All Highland Games had their own programme cover which seldom changed – other than date and price. This the Dunblane one.
By 1961 the Gathering had become a staple on the summer season circuit. The meetings all had their fixed dates – eg. last two weeks in August were Bute and then Cowal, the first two weeks in September were Shotts and Ben Nevis on the same weekend and then Dunblane. The attraction apart from the athletics was to some extent the beautiful scenery; for Bute there was the trip down the Clyde, for Cowal the sail across the Clyde and the beautiful west coast scenery, for Dunblane the arena itself was an attraction, the town with its cathedral and the walks along the river. The Dunblane track was shorter than the others, grass too where the others were cinder and the location of the venue was easy to access from anywhere in the central belt. The top class athletes who came year after year also persuaded others to follow. Dunblane was a favourite venue.
In the Herald of 10th September, 1962, the plaudits all went to Bellahouston youngster Conrad LaPointe in the sprints. The report read: “The Scottish junior sprint champion, won the open 100 yards handicap from the short mark of 2 1/2 yards on Saturday at the Dunblane Highland Games. He also assisted his club to win the medley relay. JH Linaker (Pitreavie), the Scottish steeplechase champion, won the 14 mile road race in 1:18:00 and JP McLatchie (Ayr Seaforth, conceding up to 58 yards, won the open half-mile handicap from the short mark of 6 yards. Miss J Lowe (Pitreavie) repeated hervictory of last year in the open 100 yards handicap, winning from 3 1/2 yards.
Results: 100 yards: C LaPointe, Bellahouston, in 10.2 off 2 1/2 yards; 220 yards: G Peters, Victoria Park, in 23.8 from 10 yards; 880 yards: J McLatchie, Ayr Seaforth, in 1:59.2 off 6 yards; Mile: IR Young, Springburn, in 4:19.8 off 125 yards; Road Race: JH Linaker, Pitreavie, in 1:18:00; High Jump: G Reid, Grangemouth YM, 6′ 5 1/2″ with an allowance of 8 “; Mile Medley Relay: Bellahouston (J Currie, D Young, C La Pointe, D Greig) in 3:44.2; Youths 100 yards: HJ Carmichael, unatt., in 10.7 off 4 1/2 yards; Junior 880 yards: W McGubbin, Paisley, in 2:03.6 off 22; Boys relay: Doune Primary School; Ladies 100 yards: J Lowe Pitreavie AC, in 11.3 from 3 1/2 yards; Women’s 220 yards: A McManus, Babcock and Wilcox, in 27.3 off 16; Women’s 4 x 110 relay: Western AC (A Jamieson, G Buchanan, A McDonald, A Wilson) in 52.7 seconds.
John Linaker leading Lachie Stewart in the SAAA Championship
In 1963, the meeting had an unexpected rival – the first Glasgow Championships were held at Scotstoun and attracted many of the big names, some of whom had competed at Dunblane – like Hugh Barrow, Duncan Middleton, John Linaker, Andy Brown, Alan Houston, Conrad LaPointe and others. But not all roads led to Glasgow and there were many top class athletes at Dunblane in 14th September. First the exceptionally brief report: “R Marshall (St Mdan’s AC) and Mel Edwards (Aberdeen AAC) won the 100 yards and the Mile respectively from virtual scratch marks at Dunblane Highland Games at Laighhills Park on Saturday. C McAlinden (Babcock and Wilcox) did well to beat N Ross (Edinburgh Southern Harriers) in the 14 miles road race. Winners:
100 yards: R Marshall, St Modan’s, in 10.1 sec off 1 1/2 yards; 220 yards: N Donachie , Edinburgh AC, in 23 sec off 15 yards; 880 yards: JL Stewart, Vale of Leven, 1:57..1 off 36 yards; Mile: M Edwards, Aberdeen AAC, in 4:20.8 off 30 yards; Road Race: C McAlinden, Babcock & Wilcox, in 1:20:38, N Ross 2nd and D Simpson (Motherwell) 3rd. Medley Relay: 1. Edinburgh AC, 2. Larbert YC. Winning time: 3:44.7; High Jump: D McGhee, Clydesdale, 6′ 3 1/2″ with an allowance of 6″. Youths 100 yards: P Devitt, Blackburn AC, in 10.8 sec off 3 1/2 yards; Junior 880: H Robertson, Hamilton, in 2:00.5 off 50 yards; Women’s 100 yards: M Cameron, Hoover AC , in 11.6 sec off 6 yards; Women’s 220 yards: M Cameron in 27.1 off 13 yards; women’s 4 x 110 relay: 1. Broxburn AC, 2. Clydesdale H. Winning time 53.5 seconds.
