SPECIFIC RULES FOR HIGHLAND HEAVY THROWING EVENTS

                        USE OF IMPLEMENTS

                        It shall be the responsibility of the Organizers to provide sufficient implements for the conduct of all events. Any implement, equipment, device, throwing chair, frame, handle or fork, used or brought by any athlete on the field may be used by any other athlete competing, as long as it is approved, deemed legal and safe by the Judge.

THROWING IMPLEMENT SPECIFICATIONS AND COMPETITION RULES FOR EVENTS

                        OPEN STONE (OS)

                            Construction

                        There is no standard size or weight of the stone.

The stone must be put with one hand and with the stone remaining against the neck throughout the throw until the release. Any throwing style may be used as long as the rules are followed and the style is deemed safe by the judge. The backline will be drawn 7'-6" from the trig.

                           SHOT PUT (Shot)

                            Construction

                            The shot shall be of solid iron, brass, or any metal not softer than brass, or a shell of such metal filled with lead or other material.  It must be spherical in shape and the surface must be smooth.

                                   The shot must be put with one hand and with the shot remaining against the neck throughout the throw until the release. Any throwing style may be used as long as the rules are followed and the style is deemed safe by the judge. The backline will be drawn 7'-6" from the trig.

 BRAEMAR STONE  (BS) 

Construction

There is no standard size or weight of the stone.

The same rules apply in the Braemar Stone Put as in the Open Stone Put except there is no approach allowed. The stone must be put from a standing position. Reversing the feet after the release is allowed.

                        SCOTTISH ONE HAND WEIGHTS FOR DISTANCE (LWFD & HWFD)

                            Construction

The weight shall be made of metal not softer than brass, or a shell of such metal filled with lead or other material. but can be of various shapes and sizes including spherical, conical (bullet) or box shaped. The handle can either be attached directly to the weight or attached with a length of chain. The handle may also be of various shapes and thickness such as a ring, triangle or a "D" shape. The total weight of each implement will be 7 lb, 14 lb., 28 lb., 42 lbs. and 56 lbs. The implement shall not measure more than 18" in overall length.

The weight will be thrown with one hand only. Any throwing style may be used as long as the rules are followed and the style is deemed safe by the judge. The backline will be drawn 9'-0" from the trig.

SCOTTISH HAMMERS (HH & LH)

    Construction

The hammer head shall be spherical and made of metal not softer than brass, or a shell of such metal filled with lead or other material. and the shaft shall be of wood, bamboo, rattan or plastic (PVC pipe is used for increased durability). Rattan or plastic is recommended over bamboo or wood. The total weight of each hammer will be 8lbs., 10lbs., 12 lbs., 14 lbs., 16 lbs., and 22 lbs. The length of the hammer will be no longer than 50" in overall length.

The Scottish hammer may be thrown with one or both hands, with the feet in a fixed position. There is no approach allowed in the Scottish hammer throw. The competitor may move the feet after the hammer is released. No back line is drawn for the Scottish hammer throw and sidelined are normally not drawn either. All fouls besides the backline foul still apply.

SHEAF TOSSING (ST)

                                Construction

The sheaf will be a woven burlap or plastic bag filled with a suitable material such as straw, mulch, or rope. The total weight of the bag shall be *8 lbs., 12 lbs., 16 lbs., and 20 lbs. * indicates implement not yet commercially available

The sheaf will be thrown over a crossbar for height with a pitchfork. The toss shall be made in any manner desired using a pitchfork with at least two tines.

                          TOSSING THE WEIGHT OVER THE BAR (WOB)

                                Construction

The weight shall be made of metal but can be of various shapes and sizes including spherical, conical (bullet) or box shaped. The handle can either be attached directly to the weight or attached with a length of chain. The handle may also be of various shapes and thickness such as a ring, triangle or a "D" shape. The total weight of each implement will be 14 lb., 28 lb., 42 lbs. and 56 lbs. The implement shall not measure more than 18" in overall length.

The weight will be thrown with one hand only. Any throwing style may be used as long as the rules are followed and the style is deemed safe by the judge.

TURNING THE CABER
There is no standard size or weight of a caber but the caber should be of a length and weight such that at least half the competitors can turn it. The caber is to be made only of wood. The caber shall be placed upright for the competitor, with the heavy end on top. The attempt begins when the competitor lifts the caber from the ground. If the competitor drops the small end of the caber back to the ground after having picked it up, this shall count as one attempt. It is recommended that a back judge and a side judge be used. The judge may set boundaries if he feels the ground in a certain area is not suitable for the caber to be tossed or to provide safety for the spectators. The competitor may take any length of run they wish and may toss the caber from where they choose, as long as it is within the judge's boundaries. The caber must pass through the vertical position (90 degrees from the ground) in order to count as a turned caber. It is up to the side judge to determine if the caber has passed through it. The "clock face method" of judging shall be used. The caber in a perfect toss will pass through the vertical position and land with the small end pointing directly at 12 o'clock away from the competitor in an imaginary straight line extending from the competitor through the initial landing point and in line with the direction of the run. An overhead view is drawn in Figure 2 below to demonstrate a 12 o'clock toss.

Figure 2

A valid throw is when the small end of the caber passes through the vertical position and falls away from the competitor to land within the 180 degree radius between 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock. An overhead view is drawn below in Figure 3 to demonstrate some turned cabers and how to score them.

Figure 3

If the caber lands in a 12 o'clock position pointing away from the competitor but not in a direct line with their run (as when a competitor turns to one side at the last step or two), then the judge must determine the competitor's direction of run and then look through the competitor to the small end of the caber, thus giving a true reading of its relation to the direction of run. The direction of run is determined by the direction in which the competitor runs after having control of the caber. An overhead view is drawn below in Figure 4 to demonstrate a toss such as this.

