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Professional Heavyweights Biographies
Competitors
Dirk Bishop
Division ~ Open Professional
Home ~ Perth-Andover, NB
Age ~ 44
Height ~ 6’ 1”
Weight ~ 270 lbs.
Tartan ~ Ancient Cameron
Years Competing ~ 6 (5th. year competing at the Glengarry Highland Games)
Occupation ~ Border Services Officer
Accomplishments:
5-Time New Brunswick Champion
2005 Canadian Caber Toss Champion
3-Time Masters World Champion
Personal Bests:
22 lb. Braemar Stone ~ 36’11”
July 1/07 ~ Pugwash Highland Games, Pugwash, Ns
16 lb. Open stone ~ 45’10”
July 1/06 ~ Pugwash Highland Festival, Pugwash, NS
56 lb. Weight for Distance ~ 36’11”
May 26/07 ~ Gathering of the Scots, Perth-Andover, NB
28 lb. Weight for Distance ~ 75’7”
July 17/05 ~ Commonwealth vs. USA, Antigonish, NS
22 lb. Hammer ~ 102’9”
July 23/05 ~ New Brunswick Highland Games, Fredericton, NB
16 lb. Hammer ~ 131’5”
July 30/05 ~ Canadian Championship, Glengarry HG, Maxville, ON
56 lb. Weight for Height ~ 15’
July18/06 ~ Inveraray Highland Games, Inveraray, Scotland
16 lb. Sheaf ~ 30’
July 30/05 ~ Masters World Championship, MacPherson, KS
20 lb. Sheaf ~ 24’
May 27/06 ~ Gathering of the Scots, Perth-Andover, NB
42 lb. Weight for Distance ~ 49’8”
Sept 23/05 ~ Masters World Championship, MacPherson, KS
42 lb. Weight for Height ~ 18’
July 23/06 ~ Masters World Championship, Inverness HG,
Inverness, Scotland
Greg Hadley
Three-time Canadian Champion
Division ~ Open Professional
Home ~ Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
Age ~ 25
Height ~ 6'
Weight ~ 278lb.
Tartan ~ Ancient MacNeil of Barra
Years Competing ~ 12
Occupation ~ Senior High School History Teacher
Accomplishments:
3 -Time Canadian Champion
Former North American Amateur Champion
Personal Bests:
Maxville Stone ~ 41'9"
56lb Weight for Distance ~ 45'4" (Canadian Record)
28lb Weight for Distance ~ 81'10"
16lb Hammer ~ 140'3" (Canadian Record)
22lb Hammer ~ 116'4"
16lb Sheaf ~ 32'
56lb Weight for Height ~ 15'
Personal:
Greg is a recent graduate of St. Francis Xavier University (May 2007) and holds a Bachelor of Education Degree.
He is a former Varsity Football Player and an Atlantic University Sport Shot-Putt record holder.
Neil Lowry
Division ~ Open Professional
Home ~ Almonte, ON.
Age ~ 28
Height ~ 6'1'
Weight ~ 270lbs.
Tartan ~ Modern Gordon Dress
Years Competing ~ 10 (Four as an Open Professional)
Occupation ~ Funeral Director, and part-time farmer with his Father
Accomplishments:
Neil started out by competing with the Amateurs here in Glengarry, and won these events twice. He has gone on to compete in Highland Games all over Ontario ( his own being North Lanark Games), throughout some States in the U.S., and in Scotland.
Personal:
Neil is married to the former Heidi Parsons, who is also a Heavyweight Events Competitor in the Professional Women’s Competition. They met while both were competing at a Highland Games and not long after, Neil proposed to Heidi (on bended knee) in front of the crowd at the North Lanark Highland Games. Heidi said “Yes” and the two were married on May 26, 2007. They are now the proud parents of baby daughter, Isabel. Congratulations!!
Marc Morin
Division ~ Open Professional
Home ~ Saint-Jean-Baptiste, MN.
Age ~ 42
Height ~ 5'9"
Weight ~ 290 lbs.
Tartan ~ Morrison
Years Competing ~ 16
Occupation ~ Physical Education Teacher
Accomplishments:
Marc is a former Glengarry Highland Games (HG) Amateur Champion, as well as New Brunswick HG Champion, and Regina HG Champion. He has competed all across Canada, in many States throughout the USA, and in Scotland.
Personal Bests:
24lb. Stone (Braemar) ~ 32'4"
16lb. Open Stone ~ 43'6"
56lb. Weight For Distance (WFD) ~ 35'
28lb. (WFD) ~ 67' 9.5"
22lb. Hammer ~ 97' 8"
16lb. Hammer ~ 121'
56lb. Weight for Height (WFH) ~ 12'6"
22lb. Sheaf ~ 29'
16lb. Sheaf ~ 31'
Personal:
Marc has been competing in Heavyweight Events at the Glengarry Highland Games for eight years. He began competing in the Amateur Division, and turned Pro. seven years ago. Marc is originally from Senneterre, Québec.
Christoph Wand
Home ~ Kitchener, ON.
Age ~ 35
Height ~ 6' 4"
Weight ~ 285 lbs.
Tartan ~ Black Stewart
Years Competing ~ 11
Occupation ~ Beef Cattle and Sheep Nutritionist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)
Personal Bests:
17lb.Stone ~ 44'5"
20lb. Stone ~ 41'8"
56lb. Weight for Distance (WFD) ~ 37'4"
28lb. WFD ~ 75'1.5"
16lb. Hammer ~ 118'6"
22lb. Hammer ~ 94'5"
16lb. Sheaf ~ 32'
20lb. Sheaf ~ 26'
56lb. Weight For Height (WFH) ~ 16'
Christoph’s top events to date are the 56lb. Weight for Height, 28lb. Weight for Distance, and the Caber.