If we look at the names there we see that Ronnie Marshall was third in the SAAA 100 yards in 1963, Neil Donnachie was a medallist in the 880 yards in the late 1950’s, Lachie Stewart is a legend, Mel Edwards was one of the best all round distance athletes the country ever had with a wonderful career over the country, on the track, on the roads and among the hills with many Scottish championships to his name, Charlie McAlinden was SAAA Marathon Champion in 1966 after being third in 1964 and 1965, Davie Simpson was a cross-country internationalist, and Norman Ross was second in the SAAA 6 miles in 1962 and ranked number 4 in the marathon in 1963. And these are only the winners, there were many others who were ‘handicapped out of it’ in the Heats.
Mel Edwards
Donald Macgregor was the newest star to visit Dunblane when he won the road race there in 1964 and in the process breaking Linaker’s record for the course. Others to shine were Ian McCafferty (Motherwell), Tom Brown (St Modan’s) and Maureen McLeish (Perth Strathtay). The last named was a very good athlete indeed who has been almost forgotten about.
*A semi-finalist in the 1970 Commonwealth Games,
*SWAAA champion over 100 yards, 200 yards – she won gold, silver and bronze in these championships –
* and topped the rankings for both 100 yards and 100 metres in 1966.
*In September, 1964 she was in the top ten for both 100 and 220 yards and on the way up. She really should be better known.
The Glasgow Herald report for the Dunblane Gathering reads: “DF Macgregor (Edinburgh Southern Harriers) was the winner of the road race at Dunblane Highland Games on Saturday in a record rime of 1:17 , one minute faster than the previous record held by JH Linaker (Pitreavie). Macgregor, having finished twelfth in the British six miles championship and second in the Scottish championship over that distance, thus ended his most successful season on the track. I McCafferty (Motherwell YMCA), off 20 yards in the one mile, overhauled the rest of the field and won in 4 min 17.3 sec, ahead of Tom Brown (St Modan’s). Brown however won the 880 yards (handicap 16 yards) in 1;55, a good time on the 352 yards track at Laighhills Park. Miss M McLeish (Perth Strathtay) won the women’s 220 yards off 1 yard in 26.7, and did well to take second place in the 100 running from scratch.”
Results:
100 yards: 1. G Rodger, Clydesdale, in 9.8 sec off 6 yards, 2. R Marshall, Jordanhill TC 1/2, 3. A Robb, Forth Valley
220 yards: 1. HR Stewart, Forth Valley, in 22.7 off 12, 2. HJ Carmichael, Bellahouston, 11y, 3. JG Smith Pitreavie, 8y
880 yards: 1. T Brown, St Modan’s, in 1:55 off 16y, 2. RR Campbell, Forth Valley, off 20y, 3. JM Brown, Dumbarton off 20y
Mile: 1. I McCafferty, Motherwell, 4:17.3 off 30y, 2. T Brown off 35y, 3. T Callaghan, Monkland, off 90y
Mile Medley Relay: 1. Glasgow University in 3:37.9, 2. Dumbarton AAC, 3. Aberdeen AAC
Road Race: 1. D Macgregor, ESH, in 1:17, 2. M Edwards, Aberdeen AAC, Handicap: 1. AT Barrie, 2. D McLean (both Dundee Hawkhill)
High Jump: 1. A Santini, Edinburgh University, 6′ 4 1/2 ” with a 9 1/2″ allowance, 2. D McGhee, Clydesdale.
