LAURINBURG — Kevin Miller wanted to stand out from the crowd during the athletics portion of the Scotland County Highland Games.
He certainly made his mark with his performance — and his appearance.
Sporting his trademark red beard along with a predominantly yellow outfit, Miller took top honors in the Masters Division at the Highland Games. Miller was the top finisher in six of the seven events he competed in. The North Augusta, South Carolina, native edged out Masters Division runner-up Tim Propst by six points.
Miller has been competing in these events for 20 years. It’s a hobby that developed out of necessity.
“I needed some reason to train,” Miller said. “Teddy Roosevelt said ‘don’t live a sedentary lifestyle.’ There’s so much truth to that. You’ve got to stay moving. This is how I stay moving.”
Miller put up impressive marks in the seven competitions — Open Stone, Heavy Weight Throw, Light Weight Throw, Scottish Hammer Throw, Turning of the Caber, Sheaf Toss and Weight Over Bar.
Propst finished right behind Miller in several of those events, and Probst eventually won the Sheaf Toss with a mark of 22 feet — two feet higher than Miller. In the men’s sheaf toss, competitors use a pitchfork to toss a 16-pound, twine-filled burlap bag over a raised bar. The bar is gradually raised as each height is cleared.
Miller said the weight throws are his favorite events. He said the Turning of the Caber is perhaps the most difficult challenge.
In the Turning of the Caber, athletes pick up a large tapered pole — ranging in size from 17 to 21 feet long and 70 to 160 pounds in weight — near its base. Once they are able to balance the caber in an upright position, competitors then attempt to toss the caber so that it turns end-over-end, making a 180-degree rotation if it is done perfectly.
“It’s the hardest to learn,” Miller said. “There’s more technique to that than any other event. You can be big and strong, but balancing is so key.”
On the topic of putting together successful runs at the Games, Miller brought up one of the lessons he’s learned over two decades of competition.
“It’s more about being fast than it is about being strong,” Miller said. “Nothing we do out here lasts more than about 20 seconds.”
Miller’s red beard might bring might be a part of his success as well. His facial hair fuels his slogan, “Fear the beard.”
It’s a tradition that started about 11 years ago.
“One of my wife’s kids was like, you should dye it red, so I did, and it just stuck,” he said.
