IHGF National Caber Championship

Part of the IHGF All-American Highland Games Series at the Tallahassee Highland Games

About the Caber Toss

The caber toss is a traditional Scottish athletic event in which competitors throw a large tapered pole called a “caber.” The goal is not maximum distance, but a perfect turn: technique, control, and strength all working together.

The Tallahassee Highland Games caber event is conducted under International Highland Games Federation (IHGF) standards and serves as the IHGF National Caber Championship, as part of the IHGF All-American Highland Games Series.

True to our roots, the Tallahassee Highland Games is a festival hosted by athletes, for athletes – built to challenge competitors and celebrate Highland strength.

Caber Origins

The caber toss is said to have developed from the need to toss logs across narrow chasms to cross them, or from lumberjacks transporting timber by rolling and throwing logs into streams. Over time, practical skills evolved into contests, and those contests became a test of honor and strength.

Schedule & Integration with Heavy Athletics

February 7–8, 2026 – Apalachee Regional Park, Tallahassee, FL

The Caber Championship is integrated into the IHGF Heavy Athletics schedule at the Tallahassee Highland Games. This allows throwers competing in A/B/C and Masters divisions to also contend for the National Caber title.

Saturday, February 7 – 9:00 AM

• Heavy Athletics:
• Men’s A, B, C (Amateur and Semi Pro Divisions)
• Women’s A, B, C (Amateur and Semi Pro Divisions)
• Teen Divisions

• Strongest Stone Lifter
• Women's World's Strongest Stone Lifter (Masters) Division
• Women's Open Division
• Women's Novice Division
• Men’s Novice Division

Sunday, February 8 – 9:00 AM

• Heavy Athletics:
• Women's Novice Division
  
• Men's Novice Division
• Lightweight Men's Division
• Lightweight Women's Division
• Women's Masters Divisions (40+, 50+, 60+)
• Men's Masters Divisions (40+, 50+, 60+)

• Strongest Stone Lifter
• Men's America's Strongest Stone Lifter (Masters) Division
• Men’s Open Division

Registration and final event groupings for caber are managed through the Heavy Athletics registration. All scores are entered into the NASGA database.

Caber Toss Rules (IHGF Standards)

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. If the competitor allows the caber to fall before lifting it off the ground, this counts as an attempt. If the competitor drops the small end of the caber back to the ground after having picked it up, this also counts as an attempt.

The caber must pass through the vertical position in order to count as a turned caber. The vertical position is 90 degrees and it is up to the side judge to determine if the caber has passed through it. The “clock face method” of judging is used: in a perfect toss, the caber passes through vertical and lands with the small end pointing directly at 12 o’clock in an imaginary straight line extending from the competitor through the initial landing point.

A valid turn 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. If the competitor does not turn the caber, 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.

Full movement standards are in accordance with IHGF rules: View IHGF Rules

Requirements & Additional Notes

• Kilt required to compete.
• All throws conducted under IHGF rules and safety standards.
• Scores for caber are entered into the Heavy Athlete database.

Each IHGF National Caber Champion (A, B, C & Masters, Men & Women) receives a $200 scholarship stipend, as part