Youthe 100 yards: 1. J Docherty, Blackburn in 10.1 off 8y, 2. F McPartlin, Pitreavie, off 7 1/2y, 3. P Devitt, Blackburn, off 1 1/2y
Junior 880 yards: 1. FJ Steele, Edinburgh AC, in 1:55.9 off 40, 1. MN Prentice, St Modan’s, off 10y, 3. G Skinner, Shettleston, off 36y
Women’s 100 yards: 1. JC Caldwell, Blackburn, in 11.1 off 6y; 2. M McLeish, Perth Strathtay, off scratch, 3. M Campbell, Forth Valley off 7y
Women’s 220 yards: 1. M McLeish, in 26.7 seconds off 1 yard, 2. M Campbell off 15, 3. A Taylor, Forth Valley, off 12
Women’s 4 x 110 relay: 1. Broxburn in 53.3 seconds, 2. Bellahouston.
Fairly comprehensive results then and the ‘returners’ included the formidable Mel Edwards who was a genuine force to be reckoned with on the roads or over the country at this point in his career. There were two future Olympians (McCafferty and Macgregor), several Commonwealth Games athletes and Scottish internationalists. The quality remained.
Donald Macgregor (K1) running in the Glasgow Marathon
From the Glasgow Herald of 13 September, 1965:-
J.L. STEWART EARNS NEW REPUTATION
14-mile success at Dunblane
J.L. Stewart (Vale of Leven) has in the last two weeks given himself a completely new reputation as an athlete in Scotland. Well known for his three miling and steeplechasing, he has changed, at the age of 22, to the rigours of 14 mile races with absolute success. Running in the 14 1/2 mile road race at Dunblane Highland Gathering on Saturday, he won in 1:14:50, an average speed of 11 1/2 miles per hour. His time was 2 min 10 sec inside the previous record. Second and unexpectedly so, was AH Brown of Motherwell, no longer the fiery runner of a few years ago – this is his seventeenth season – but still good enough to be within calling distance of Stewart at the finish, only 100 yards behind. Those two had been leading until Brown was dropped with two miles to go. DF Macgregor, last year’s winner, unfortunately had to drop out because of sickness after six miles. Asked whether he would concentrate on the marathon next year, Stewart was reluctant to forecast. A winter of cross-country, at which he is already an expert, may help him to decide.
The forfeit for being a good runner is to be handicapped severely at this kind of meeting, and I McCafferty, the national two mile record holder, found the task too great in the mile. On a track with tight bends and a marshy surface, he threaded his way through all but five athletes, and expired in the last 100 yards, knowing he had no chance of overhauling R McKay, a clubmate and the eventual winner.
GD Grant (Dumbarton), the Scottish 880 yards champion, was also in the mire in his Heat over that distance, although he had admitted after the race he had been using it only as a warm-up for the mile medley which, sure enough, his club won well from a Middlesborough team. The only back markers to win were DM Edmunds in the shot putt with 48′ 09″ from scratch, and R Marshall, timed at 10 sec off half a yard from scratch in the 100 yards.”
Winners:-
100 yards: R Marshall, Jordanhill College, in 10 sec from half a yard; 220 yards: J Brodie, Edinburgh AC, in 23.3 off 16; 880 yards: W Evans, Airdrie, 1:58.2 off 34 yards; Mile: R McKay, Motherwell, in 4:19 off 25 yards; Road Race: 1. JL Stewart in 1:14:50 from AH Brown; Mile Medley Relay: Dumbarton AAC (GD Grant, RR Mills, JM Brown, C Martin) in 3:45.5; High Jump: J Jones Octavians AC; shot putt: DM Edmunds, Strathclyde University, with 48’9″ from scratch; Scots hammer: I McPherson, Atalanta Club, with 12′ 11″ with an allowance of 2″ 4″; Caber: AR Valentine, HMS Condor; Youths 100 yards: R Drummond, Forth Valley, in 10.9 off 4 yards; Junior 880 yards: E Knox, Springburn, in 2:02 off 10 yards; Women’s 100 yards: J Clarkson, Maryhill Ladies, in 11.5 off 5 yards; Women’s 220 yards: EC Stewart, Motherwell YMCA, in 26.9 off 15 yards; Women’s 4 x 110 yards: Bellahouston) M Gauldie, M McGregor, P Prentice and H McCallum) in 55.1 seconds.
