The Oxton Annual Professional Games as they used to be known were a yearly sporting occurrence in Oxton and by all accounts very popular. The Games started in the early 1900’s under the governing body of the Scottish Games Association and consisted of a full programme of athletics events ranging from 90m sprints to the 1600m handicap as well as many other events including heavy events such as tossing the caber, tossing the sheaf and throwing the hammer.
We have tried to find out the exact year the games started but we have not been successful yet. What we do know is that when we were searching for the original trophies for the Games we had a cup returned to us by Darrell Hastie who won the youth’s 1mile Handicap in the last year the Games were held. The cup is engraved with the words ‘W. Riddle Challenge Cup’ and ‘50th Anniversary’. We don’t know if the anniversary is the 50th Games or the 50th year as we know that the games were not held during the war years.
The Oxton Annual Professional Games ran until the 1990’s when the cost of running the games and prize money etc became too great and much to everyone’s sadness the Games came to an end.
In 2009 we were approached by Border Athletics about re-instating Oxton back onto the games circuit. A group of us got together and formed a committee and set about re-introducing the Games and on Saturday 24th July 2010 Justicehall Haugh was once again transformed into an athletics arena with athletes of all ages from the borders and beyond competing in a full programme of events. As well as the athletics there are many additional attractions for the whole family to enjoy including various stalls, kids races, tug-o-war, bouncy castle, climbing wall, pipe band, ice-cream, catering vans and of course the essential beer tent for the non-athletes amongst us!! A great day out for all!
If you are interested in joining our committee, would like to help on the day, would like to have a stall at the games or for any other information please contact Lee Ingram on 01578 750 263 or email l.a.ingram@sky.com or Geoffrey Rae on 07970 594 174.
