By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Gabby Birch and Neil Henning took top honors in the Decatur Chamber’s 2025 Highland Games.
The ninth annual event, held recently in Riverside Park north of Riverside Center, enjoyed ideal weather, which helped spur a sizable turnout of family, friends and spectators.
Following Birch in the women’s division was Kristi Rolston, with Cheryl Lengerich third. Sara Mesing placed fourth and Ashley Beard was fifth.
On the men’s side, Isaac Birch (Gabby’s brother) was second and John Shifferly finished third. Jamison Rumple and Trenton Hoffman were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Henning and Birch were 1-2 last year.
Gabby Birch, the ’23 winner and ’24 runnerup, took first places in four of five events in the women’s division: stone, hammer, height and bags; she was 12th in distance.
Rolston was second in stone, fourth in distance, hammer, height and bags. Lengerich was second in distance and bags, third in height, fifth in stone and sixth in hammer.
Henning, repeating as champion, placed first or second in all five men’s events: tops in distance and hammer, second in stone, height and caber.
Isaac Birch was first in stone and caber, second in distamnce and hammer, and fourth in height.
Shifferly was tops in height , third in distance, fourth in stone and hammer.
About the Author
