The seventh annual Topeka Highland Games, a qualifier for the IHGF All-American Highland Games Championships, featured a real battle between Kyle McKelvey and Skylar Arneson.


2019 Topeka Highland Games: Eighth Leg of Qualifying Series Garners Two More Contenders
by Francis Brebner
President, International Highland Games Federation (IHGF)

At the 2019 Topeka Highland Games, Kansas, over 50 athletes took part in a one-day competition, celebrating its seventh year of Highland Games. Topeka was the ninth leg of the IHGF All-American Championships qualifying series for men and woman.

Men’s competition
The Men’s A group athletes included Tomas Lambotte, Shane Thomas, Eddie Johnson, Skylar Arneson, Will Routh, Jacob Langworthy, Ryan Huddleston, Andrew Kneib, Jacob Thoman, and Kyle McKelvey.

McKelvey stunned the crowds in the 22-lb. Braemar stone with a crushing series of throws and an incredible 46’ for the win. Second was Arneson with 40’ 11-1/2”, and third, Langworthy at 37’ 11-1/2”.

The 16-lb. open stone was a tussle between Arneson and McKelvey, and in the end, Arneson came out on top with a putt of 54’ 8-1/2” to McKelvey’s 54’ 1”; Johnson was third at 47’ 4”.

The 28-lb. weight for distance was close with Arneson pulling ahead with a throw of 76’ 5”, leaving McKelvey at 74’ 8”; again Johnson was third at 65’ 6”.

Arneson, on a winning high, unleased a throw of 39’ 2-1/2” in the 56-lb. weight for distance, besting McKelvey, who did 38’ 10”. Lambotte followed at 35’ 8-1/2”.

Arneson comfortably won the 16-lb. hammer with a class throw of 135’ 6”. Second place was close, with Johnson beating McKelvey in the final round, 123’ to 121’ 1”.

Again, in the 22-lb. hammer, Arneson was in a realm of his own winning with a throw of 112’ 7”. And once more, Johnson just pipped McKelvey for second place with a throw of 102’ 1” to 101’ 6”.

The competition caber, 17’ long and 125-lb. proved a challenge which was scored on degrees with McKelvey doing 80%, Arneson 75% and Johnson 66%.

In the 56-lb. weight over bar, McKelvey thrilled the crowds with a world-class winning height of 17’ 3”. Johnson, Lambotte, and Thomas tied at a height of 13’.

Arneson won the 16-lb. sheaf toss at 35’, with a tie for second at 33’ between McKelvey and Johnson.

Overall places
1. Kyle McKelvey 18
2. Skylar Arneson 19
3. Eddie Johnson 32
4. Thomas Lambotte 37
5. Ryan Huddleston 55
6. Andrew Kneib 59.5
7. Shane Thomas 60
8. Jacob Langworthy 63
9. Will Routh 74.5
10. Jacob Thoman 77

McKelvey will join Kendall Thomas, Chad Thompson, Garrett Blatnik, John Van Beuren, Sean Burns, Eli Kiener, John Anthony, and Skylar Arneson at the finals of the IHGF All-American Highland Games Championships at the 2019 Great Plains Renaissance and Scottish Festival, in Wichita, Kansas, in September.

Women’s competition
In the Women’s A group, Janine Kuestner, Jamesia Saenou, and Kate Langworthy were the contenders. In the 15.5-lb. Braemar Stone, Saenou put up a great show with a series of putts all over 30’ with a best of 31’ 1” for the win. Kuestner was second at 30’ 5”.

Kuestner showed great form in the 28-lb. weight for distance, lobbing it 41’ 10” for first place. Saenou was a respectable second with a nice throw of 38’ 9”.

Kuestner kept up her winning streak with a class throw of 74’ 10” in the light weight for distance, followed closely by Saenou with 72’ 6-1/2”.

In the 16-lb. heavy hammer, Saenou produced the winning throw, a grand distance 73’ 10”. Second was Kuestner at 67’ 4-1/2”.

Saenou again took top honors in the 12-lb. light hammer with 93’ 5-1/2”. Kuestner did 83’ 5”.

Kuestner won the 28-lb. weight over the bar at a height of 16’, with Saenou at 15’.

Going into the 10-lb. sheaf over the bar, Kuestner was trailing by one point, but she pulled off the win at a height of 28’ to Saenou’s 26’.

Kuestner and Saenou were now even on points. The caber was a close competition and Kuestner took the win on her final attempt with a toss of 11:55, Saenou doing 1:00.


Overall places
1. Janine Kuestner 13
2. Jamesia Saenou 14
3. Kate Langworthy 27

Kuestner joins Kristin Rhodes, Meagan McKee, Jessica Bridenthal  Felicia Baker Baltren, Ashley Weber, Emalie Humphreys, Elissa Hapner, and Jamie Channel at the finals of the IHGF All-American Highland Games Championships at the 2019 Great Plains Renaissance and Scottish Festival, in Wichita, Kansas, in September.

The IHGF would like to thank Darrin and Natasha Plank and all the judges for their hard work in hosting the ninth leg of the IHGF All-American Highland Games Championships series.

The final qualifying games in the IHGF All-American Highland Games Championships series will take place in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, 15–16 September.


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