To Arden Arcade resident Sandy Welsh the music and dancing at the Sacramento Valley Scottish Games and Festival energizes one’s soul.

One of the oldest and largest festivals in California, the Sacramento Valley Scottish Games & Festival, held in Woodland at the Yolo County Fairgrounds, is April 27-28.

The Sacramento Valley Scottish Games and Festival is the main yearly event the Caledonian Club of Sacramento hosts, which draws up to 20,000 people each year. This fun, family event includes Scottish clans, competitions, music, dance, live history, children’s activities, animals, vendors and more.

Blessed with talented dancers and musicians who work hard to hone their craft to bring joy to others, Welsh who sells advance tickets and mans the gates at the fairgrounds said, the festival is a showcase of a diverse and magical culture.

“I love the people, their values and the music of this diverse and magical culture that is showcased in the Scottish Games. I love that it is a family-friendly event where you’ll find something for every age to enjoy – from the children’s area and youth caber to Celtic fiddles and harps – to Celtic rock – to bagpipes – Celtic animals – to learning Ceilidh (pronounced kaylee) dancing – to historical re-enactors,” she said.

Locally Welsh belongs to the Caledonian Club of Sacramento where she serves as Vice Chief, which means she planned the Tartan Ball last year. She sells pre-sale tickets and recruits volunteers. She also belongs to the Daughters of Scotia and she makes scones for the tea-room at the Games.

To her neighbor, Gordon Scott, whose involvement with the games go back to about 1985, “taking tickets and most things in between,” he said he’s a “sucker” for the games. “Once you get roped in (as a volunteer), you stay in,” he said.

In 1973, Scott went traveled to Ireland, where he decided to buy a kilt. But it wasn’t until years later when he and his wife partook in Scottish country-dance after her coworker who was the chief of the Gaelic club said ‘you have to do this.’ “We went there and enjoyed that,” he said, meeting some fun people along the way.

Like Scott, it was through Scottish Country dancing that Welsh learned so much about Celtic music and became friends with some amazingly dancers and musicians.

“What a huge blessing,” Welsh said, adding that one of her best friends is from Dunblane, Scotland. “She generously shared so much of her culture not only with me, but with everyone,” she said.
Because Welsh loved the music so much, she published a newsletter called “Celtic is Happening” for about five years. The publication promoted Celtic Musicians who performed up and down the coast and in the Central Valley. “I never pretended to know anything…but I sure knew who to refer anyone to who wanted to know more. It was actually through my subscribers that I knew people in Sacramento before we moved here,” she said.  One of those subscribers is the editor of an online Celtic Calendar found on the Caledonian Club website, www.saccallie.org.

When Welsh and her husband Rich came to Sacramento in 2006, she joined the Caledonian Club right way. Rich is a genealogist and works every year at the games in Woodland at the genealogy desk. Through genealogy, he discovered that he, too, is Scottish.

“However, I don’t expect to see him in a kilt anytime soon,” Welsh jokes.

Scott loves how the games have been shared through generations. “I am now seeing young adults with children. I saw them competing in piping and dance and their kids now are competing in those events,” he said.

“I probably get a get kick out of youngest highland dancers. They don’t have the steps down, but they’re out there doing their thing. Seeing them progress each year — it’s always a thrill,” Scott said.

Welsh loves sharing the passion and dedication of everyone involved, whether you’re a piper, highland dancer, athlete, Scottish Country Dancer, fiddler, “Clannie”, organizer, vendor, re-enactor or volunteer. “It takes every talent and skill-set to make this event .. this “Brigadoon” happen.

And everyone is a volunteer. No one is taken for granted.

“We are blessed with talented dancers and musicians who work hard to hone their craft to bring joy whatever performance venue where they appear,” said Welsh.

Working on a Scottish Games committee is a supreme learning and personal growth experience, said Welsh.

“I love working and forging relationships with people who didn’t know they could move that mountain until after it was moved.  I love that we bring, in modern times, an event that has gone on for much longer that 137 years to this generation.  I love when they (the youth) carry some element of it forward. Although we are ‘Brigadoon’ for three days, we bring these same values with us to our jobs and community,” said Welsh.

Welsh’s father (USAF, Ret) and mother (the Irish side) introduced Welsh to her Scottish heritage in 1986 at the Caledonian Club of San Francisco Games and Gathering, Santa Rosa. (That event currently takes place in Pleasanton, CA on Labor Day week end). Both of her dad’s parents came from Old Cumnock (Ayreshire), Scotland in the late 1880’s. They settled in Birch Run, Michigan. She was Sara Kerr; he was Robert Arthur.  Welsh joined Clan MacArthur at the games in 1986.

In 1993, Welsh joined the Campbell Highland Games committee (San Jose). For that organization she did sponsorships, publicity, program advertising sales, coordinated volunteers for the entire event and wrapped her 10-year tenure on the Campbell Highland Games Committee as Chieftain (Executive Director). In 1993 Welsh also started Scottish Country Dancing and joined the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society – SF Branch. Concurrently she served as Secretary of the South Bay Scottish Society, ultimately becoming the Chief of SBSS.