Personal:
Christoph was born in Germany (1972), immigrated to Canada with his family in 1973, and was raised on a farm in Powassan, ON.
Christoph holds degrees in Nutritional Science (B. Sc.) and Animal Science (M. Sc.) from the University of Guelph, and resides in Kitchener with his wife and four children.
Ian McNaughton
Division ~ Open Professional
Home ~ Glengarry County, ON.
Currently living in Austin, Texas,USA.
Age ~ 35
Height ~ 6'
Tartan ~ MacNaughton
Years Competing ~ 9. This is Ian’s 7th. year competing in Maxville.
Occupation ~ Executive in the High-Tech Industry.
Family ~ Ian was married to Tara Cotter in July 2006, at the Baptist Church in Maxville; they had a ceremonial caber toss at their Metcalfe Center reception. Ian and Tara have two beautiful children; Connor Theodore, 4 years old, and Kaleigh Marie, aged 2. They also have a 92 lb. Chocolate Lab. named Hamish.
Accomplishments:
* 3-time Amateur Champion – Maxville, ON.
Ian has wins in numerous other Highland Games Championships, as he has competed all over Ontario, Quebec, and the United States as a Highland Games Athlete.
2005 US. Championships Competitor in Pleasanton, California.
Ian has also competed in numerous “Strongman” Championships throughout Ontario, and New York State.
Personal:
Ian and his family have lived abroad for three years now, most notably in Europe in 2008. Ian’s Grandparents - Elmer and Eileen McNaughton - used to take him to the Glengarry Highland Games every year. Most of Ian’s family resides in Glengarry and his roots in the area run generations .He is honoured to be able to throw as a Professional in Maxville, and he says with pride that “it’s a dream come true!”
William (Bill) Monette
Division ~ Open Professional
Home ~ Parish, NY., USA.
Age ~ 29
Height ~ 6'
Weight ~ 230 lbs.
Tartan ~ Scott Hunting
Years Competing ~ 9 (This is Bill’s fourth year competing in Maxville.) Bill is originally a track and field star and trained with Pat Lynn, who has also competed in the Heavyweight Events in many Games (including here at Maxville) for over 20 years. It was Pat who got Bill interested in competing in these events.
Occupation ~ Engineer
Accomplishments:
As well as competing in the Syracuse, N.Y. Highland Games, Bill is also the Co-athletic Director there. A dream for him this year was a trip to Scotland to compete in the Loch Lomond, Stonehaven, Burntisland, and Inveraray Highland Games.
Personal Bests:
Bill competes in five or six games a year, and his best events are the 28lb. Weight for Distance, and the Sheaf.
Personal:
In his spare time, Bill raises Percheron draft horses, and although this is mainly a hobby for him right now, Bill says that “the Percherons are used a lot around the farm for different tasks.”
Markus Wand
Division ~ Open Professional
Home ~ Powassan, ON.
Age ~ 27
Height ~ 6' 4"
Weight ~ 270 lbs.
Tartan ~ Cavan (Irish County)
Years Competing ~ 7 (2 years as Amateur; 5th. year as a Pro.; 1st. year in Maxville))
Occupation ~ Markus currently runs a livestock operation of 100 beef cattle and 400 sheep in partnership with his parents.
Accomplishments:
Markus placed 3rd. at the 2006 Canadian Scottish Athletics Federation Championships at the “Highlands of Durham Games” in Uxbridge, ON.
He has numerous Farmers’ Walk victories/Game records in the past five years.
501' – Fergus, 2004 (208 lb. each weight)
372' – Durham Drag – Uxbridge, 2005 (225 lb. each weight)
Personal Bests:
Braemar – 23 lb. - 34' - Callander, 2007
17 lb. Stone - 47' 8.5" - Georgetown, 2006
20 lb. Stone - 42' 8" - Uxbridge, 2005
56 lb. Weight/ Distance (WFD) – 36' 6" – Uxbridge, 2006
28 lb. WFD. - 74' - Spencerville, 2008
16 lb Hammer - 118' 7" – Georgetown, 2008
22 lb. Hammer - 98' 5" - Cobourg, 2008
16 lb. Sheaf - 35' 6" - Uxbridge, 2005
20 lb. Sheaf - 29' - Antigonish, 2008
56 lb. Weight/Height (WFH.) - 14' - Callander, 2005
(Markus’ top events are the Stone Putt and the Sheaf Toss.)
Personal:
Markus was born in North Bay, ON. and raised on the family farm in Powassan, ON. After High School, he attended the University of Guelph and graduated from there with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Degree (B.SC. Agr.) in 2003. Markus will be competing in the Open Pros. in Maxville this year along side his brother, Christoph.
Will Barron
Home ~ Syracuse, NY., USA.
Division ~ Open Professional
Clan Tartan: Rose Hunting
Age ~ 31
Weight ~ 270 Lbs.
Height ~ 6' 2"
Occupation: home improvement sales
Will has been competing in Highland Games since he was 14 years old and has been training seriously for the heavy events for the last 9 years. He has competed in the USA, Canada and Scotland. He was the 2000 North USA vs South USA amateur champion, the 2000 NORTH AMERICAN Amateur Champs runner-up and a former amateur world record holder in the 56# weight for distance.
After turning professional in 2001, he has continued to improve with a 5th place finish in the USA Championships in 2003 and a top 9 National finish every year since.
He is the former overall champion at the Georgetown, Ontario Highland Games and at the 2006 North American Championships he finished 7th.
AND,---- he explains that he also is the North American Record Holder in the Haggis Hurl.
Will's athletic goal is to compete and finish in the top 5 at a world championships before he retires.
He and his wife Karen have a beautiful baby girl, Brynne Elizebeth.