The caber was tossed, pipes were played and haggis thrown as clans revelled in Highland tradition.

The Turakina Highland Games celebrated all things Scottish under a typically New Zealand summer sun at the Turakina Domain on Saturday.

Doug Harvey from Waipukurau was busy getting among the field events.

"It's not a throw, its a flick," he said, explaining the technique he used to win the tossing the caber contest.

"You've just got to go with the weight, lift it up as high as you can, it's the weight at the top of the pole [that does it]."

It was not the first time Mr Harvey had taken out the caber competition at Turakina but he played down his feat, saying it was just a bit of fun.

The day was also a chance for people to connect with their Scottish lineage.

Manning the Clan MacMillan tent was Jim McMillan, the clan's president.

"I met some people who are MacMillans, who I didn't know about," he said.

"All the clans have clan pride."

He said he became interested in his clan after his wife researched his family history. He had been attending various Highland games since.

Along with a healthy turnout of locals were a smattering of travellers. Reid Maxwell flew in from Canada to judge the pipe bands while the crowd was treated to some Highland dancing by Morgan Bamford, a junior world championship winner from New Plymouth.

Organiser Debbie Benton was not sure how many people packed into the Turakina Domain for the country's longest running Highland games, but said they had taken more money than ever from food and ticket sales.

It was the 149th running of the event, with preparations already under way to mark next year's milestone.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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