IHGF Heavy Athletics & National Caber Championship

Tallahassee Highland Games • February 7–8, 2026 • Apalachee Regional Park

About the Championship

The Tallahassee Highland Games hosts an official International Highland Games Federation (IHGF) Heavy Athletics competition as part of the IHGF All-American Highland Games Series, including the IHGF National Caber Championship.

Your registration includes festival entry for you and a guest, VIP parking next to the field, and athlete lunch at noon. A kilt is required to compete.

Scholarship language: All listed amounts are structured as scholarship stipends intended to support athlete expenses (such as hotel, fuel, and food), helping protect eligibility for athletes with Olympic or amateur status considerations while still rewarding performance.

Dates & Schedule

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

The schedule is built so experienced athletes can compete in both IHGF Heavy Athletics and the World's Strongest Stone Lifter.

• Saturday, February 7 – 9:00 AM
  Men’s A, B, C Heavy Athletics • Women’s A, B, C Heavy Athletics • Teen Divisions • Men’s Novice Strongest Stone Lifter • All Women’s Strongest Stone Lifter divisions
• Sunday, February 8 – 9:00 AM
  Novice Heavy Athletics • Lightweight Men & Women • Masters (40+, 50+, 60+) • Adaptive Divisions • All Men’s Strongest Stone Lifter Divisions

Heavy Athletics Events

Events follow IHGF standards and typically include:

• Open Stone – one-hand put from the shoulder.
• Braemar Stone – standing put, no approach allowed.
• Weight for Distance – one-hand throw, any safe style.
• Hammer Throws – standing style, no spinning.
• Weight Over Bar – one-hand standing toss.
• Sheaf Toss – 5-foot fork, any safe style permitted.
• Caber Toss – traditional turn, clock-face scoring.

Check final event lists and implements on the Heavy Athletics registration page and at the athlete meeting.

Prize & Scholarship Payouts

Heavy Athletics scholarships are integrated with the Strongest Stone Lifter series to create a combined prize and scholarship pool of at least $7,500 across all divisions.

All amounts are structured as scholarship stipends to support athlete expenses while recognizing high performance.

Qualification Pathways

• IHGF Heavy Athletics A/B/C & Masters
  Divisional champions feed into IHGF national-level opportunities and, in some cases, onward to international Highland Games championships.
• IHGF National Caber Championship
  The caber at Tallahassee is the IHGF National Caber Championship. Winners earn national recognition and exposure to IHGF international selectors.
• Florida’s Strongest Stone Lifter – Men’s & Women’s Open
  Open division champions in Florida's Strongest Stone Lifter earn the Florida’s Strongest Stone Lifter title. Top 2 in each Open division qualify for Visa California Viking Fest (Sept 2026). Viking Fest winners receive airfare assistance and accommodations to compete at the World’s Strongest Stone Lifter in Fefor, Norway (July 2027).
• Masters Pathways
  Women’s Masters (40+) World’s Strongest Stone Lifter World Championship is held in Tallahassee. Top Masters Men pursue the IHGF America’s Strongest Stone Lifter title in Hungary.

Try Both: Heavy Athletics + Strongest Stone Lifter

Heavy Athletics gives you the full traditional Highland Games experience – stones, weights, hammers, sheaf, and caber. Strongest Stone Lifter adds six brutal stone events plus direct routes into IHGF world-level stone lifting championships.

Many athletes choose to do both. If your training and recovery are ready, Tallahassee is your two-day Highland proving ground.

On-Site Services & Partners

COSPT will be on-site providing athlete-only chiropractic adjustments and sports recovery massage, helping Heavy Athletics competitors stay healthy across both days of competition.

We are proud to work with Visit Tallahassee, the International Highland Games Federation, and additional regional partners who support Highland culture, tourism, and strength sports.

Ready to Compete?

Your registration includes festival entry, VIP parking, and athlete lunch. Divisions will cap – secure your position in the IHGF Heavy Athletics lineup now.