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  (5^th. 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

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!! Both Neil and Heidi will return to compete at the Glengarry Highland Games this year.

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.

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

Craig Hurford

Division ~ Open Professional
Home ~ Dartmouth, NS.
Age ~ 37
Height ~ 6' 1"
Weight ~ 305 lb.
Tartan ~ Loch Ness
Years Competing ~ 10 - (Competing in Maxville since 2002)
Occupation ~ Craig owns and operates “Eastcoast Fitness Center”, and “Muscletech Fitness”.

Accomplishments:

Craig originally participated in the “Strongman” Competitions  (the Heavyweight Events were a spin off from that), and he holds the “NS. Bench Press Record” an amazing 601 lb.!!

Personal Bests:

Craig’s best events are the Stone, Caber, and the Weight for Height.

Personal:

With a gym and a fitness center to run, Craig is very busy, however, he still manages to compete in Heavyweight Events Competitions in approximately 12 Highland Games throughout Can. and the U.S.A. each year.

Mike Johnson

Division ~ Open Professional
Home ~ Tantallon, Nova Scotia
Age ~ 26
Height ~ 5'10'
Weight ~ 235lbs
Tartan ~ St. Patrick
Years Competing ~ 3  (And Mike’s first year competing in Maxville.)
Occupation ~ Mike works for Craig Hurford at both East Coast Fitness Center and Muscletech Fitness.

Accomplishments:

Nova Scotia Champion and National Level Powerlifter.
Bodybuilding ~ 2006 Nova Scotia Provincial and Atlantic  Heavyweight Champion.

Personal Bests:

Braemar Stone - 33'8'
Open Stone - 41'10'
56lb.Weight/Height - 13'
Light Hammer (16lb. Hammer)   - 97'
Heavy Hammer (22lb. Hammer) -75'10'
Light (28lb. Weight/Distance)    - 66'4'
Heavy (56lb. Weight/Distance)  - 30'3'

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;  5^th. year as a Pro.;  1^st. 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 3^rd. 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.