Another good meeting to close the season with 10 internationalists among the winners and others such as McCafferty among the also-rans.
G Grant (left) with other members of the GB world record breaking 4 x 880 yards team.
The 1966 version of the Gathering featured GB internationalists among the middle and long distance runners, the jumpers and the heavy events. The already high reputation of the meeting was becoming even higher. The number of ‘returning athletes’ also spoke volumes about the nature of the competition. The report this time read:-
GALLOWAY WINS SPRINTS AT DUNBLANE GAMES
“Despite inclement conditions, performances were good at Dunbland Highland Games at Laighhills Park on Saturday. FJ Galloway (Babcock and Wilcox AC) returned excellent times in winning the 100 in 10.1 sec and 220 yards in 23.3 sec – remarkable performances considering the muddy conditions underfoot. JL Stewart (Vale of Leven) was well outside the record time he set up last year in winning the 14 1.2 miles road race in 1:17:23, almost 2 min 30 sec slower than his previous best. LM Bryce (Edinburgh University) was the most successful competitor in the heavy events with a win in the 16lb hammer, and runner-up in the shot and caber. Bellahouston Harriers followed up their Scottish mile medley relay title victory at Shotts last week with a win in the event in 2:52.5 sec.
Winners:
100 yards: 1. FJ Galloway. Babcock & Wilcox, in 10.1 off 5; 2. J Williams, Bellahouston, off 2 yards’
200 yards: 1. FJ Galloway, in 23.3 off 11y; 2. A McManus, Babcock & Wilcox, off 21
880 Yards: 1. WH Cameron, Perth Strathtay, in 1:59.5 off 52; 2. A Weatherhead, Octavians,off 10
Mile: 1. J Brennan, Maryhill, in 4:25.2 off 45, 2. JR Johnston, Monkland, off 5
Road Race: 1. JL Stewart, Vale of Leven, in 1:17:23, 2. PW Maclagan off 7:42
Medley Relay: 1. Bellahouston (J Carmichael, M McLean, W Robertson, J Williams) in 2:52.5, 2. Edinburgh AC, 3. Dumbarton AAC
High Jump: 1. CW Fairbrother, Victoria Park, 6’1″ off scratch; 2. JA Black, Cowal AC, off 7″
Throwing the 16lb hammer: 1. LM Bryce, Edinburgh University, 48′ 6″ off 8′ 6″, 2. DM Edmunds, Strathclyde U, off 2′
Putting the 16lb ball: 1. J McPherson, Atalanta,with 118′ 6″ off 3′ 6″, 2. LM Bryce off 3′ 6″
Tossing the Caber: 1. TC Robb, Falkirk Victoria, 2. LM Bryce, 3. DM Edmunds.
Tug of War: Denny AC two pulls; 2. Glasgow Police 0
Youths 100 yards: E Ross, Forth Valley, in 10.5 off 6 1/2″, 2. W Dickson, Airdrie, off 4 1/2 yards
Junior 880 yards: 1. W Devine, Cambuslang, in 2:4.4 off 26y, 2. JR Wood, Bellahouston, off 48 yards
Women’s 100 yards: 1. LA Barr, Motherwell YWCA, in 11.7 sec off 6, 2. EC Stewart, Motherwell, off 6 1/2Y
Women’s 220 yards: 1. R Elliott, Fauldhouse Victoria, in 26.8 off 7 yards, 2. LA Barr off 14
Women’s 4 x 110 relay: 1. Motherwell YWCA in 54,8 sec, 2. Western LAC
Primary Schools 4 x 110 relay: 1. Bridge of Allan in 68.7 sec , 2. Dunblane PS
The results above are indeed as printed but I suspect that the results of the 16 lb ball and the 16lb hammer have been switched!