Figure 4

Once the competitor has started on his run, the judge should pick a point in the horizon to use as a reference point once the toss has been made. The competitor may run in one direction and then stop and change directions as long as they show control over the caber. The caber shall be judged on its landing position, not the position to which it may bounce or roll.

If the caber is not turned by the competitor, then it is the responsibility of the side judge to determine the angle at which the caber was tossed with respect to the 90 degree vertical. The side judge should be perpendicular to the competitor's direction of run in order to make an accurate call. A drawing of a view from the side judge's position is shown below in Figure 5.

Figure 5

Each competitor is allowed three attempts, all of which should be scored and the best of these to be used to determine placing. In the event of a tie then the next best attempt or attempts shall be used to determine placing. The order of placing shall be determined by the nearest to 12 o'clock toss made by a competitor. If the competitor did not turn the caber, then placing shall be determined by the toss closest to the 90 degree vertical.

If after one complete round the caber has not been turned by any competitor and the judge agrees, the caber may be cut. The caber shall be cut from the large end and the amount is to be determined by the judge. This process can be repeated until the caber has been turned. When a qualifying caber is used then any successful turn qualifies the competitor for the next caber.
Ties are broken by comparing the next best attempt for each competitor involved in the tie. The competitor with the next best score places highest. If other ties occur, this process is repeated for all previous attempts.

 General Rules for the Stone Puts, Weight Throws for Distance, and Hammer Throws

A backline will be drawn the appropriate distance from and parallel to the trig.

Sidelines are defined by either drawn or imaginary lines from the edges of the trig to the backline.

Both the backline and sidelines are considered to be in the 'fair' part of the throwing area.

The competitor will complete the throw under control as decided by the judge or the throw will be ruled a foul.

Each competitor will be allowed three throws in the competition, the farthest of which will count for that event.

The competitor may stop during the throw and re-start the throw as long as no foul has occurred.

The competitor may even leave the throwing area before re-starting if allowed by the judge.

Each throw will be measured from a point on the inside-upper edge of the trig closest to where the competitor's plant foot (left foot for a right-handed competitor) landed to the nearest break in the ground made by the implement (not including the handle).

Ties will be broken by comparing the next farthest throw for each competitor involved in the tie.

The competitor with the farthest of these throws will place highest. If other ties occur, then this process will repeat for all attempts taken.

A throw will be a foul if the competitor touches the ground as defined in Figure 1 or any surface of the trig other than the edge facing the throwing area.

One of the competitor's feet must always remain in the throwing area either on the ground or in space directly above the throwing area.

Figure 1

GENERAL RULES FOR HEIGHT EVENTS

Each competitor will be allowed three attempts at each height.

Each competitor may enter the event at any height in the competition.

A competitor may pass any height they choose, but each height attempted must be cleared before attempting the next height. If a competitor has passed a height it is not considered a miss or a make and will not count for or against the competitor.

When a competitor has missed three attempts at one height then he will be eliminated from the competition.

A competitor will not pass individual attempts without also leaving the competition.

All measurements will be made from the ground to the top of the crossbar.

The starting height will be agreed upon by the competitors and the judge with the judge having the final decision.

The bar may be raised by larger increments until most of the competitors are eliminated and then raised by a lesser amount requested by the competitors and agreed to by the judge.

The crossbar may be suspended at both ends or by one end. It may be suspended at both ends by both pulleys and rope attached or rested on pegs attached to the uprights or both. If the implement pulls down the crossbar as it goes over, it is the judge's decision whether the toss will be counted or not. If the crossbar is suspended by resting on pegs ("touch-bar"), then the toss will not be counted if the crossbar is knocked off either peg. The crossbar will remain on the pegs after an attempt until the competitor leaves the throwing area (determined by the judge's discretion).

The crossbar will be 10'-0" in length or shorter.

The center of the implement will go over the bar within the inside of the uprights or the inside of the upright and the end of the bar if only one upright is used.

The implement may touch the crossbar as it goes over.

Ties will be broken by comparing the number of misses at the last height cleared. The competitor with the least amount of misses at that height will place highest. If this number of misses is equal, then the next highest height is then compared and the competitor with the least amount of misses at that height will place highest. If other ties occur, then this process is repeated for each previous height until all places are determined.

 RULES GOVERNING CHAIRS FOR THROWING EVENTS

                            Any part of the chair including the cushion, used as the seat must not exceed 75cms in height.

                        If footrest(s) protrude outside the throwing area, they must not be rotated in or out to permit abnormal placing of one or both feet unless so stated on the Games Classification Card.

                            NOTE:   This does not prevent the uneven placement of the footrests in the vertical (sagittal)

                               plane.

                        It will be the responsibility of the competitor that the chair conforms to all the above rules and no event shall be delayed while a competitor makes adjustments to the chair.

                        Chairs will be measured when the competitor enters the throwing area.  Chairs which have been examined may be liable to re-examination before or after the event by the official in charge of the event.

                        It shall be the responsibility in the first instance, of the official conducting the event to rule on the safety of the chair.

                            It should be noted that the "chair" need not be a wheelchair.

             POSITIONING THE CHAIR

                            Only the footrest(s) or any part of the wheel or push rim not touching the side lines may be outside of the fair part of the Throwing area.  Any part of the chair used for propulsion must remain inside the throwing area.

For all classes a reasonable time will be permitted for an athlete to place the frame in the throwing area before the commencement of their first trial.  This time shall not normally exceed 2 minutes. 

                        THE ORDER OF THE TRIALS

                            The order in which the competitors take their trials shall be drawn by lot.

                            NOTE:   Once called, athletes are allowed to move away from the throwing area in order to continue warm-up.  Should an athlete not answer a call to the throwing area, he may be debarred from any subsequent trials.