The 40th Anniversary of the Land Park Criterium drew more than 600 racers to Land Park on Saturday, March 16. Ranging in age from 10 to 55, there were riders from all over Northern California and Nevada and even one racer from Australia.

Steve Stuart, Race Promoter of the Sacramento Golden Wheelmen, said the organization was especially excited by the great juniors turnout.

These racers are 10- to 18- years old. “(They are) the back-bone of future racing in our community, (and their) race was sold out. Unlike other junior races that charge an entry fee for juniors SGW offers free junior racing at the Land Park Criterium and has done so for many years,” Stuart said.

Sponsored by the Sacramento Golden Wheelmen for 40 years, the race fields include what is called Pro 1, 2 men and women, many of whom are Pro racers like you would see in the Tour De France and the local Amgen Tour of California, explained Stuart. Race speeds in this category during the dash for the finish line can be upwards of 40-plus miles an hour.

The Sacramento Golden Wheelmen has 35 members within the Northern California Nevada Cycling community whose roots date back to the 1960s.

James LaBerge of Napa’s Team Mikes Bikes won first. Second place went to Charles Hutcheson of Sacramento’s team March Pro – Strava. Third place went to Joshua Carling of Rancho Cordova’s Team Bicycles Plus/Sierra Nevada.

Team City Bikes, which is sponsored by City Bicycles, a local bicycle shop, assisted the Sacramento Golden Wheelmen by offering more manpower for volunteer duties.

After the long day at Land Park, the Wheelmen packed up all of their equipment for the Bariani Road Race the following day on March 17, which was held at the Bariani Olive Oil (one of the team’s major sponsors) facility warehouse in Zamora, north of Woodland. This course is on flat to rolling hills and is 14 mile long. The Pros race 70 miles while the number of loops is less for riders of lesser ability. This year there were more than 650 racers for the Bariani Road Race.

About criteriums

Criteriums are timed races on a closed course, i.e. there is no traffic allowed on the streets versus a road race where most of the time the racers are sharing the road with car traffic. Criteriums are timed races anywhere from 40 to 60 minutes depending on skill. After about 30 minutes, the judges use lap cards at the finish to tell the riders how many laps are left. On the last lap there is a sprint to the finish and the fittest and most skilled bike handlers typically win the race.

So how racers are categorized is when you are a man and you want to race you start out as what is called a Category 5 racer, you race shorter Crits and Road Races because you are learning how to ride and how to ride in a pack of racers, peloton. After racing 10 races you move up to Category 4, and then you earn points based on how you finish in your races. After you earn enough points you move up to Category 3, then 2, and then to Pro 1. Each time you are racing longer distances, tougher races and against better riders.

To see more results of the Land Park Criterium, visit http://www.ncnca.org/ncncaevent/land-park-criterium-1

Followers of McClatchy High School’s football program know that there is plenty of room to improve on a string of sub .500 seasons. But there are reasons for optimism for this year’s crop of young Lions.

MCCLATCHY LIONS quarterback Nick Modar rolls to his right, looking for some running room as a defender stalks him from behind. / Photo courtesy, Malcolm Floyd

After a season-opening loss to Woodland by a score of 46–6, McClatchy has played two close games that could very well have swung in the Lions’ favor. As luck would have it, however, both games ended up in the loss column in the form of 27–22 and 28–20 losses to Lathrop and McClymonds, respectively.

Some subscribe to the adage that a loss is a loss is a loss and that there is no room for moral victories. However, if you look back at the recent history of the program at McClatchy, there are reasons to believe that the glass is closer to half full than it is to bone dry.

In the last five seasons (2006 – 2010), McClatchy put up an unremarkable 10–43 overall record, but a steady improvement in league play has the Lions on the precipice of the postseason.

Head coach Malcolm Floyd, who knows a thing or two about this whole football thing as a former NFL wide receiver, talked about some of the improvements that he sees as the years roll past.

“This (year’s) team is very disciplined,” he said. “They believe in hard work and they are coachable.”

As far as Floyd is concerned, talk of the playoffs is secondary to the continued improvement of his squad. When asked if making the playoffs is a defined goal for this year, he simply said “I just want them to get better every game and work hard in practice.” He said that the season would be measured a success if his team “finishes healthy, educated and mentally prepared for the future.”

In the process, however, hanging a few ‘W’s on the board would look great for the fourth-year coach. If the past eight seasons in league play read like a stock portfolio, the Lions would be inching towards the black. In the four seasons prior to Floyd’s arrival, the Lions went a miserable 2–22 in league play. In the three years since, McClatchy has put up a much more respectable 6–12 league record.

The 2010 season was the biggest step forward for Floyd and his youngsters. Despite a seemingly poor 3–7 overall record, McClatchy posted a 3–4 Metro League record, putting the team in the neighborhood of a playoff appearance.

Playoffs or not, one thing is for sure – league foe Kennedy High School doesn’t like seeing the Lions line up against them. McClatchy has dispatched the Cougars the last four times the teams have met.

