KIRKSVILLE, MO --  

The spirit of Scotland was found in the Heartland Saturday.    

Nearly fifty athletes competed in the 11th annual Highland Games in Kirksville.
    
Men and women from all over the Midwest participated in nine different traditional Scottish games.

“The guys who do this take it pretty seriously, and there's an a, b, and c class and you try to work your way up. C class for being beginners, A being advanced amateur. The guys who do it take it very seriously, it's a serious competition for them, but we try to have a lot of fun with it too,” said Thom Van Vleck, Athletic Director.

Some of the events included hammer throwing, shot put, and the caper toss.