The Bressuire Highland Games by Francis Brebner

In what can only be described as one of the best locations for a Highland Games to be contested anywhere, the Bressuire Games which are held in the grounds of a walled 1,000 year old castle which is surrounded by a moat, with the most nicest of scenery and views that over look the picturesque town of Bressuire are just breath taking, the atmosphere created at these games are like none other and are most captivating which gives you a magical and yet hunting like feeling of being transported back in time of bygone days.

The Bressuire Highland Games have come along way in just over 20 years since one of its first earliest Highland games exhibition of the traditional heavy events that took place in 1996 then in 2001 which drew a crowd of just over 2,000 spectators. This then led to a full blown Highland Games later being hosting in 2003 with the IHGF European Championships, which was a tremendous sucsses under the leadership of Jean Louis Coppet and the magnificent Bressuire Highland games committee and the fantastic MC Alain Cadu.

Today these games have more than 180 plus strong volunteers that set up run the event along with Frank & Martenz Pouhet ADs of the games and Sebastian Pizon who shares a great passion for Highland games who now taken a position of Administration roll in the Bressuire games , and to all the members of the Town Hall of Bressuire who have all helped support and grow these games to an Attendance of 13,000 plus spectatiors over its two days of festivites that include all the traditional events from Heavy Events , Pipe bands, Highland Dancing and folk music etc.

Rememberin Ryan Vierra

Over the many years and all of the traveling and competing On the Friday evening before the games the IHGF will present a commissioned painting done by Renown Artist Andrew Hobson himself a former professional athlete and a Master World Highland games Champion,.

This painting is being presented to the town of Bressuire in memory of the late Ryan Vierra who was one of the Worlds greatest athletes ever to compete in the sport of Highland games, Ryan competed at the Bressuire Games over the years and later as the IHGF head Judge after his retirement from competing in the sport .

Bressuire and Wipu, the two best games

Together internationally there were two games that left a huge impact & impression upon both Ryan and Myself , and over the years of traveling we would often reflect and talk about this and we both in agreement that Bressuire Highland games France and Wipu New Zealand was our pick of top two best games on the International circuit , the people and both these games are truly a memorable life experience to encounter.

Highland Games and the Olympics

France and and the town of Bressuire in particular, take pride in honoring the relationship between the Scottish Games and the Olympics . The modern Olympic Games were inspired by Baron Pierre de Coubertin , who after watching the Heavy events being contested at the 1889 Paris Universal Expo.

And from this Three heavy events from Highland games were included as part of the Olympic roaster of events that comprised of shot Putt being the first event being introduced at the 1896 Olympics in Athens Greece, hammer throwing was the second event at the 1900 French Olympics , and throwing the 56lb weight for distance being added at the 1904 Olympics in St Louis Missouri.

Jacques Accambray, the Chieftain

This years invited Chieftain of the 2022 Bressuire Highland games ,is one of Frances renown sportsman Jacques Accambray, who competed in two Olympic Games in hammer, placing 9th in the finals in 1976. 5 times France's champion, Junior world holder in 1969.4 times national record holder at the hammer .

Making his debut In the mens Open class in Bressuire will be 30 year old Frédéric Dagée, France's shot putt champion, who dominated this event in his country from 2017 to 2021. He broke the French shot putt record in 2021, with a World Class putt of 20.75 m.

 

40 athletes

With the stage is set for this year’s Bressuire ,French Open International Highland games set on the 11-12th June , a total of 40 participating athletes from countries that include USA, Germany, Scotland, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Czech Republic, Holland and France. Also being contested will be the IHGF World Open Stone Putting Championships & IHGF World Open hammer Throwing championships titles.

Mens Open class

Peter Karst Bouma - Holland
Jamie Gunn - Scotland
Sean Burns - USA
Colin Dunbar - USA
Eddie Brown- USA (photo)
Stephan Dumitrica - Roumania
Fred Dagée - France
Fabien Patheney - France
Martin Tim Kuhne - Germany
David Meanicuk-Czech Republic
Patrick Van Atwerpen -Holland
Simeon Burgger- Switzerland
Vladislav Tulacek -Czech Republic
Glenn Nyes -Belgium

 

Woman’s Open class

Teressa Nystrom - USA
Christina Burns -USA (photo)
Amy Bush Cushman -USA
Stephanie Frey - Germany
Amandine Regnies -France
Inga Schwerke - Germany
Gillian Kara -France
Sabine Kentenica -Germany
Mollie Hoss Kuhne -Germany
Raffaela Bucher- Germany

French Mens under 200lb Class

Benjamin Cassader
Stephen Doux
Cedric Picard
Sebastian Pizon

French Mens B Class

Maxime Billaud
Cyrill Boucher
Bastien Caiveau
Sebastian Lohste
Maxime Regniez
Lucas Terrier
Benoit Rappold

French Masters Class

Phillppie Desbois
Mickael Vergnault
Phillppie Mignet
Nicolass Menard
Belka Smahi