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Even when he’s not angry, Jeff Kaste likes to throw things around. That’s what he does. Kaste plans to be throwing things Saturday when he competes in the heavy events at the New Hampshire Highland Games and Festival, a three-day celebration of Scottish and Celtic culture that begins Friday at Loon Mountain Resort.
The heavy events test an individual’s strength and power, and include the Caber Toss, Weight for Distance, Weight for Height, the Sheaf Toss and the Hammer Throw. Kaste, 37, will be competing as a professional. “The majority if not all of the people who throw in the Highland Games have an actual job because it doesn’t pay terribly well, but it pays enough to make it worth your while and make you want to keep doing it,” Kaste explained.
“There’s no chance of me winning, and I say that because the No. 2 guy in the world is going to be there and he’s a much better thrower than me, even when I’m at my best — and I’m not close to my best. “For me to come away happy I’d really just like to hit some good numbers.
I think season-bests would be really nice for me.” Kaste lives in Center Ossipee and works as an academic adviser at Southern New Hampshire University. He attended Timberlane Regional High School in Plaistow, where he competed in boys volleyball, wrestling and track and field.
Kaste was also on the track and field team at the University of New Hampshire. He competed in the indoor and outdoor throwing events at UNH, and made the America East All-Conference Team three times during his college career. Kaste discovered the Highland Games in 2010 while he was searching for videos related to track and field throwing events on YouTube.
He competed in the heavy events as an amateur for several years before he turned pro in 2014. Kaste took part in his first competition at an Old Home Day in New Hampshire. “I emailed them and said I throw and I threw in college,” Kaste said.
“ ‘I’ve never done this before. Would you be able to have me at your games?’ He said, ‘Sure, as long as you sign a waiver.’ Then I just had to get a kilt, so I ordered one online.
“I absolutely loved it. It was way less intense than track and field. People came from all walks of life and took themselves seriously, but not to the point where people were uppity about stuff.
Track is a very serious sport, especially when you get to the upper levels. It wasn’t as fun. This was fun.
This was a good time ...
much more social.” Kaste, who is 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds, said he believes he’s the only New Hampshire resident who has competed in the heavy events at the Highland Games as a professional. He has qualified and competed in the U.
S. Nationals six times, but said Saturday will be his final event as a pro. His plan is to return to the Highland Games at age 40, when he can compete in the Master’s division.
“There’s the travel, because these events are all over the country, the injuries are starting to pile up and I want to spend more time with my wife (Meaghan) and my son (Liam),” Kaste said. “When I’m 40 there will be more events in New England I can compete in because not every Highland Games has professional throwers. “I’m not trying to be the best out there anymore,” he said.
“I just love the sport. I don’t think I can give up throwing after doing it for more than 20 years. I’m not a world champion, but I felt I held my own.
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