Tug-o-War teams!

1st Highlanders Challenge

• The two Tug-o-War teams arrived just in time to settle the dispute in a more gentlemanly manner!

1st Highlanders Challenge• The teams quickly

took to the ropes and began the battle.

1st Highlanders Challenge

• Following a Best-of-Three competition, the Camerons proved victorious.

1st Highlanders Challenge

• General Rick Hillier, Chief of the Defence Staff, presented the Cup!

1st Highlanders Challenge

• 4 August 2007 – The Camerons proved victorious.

Recent Results – 2 August 2008

With the Black Watch joining the competition, the Camerons were defeated but the SD&G Highlanders stood their ground and took the cup for the 1st time on 2 August 2008.

Commanding Officer of the Glens, LCol Roy Clark, celebrates the Win!

Recent Results – 1 August 2009

The SD&G Highlanders successfully defended their title to again take home the cup on 1 August 2009

Capt Mike Smith receives cup from Julian Fantino (then Chief of OPP)

Recent Results – 31 July 2010

The Camerons took the cup for the 2nd time on 31 July 2010

LCol Boyd Aitken receives cup from Sheila Fraser , Auditor General of Canada.

Recent Results – 30 July 2011

The Black Watch Captured the cup on 30 July 2011

LCol Bruno Plourde receives cup from Mr. Donaldson MacLeod, President of the Games.

Recent Results – 4 August 2012

The Camerons again re-captured the cup on 4 August 2012.

Recent Results - 3 August 2013

On 3 August 2013, the Camerons held firm in the face of added competition from The E&K Scots and The Lake Superior Scottish.

MCpl Craig McCormick receives cup from Pierre Lemieux, MP for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell.

Recent Results - 2 August 2014

On 2 August 2014, the Camerons made it Three in a Row.

MCpl Ellis Waugh receives cup from Ross Lincoln, President and CEO Grenville Mutual Insurance.

The Standing Invitation• All Militia units in Canada are invited to send a team for this annual headline

event at The Glengarry Highland Games.

• Since its inaugural event in 2007, where a standing grudge-match between The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa and The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, played out to a packed house of some 10,000 spectators and fans, the event has become an annual crowd pleaser with teams from The Black Watch, The Essex and Kent Scottish and The Lake Superior Scottish competing for the cup in an ever growing field of tug-o-war struggle.

• All that is needed is a team of 10 (8 pullers plus 2 spares) and a coach. Entry is FREE plus there is FREE camping on site for the Military Teams. Tons of amenities as well...after all, it's the biggest Highland Games in the country!

• The Prize: The Highlanders Tug-o-War Challenge Cup plus a prize purse donation to the Charity of your choice!

• Only one catch: this is a Highland Games Sporting Event, as such, dress will be Kilt with unit T-shirt and combat boots for the competitors.

Contact

To enter a team, contact the highlanderstugowar@gmail.com

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