The sounds of bagpipes filled the morning air as athletes donned their kilts and converged on the grounds of the Smithfield Stake Center. They came from as far away as Idaho Falls to compete in the First Annual Sons of Thor Highland Games.

Founder of the games and leader of the local Sons Of Thor throwing club, Ken Graves has big hopes for the future of the games in Smithfield.

“Hopefully we’ll make it a really big event for Cache Valley, especially with all the Scottish ancestry that settled here, ” said Graves.

The games consist of nine events ranging from tossing a stone to heaving a giant Caber (a tree or pole that is between 16-22 feet long and between 100 and 180 pounds). For some it was just another day to compete, for Smithfield resident Tyler Barfuss it was his first foray into the games.

“I live near Ken, and he said, ‘Hey, let’s go do this,’ and I was like, ‘What you toss stones and stuff?’” explained Barfuss who was wearing a kilt his wife had made him.

“The whole thing about the games is camaraderie. I love coming down and competing. Winning medals and stuff is great, but the main reason I throw is for the fun of it, to try to beat my scores from last year or the last games that I was at. But every now and then you have some of your friends that you really like to have the bragging rights when you can tell them ‘Hey, I beat you,’” explained Ken Graves before he bounded off to participate in the Weight for Distance event.

For Ken’s 14-year-old son Matthew it was more of a matter of honor to compete in the games.

“I’m just trying not to embarrass myself too much,” he said with a sheepish grin.

For spectators it’s tough to watch Highland Games without that age old question popping into one’s mind: What does one wear beneath a kilt?

“Traditionally what I’ve heard is that when you’re married then you wear your bloomers, when you’re not you don’t,” laughed Ken Graves.

“For athletics we are required to wear shorts (underneath the kilt),” said Dave Fahey, of Idaho Falls, with a smile.

The Sons of Thor Throwing Club meets every week at Ken Grave’s house in Smithfield. Those wishing to join can call Ken at 563-2575.