*
In 1967 the tradition of top class sprinters was added to when Les Piggott of Garscube Harriers won the 100 yards from scratch. There had been many top ranked sprinters such as St Modan’ George McLachlan, Ronnie Whitelock and Mike Hildrey of Victoria Park contesting the sprints and Piggott brought that right bang up to date. That tradition, wedded to the series of quality VPAAC sprinters was was also kept alive by the running of AJ Wood, and the club’s win in the medley relay. Shettleston’s Norman Morrison made his first appearance at the meeting too, winning the handicap mile. The very brief report read:
PIGGOTT CONTINUES HIS RUN OF VICTORIES
“L Piggott (Garscube Harriers) continued his run of victories from scratch on Saturday at Dunblane Highland Games when he won the 100 yards in 10 seconds. AJ Wood (Victoria Park) also maintained his recent good form winning the 220 yards from an allowance of one and a half yards. I McPherson (Shettleston Harriers) set a meeting record of 120′ with the hammer.”
Winners: 100 yards: L Piggott, Garscube, (scr) 10.0 sec; 220 yards: AJ Wood, Victoria Park, (1 1/2) 23.1 sec; 880 yards: DW Hursh, US Navy, 50y, 1:57.5 Mile: NS Morrison, Shettleston, (30) 4:23.9; Road Race: 1. AP Brown, Motherwell) in 1:17:27, 2. D Macgregor, Edinburgh Southern, 3. AH Brown, Hnndicap, JF Reilly, Victoria Park; Three quarter mile Medley Relay: Victoria Park AAC in 2:51.2 , Youths 100 yards: E Miller, Hamilton, in 10.6 sec off 8 yards; Junior 880 yards: P Devlin, Greenock Glenpark, in 1:59.6 off off 42 yards; High Jump: R Souter, Glasgow University, (3″) 6’3″; Shot Putt: JE Lilley, Bellahouston, 50′ 7″ off 6″; Hammer (Scots style): I McPherson, Shettleston, 120′; Caber: LM Bryce, Strathclyde University; Tug of War: Denny AC.
Women’s 100 yards: R Elliott, Fauldhouse, in 11.5 off 1 1/2″; Women’s 220 yards: FG McNab, Western LAC, in 26,6 off 11 yards. Women’s 4 x 110 relay: Western LAC.
Not a long report, and the results were equally skimpy – eg only winners were listed and in the women’s relay, no time given. Piggott, Morrison, the three in the road race, the Victoria Park relay team and the ‘heavies’ were all of a high standard.
Lachie Stewart, Dunblane Road Race victor in 1965, 1966 , 1968 and 1969
Glasgow Herald, 16th September, 1968
COMFORTABLE VICTORY FOR STEWART
You go to Dunblane Highland Gathering looking for a colourful spectacle, a big crowd and not much in the way of inspired athletics; that was precisely the picture on Saturday at Laighhills Park, writes Ron Marshall. The winner who could claim to have had the most strenuous afternoon was Lachie Stewart, king of the roads this season, who went away with another £4 prize after what seemed like a comfortable win in the 14-mile race. Grant, of Dundee, fell into the trap of trying to match strides with Stewart during the early stages and encountered the kind of acceleration that Stewart usually reserves for the finish. Thereafter Grant dropped back behind Pat Maclagan and Donald Macgregor and those four finished in that order. Maclagan was about 30 yards behind at the tape but said later he was sure Stewart was only loafing the latter part of the route. Miss Moira Walls, with no high jump bar in sight, took to the sprints as the only outlet for her many talents and strode off with both prizes winning the 100 yards in 11.2 and the 220 in 26.4, both from middle-of-the-field handicaps. The men’s sprints were undistinguished but Youths winner, D Strathdee was good enough to record 10 seconds off two and a half yards, or about four seconds faster than the senior winner. Douglas Edmunds, currently reported to be tipping the scales at more than 19 stone, gave one of the best shot putt performances of the year, reaching 51′ 1 1/2″ , but in his other speciality, the caber, was marginally beaten by George McHugh.”
