RAPID CITY - Mark Renkens first attempt at Scottish games was not a successful one. Afterwards, he pondered going back.

But one day, his wife wanted to attend a dog show in an area hosting games. His wife surprised him and dropped him off at the games before she went to the dog show. The dog did not win, but in the games, Renken placed first.

He is now hooked, but not because of winning.

"The games just bring everyone together," said Renken, the assistant athletic director of the Black Hills Scottish Athletes. "Most people at the games, they'll encourage you to do better. Personal satisfaction is better than a piece of metal."

Athletes - wearing kilts, socks or hose, and the games T-shirt - will not only compete against each other today at the Rushmore Heavy Games, but they will be cheering each other on. They will do so at 9 a.m. today at Jackson Park, and will continue until the events conclude about 5 p.m. Registration begins at 8 a.m.

Fellow competitor Malcolm Freeberg agrees with Renken.

"It's the only sport I've been in where everyone else wants to see me do my personal best," Freeberg said, adding that professional athletes in the games are also likely to encourage amateurs and show them better ways to compete.

Athletes can get defeated, but they are really competing against themselves, Renken emphasizes.

"The camaraderie, people from all over that I see two, three times a year," Renken said. "It's just a break from everyday life."

The Scottish games include several events: the caber toss, 16-pound hammer throw, stone put, weight for height, heavy weight for distance, light weight for distance and the sheaf toss.

In the caber toss, athletes throw a 12- to 20-foot pole which can weight between 60- to 160-pounds. Athletes must pick a caber, steady it, run, plant their feet and throw. The trick: the part of the caber in the athletes hands must fall directly away from the athlete.

"The desired score is a 12 (o'clock direction)," Renken said.

The 16-pound hammer throw is not the standard Olympic throw. The difference is athletes cannot their feet with the exception of the release of the 50-inch-long hammer. Athletes also cannot step on or over the trig, which is a marker.

"It requires a lot of core stability," Renken said. "You have to keep your arms as straight as possible to have the longest orbit."

In a box that is 4-1/2 feet by 7 feet, throwers must, shot-put style, throw a 16-pound stone. Throwers can have one foot go outside the line, but not two. The women throw a 9-pound stone.

In the weight for height event, athletes take either a 42- or 62-pound weight and must throw it over a bar. With their back to the bar, the athletes swing the weight between their legs and throw it over their head. The athletes must keep their feet planted.

In the heavy weight for distance, athletes try to throw a 56- or 42-pond ball the farthest from a 4-1/2-feet by 9 feet box. The women's weight is 28 pounds. In the light weight for distance throw, the men throw a 28-pound ball and the women throw a 14-pound weight.

The athletes must propel the weight over a trig. They cannot step on the trip or have two feet out.

The sheaf toss is one of the most popular events. It is considered an agricultural event, with roots of athletes throwing hay bales the closest to the other bales. In the modern competition, athletes throw a burlap bag full of baling twine. The bags weigh 20 or 16 pounds for the men, and 10 pounds for the women.

The games are scored like a decathlon, since all athletes must compete in all of the events. Renken said most seasoned competitors have a specialty at the games, and they may struggle with another event. He listed one competitor as an example.

"What he doesn't get in weight for height, he makes up for in the stone put," he said. "You've got seven chances during the day to improve."

Renken expects about 40 athletes at the events today, with about 100 fans accompanying them. A wide variety of people attend and compete in the games, Renken said.

Overseeing all of the action will be Kirk Spell.

Spell is the major organizer of the events, which are now separate from the Celtic festival. In the 10 years of the games, he has been the driving force and was a top competitor until an accident in Hawaii changed his life.

Renken said that Spell is a pioneer for the Scottish Games in the area and about 10 years ago, Spell attended games in Estes Park, Colo., hosted by the Rocky Mountain Scottish Athletes. He left the event inspired and started events in Rapid City. He then built, bought and stored equipment. Along with his wife, who has kept scores at the games for years, he has made the games a tradition in the area.

Spell was also an organizer of games in Gillette, Wyo., in June, and there will be games in Aberdeen on Sept. 20.

"He has an undying love of the sport," Renken said. "In the world of Scottish athletes, he is a giant."

After attending the games, Renken said people should check out other Celtic events happening in the area: the Gathering of the Clans festival and the RenScots. The RenScots, in particular, are well-known for their demonstrations of makings clothes, forging knives and swords and weaving blankets and kilts. They also demonstrate some reenactments and fighting.

The events are sponsored by the Rapid City Sports Council, which Renken said played a major role this year.