Winners:
100 yards: A Smart, Ballingry, in 10 sec off 10 1/2 yards; 220 yards: JM Christie, Ballingry, in 23.2 off 20 yards; 880 yards: RR Campbell, Forth Valley, in 1:56.3 off 14 yards; Mile: I Young, Springburn, in 4:16.4 off 80 yards; Road Race: JL Stewart, in 1:15:48; Mile Medley Relay: Bellahouston 2:55.0; High Jump: F McEvilly, Victoria Park, with 6′ 6″ with 9″ allowance; shot putt: DM Edmunds, Strathclyde University, 51′ 1 1/2″ off scratch; Scots Hammer Throw: LM Bryce, Strathclyde University, with 121′ 9″ (I McPherson had a throw of 120′ 6″, a ground record, from scratch); Caber: G McHugh (Bellahouston); Youths 100 yards: D Strathdee, Stirling AAC, in 10 sec off 2 1/2 yards; Junior 880 yards: D McEwan, Perth Strathtay, in 1:58 off 40 yards; Women’s 100 yards: M Walls, Western LAC, in 11.2 off five and a half yards; Women’s 220 yards: M Walls, in 26.4 off 11 yards.
There was no women’s relay result published in 1968.
Victoria Park relay team – Andy Wood on the left, Hugh Barrow on the right.
In 1969 the sprinters were in good form in both men’s and women’s events. Note that Georgena Craig of Western was running in the 4 x 110 team and it is a bit of a mystery why the Gathering had never had a middle distance race for the women – the men’s 880 had had several heats every year and there was also a Junior Men’s 880 so it would have been no problem to have a women’s 880 at the same time. Note that the meeting continued to evolve with new events – the heavies were a comparatively recent addition and 1969 was the first year that there was a Three Miles event.
WOOD DOMINATES DUNBLANE SPRINTS
AJ Wood (Victoria Park) was again the star sprinter on Saturday at the Dunblane Highland Games. After returning a winning time of 9.9 seconds off a one yard handicap in the 100 yards, he went on to take second place in the 220 yards event, despite starting three yards behind scratch. First place went to 24 yard handicap runner AJ McManus (Babcock & Wilcox). Lachie Stewart (Shettleston Harriers) had a 30 yard lead over Fergus Murray (Edinburgh SH) after 9 miles of the 14 mile road race and stretched the margin to 300 yards by the finish. His time of 1:15:27 was one minute outside the record he set four years ago. Laurie Bryce (Strathclyde University) with victories in the caber and 28lb weight collected the Brown Trophy for heavy events. George McHugh (Bellahouston) won the shot putt with a ground record of 53′ 3″.
Results: 100 yards: AJ Wood, Victoria Park, in 9.9 sec off 1 yard; 220 yards: AJ McManus, Babcock & Wilcox, in 23 sec off 24 yards; 880 yards: A McLelland, Springburn Harriers, in 1:55.3 off 34 yards; Mile: DF Gemmell, Clydesdale, in 4:23.4 off 105; 3 Miles: D Gunstone, Dundee Hawkhill, in 14:10.4 off 250 yards; Road Race: 1. JL Stewart, Shettleston, in 1:15:27; 2. AF Murray in 1:16:20, 3. AA Johnstone, Victoria Park, in 1:17:20; Medley Relay (1750 yards): Victoria Park (WH Barrow, G Cameron, L Harris, AJ Wood) in 3:09.1; Youths 100 yards: J Tatton, Shettleston in 10.3 off 2 1/2 yards; Junior 880 yards: AJ Reid, Perth Strathtay, in 1:58.1 off 38 yards; Shot Putt: GB McHugh, Bellahouston, with 53′ 3″; 28lb weight: LM Bryce, Strathclyde University, 67′ 7″; Hammer (Scots); I McPherson, Shettleston, 118′ 3″; Caber: LM Bryce; Tug of War: Denny AC beat Glasgow Police two pulls to nil; Schoolboys 1 lap relay: Bridge of Allan, 2:01.1; Women’s 100 yards: C Miller, Forth Valley, in 10.8 sec off 8 yards; Women’s 220 yards: MW Barclay, Tayside AAC, in 25.9 sec off 8 yards; Women’s 4 x 110 yards relay: 1. Select Team of C Miller (FVAC), N Frame (Law), E Stewart (Western LAC) and M Barclay (Tayside AC) in 54.1, 2. Western LAC with J Jamieson, C Wilkie, J Cooper and G Craig
Pat Maclagan, Victoria Park
In 1970 the wonderfully successful Commonwealth Games had just ended and the European Junior Championships were taking place and the sport was on a real high. The Gathering had another successful year although some of the very top runners were missing, resting after the excitement and strenuous efforts first of qualifying for the Games and second of competing there and trying to raise their own game for the higher level of competition. The report on Dunblane was necessarily brief.
Glasgow Herald, 14th September, 1970
McLEAN MAKES IT EASY FOR THE REST
The performance of Mike McLean in the inter-club relay on Saturday at Dunblane Highland Games gave his Bellahouston Harriers colleagues such a tremendous advantage that they easily held on to their lead and finished comfortable winners from Garscube Harriers. Pat Maclagan (Victoria Park) led all the way in the 14 1/2 mile road race and won by 1 min 11 sec from Andrew Faulds (Clydesdale Harriers) in 1 hour 17 minutes 58 seconds.”
Winners:- 100 yards: E Kerr, Forth Valley, in 9.8 sec off 7 1/2 yards; 220 yards: H Smart, unattached, 23.6 off 15 yards; 880 yards: DM Kennedy, Aberdeen AAC, in 2:03.7 off 35 yards; Mile: T Wiseman, Garscube, in 4:24 off 125 yards; Three Miles: J Brown, Monkland, in 14:32 off 100 yards; Road Race: 1. P Maclagan, 1:17:58, 2. A Faulds 1:19:01, 3. IC Donald, Clydesdale, 1:20:50; Medley Relay: Bellahouston (M McLean, J Carmichael, C Pennycook, F Clement) in 2 min 59 sec; Youths 100 yards: R Hislop, Law, in 11 sec off 6 1/2 yards; Junior 880 yards: F Evans, Stirling AC, in 2:03.1 off 46 yards; Shot putt: G Davidson, Edinburgh University, with 50′ 2″ off 8′ 3″; Hammer: AR Valentine, Elgin, with 113′ 6″; Caber: J Ferguson, Monkland; Tug-of-war: Denny AC beat Glasgow Police by two tugs to nil; Women’s 100 yards: I Jeffrey, Grangemouth Olympiads, in 11.8 sec off 7 1/2 yards; Women’s 220 yards: G Craig, Western AC, in 27.3 sec off 10 yards; Women’s 4 x 110 relay: Grangemouth Olympiads (I Jeffrey, C Morrison, C Miller and J Allan) in 54.3 seconds.
Mike McLean (12) chasing GD Grant (Dumbarton – a frequent visitor to Dunblane) in the SAAA Championship
The decade had come to an end with the successful Dunblane Gathering (where expectations were a good bit higher than suggested by Ron Marshall in 1968, having grown over the period. There were previously no heavy events but these were an established part of the programme by 1970, the endurance events were added to with the three miles event having been introduced in 1969. If there were still a high jump, then it was not mentioned in reports for 1969 or 1970. The talents which spectators were treated included Ronnie Whitelock, Mike Hildrey, Andy Wood (all VPAAC), Les Piggott (Garscube) and George McLachlan from St Modan’s in the sprints; Ian McCafferty, Andy Brown, Bert McKay (Motherwell), Graeme Grant, Hugh Barrow, Adrian Weatherhead and Mike McLean in the middle distances; Lachie Stewart, Fergus Murray, Pat Maclagan, Don Macgregor, and Alistair Johnstone in the longer distances; Doug Edmunds, Laurie Bryce, Ian McPherson, Dave Valentine in the throws and Crawford Fairbrother in the High Jump while Moira Walls, Ann Wilson, Georgena Buchanan , Alex Jamieson and Jinty Jamieson (all Western LAC), Maureen McLeish (Perth Strathtay) ans several very good relay teams in the women’s events. Where would the Gathering go from here?
Dunblane Highland Gathering: 1951 – 1959 .