According to Floyd there are no teams on the schedule this year that the Lions would take special pleasure in beating, except for all of them of course.

“The past has us wanting any win we can get,” said Floyd. “I just want to make sure the young men enjoy this experience by working hard and by appreciating each other.”

The 2011 version of the Lions will rely heavily on a talented and experienced offensive line. Seniors Shaun Chao, Tyler Zuber, Joe Savaii and Mike Lam anchor the front line.

Nick Modar takes the snaps from center coming off a productive 2010 campaign that saw him throw for 1,398 yards and 14 touchdowns. Kijafa Burgie and Austin Taylor will carry the ball out of the backfield, and Jordan Monteiro-Williams and Charlie Tschudin will split out wide at the receiver slots.

After two games this season (the stats for the McClymonds game were unavailable at press time), Modar has thrown for 325 yards and three scores. He also used his legs to plow into the end zone for a fourth touchdown. Burgie leads the team with 76 yards on the ground on 25 carries.

Monteiro-Williams has come up big as a receiver, hauling in five passes for 119 yards and a score. Rounding out the aerial attack is Tschudin with eight grabs for 68 yards and a score and Keyontae Jennings with eight catches for 87 yards and a touchdown of his own. Jennings has also caused two fumbles on defense and blocked a field goal.

One of the keys to this team’s success in the upcoming league play portion of the schedule will be the conditioning of the players, according to Floyd.

“Our conditioning isn’t the best and we haven’t played to our full potential this year,” he said.

The Lions’ Metro League schedule begins Friday, Sep. 23 against Valley High School at 7:15 p.m. The game will be played at Cosumnes River College. Valley was one of the three league opponents that McClatchy beat in 2010. The Lions shut out the Vikings 22–0 in what was by far McClatchy’s most convincing win.

The eight-team Metro League is comprised of McClatchy, Rosemont, Burbank, Sacramento, Kennedy, Florin, Johnson and Valley high schools. The three teams from the league that reached the playoffs last year were Rosemont, Burbank and Sacramento.

For more information about McClatchy High School and its athletic program, visit www.mcclatchyhs.net or call the school directly at (916) 264-4400. McClatchy plays its home games on campus at 3066 Freeport Blvd. in Sacramento.

Born in the Azores

Born on Dec. 14, 1867 in Faial in the Azores Islands of Portugal, Charles arrived in Boston at the age of 11 in 1878 and then proceeded to the Sutterville area in today’s South Land Park area of Sacramento.

With only $2.50 in his pocket, Charles used $1 of his money to reach the town of Vernon in Sutter County, where he became employed as a milker on a dairy ranch for 50 cents per day.

Teen cheese entrepreneur

Using earnings from this job, Charles, when he was 13, paid a cheese maker $50 to teach him how to make cheese, after which he went into business for himself.

Charles eventually rented a ranch in Yolo County, bought cows and established a dairy and cheese plant.

Charles’ next venture was his purchase of the 160-acre Ramsey Ranch, which was located six miles above Vernon on the Feather River. He also rented the Hoover Ranch and the Clark and Cave ranches near the Sacramento River.

While conducting business along the Sacramento River, Charles entered the boating business, as he bought a gasoline-powered boat and a barge.

Meanwhile, Charles purchased the Point Ranch, where he cut wood, which he transported down the river to Sacramento.

In 1900, Charles returned to the capital city, as he purchased and resided at the Meadows place on Front Street, between O and P streets. It was there that he also established a wood, hay and grain business.

Shipping businesses

In addition to this business, Charles purchased the steamers “Neponset” and “Neptune,” the trading boats “Jersey” and “Inder” and the barges, “Columbia,” “Sutter” and “Vernon.”

In becoming engaged in the transportation business, Charles formed a partnership with a Capt. Jones. This partnership continued for many years and their route included towns on the Sacramento River, between Sacramento and Butte City.

Rancher

During this time, Charles was also involved in the cattle and sheep business.

Eventually, Charles sold his interests in the boats to devote his full attention to his livestock business.

Charles experienced much success in this endeavor, as he enlarged his interests on an annual basis and also established retail businesses – four local meat markets and a large wholesale business in Sacramento.

Additionally, Charles bred Hereford stock and was renowned throughout the state as a breeder of these fine cattle.

So large was Charles’ livestock business operation that he became known as the largest individual cattle dealer in California, shipping thousands of head of cattle from Mexico, in addition to his large shipments from throughout the state.

Charles’ wealth was great, as he purchased various Northern California ranches and later sold the ranches for twice the amount that he had paid for them.

Land dealer

Along with his real estate transactions, Charles was actively associated with various reclamation projects and served as the organizer and director of the Sutter Basin Co. and the Natomas Land Co.

Following his time with his previous cattle business endeavors, Charles invested in many Sacramento properties, including business blocks, warehouses and residences, and purchased a 21,000-acre cattle ranch in Modoc County.

Charles additionally accumulated other properties such as 243 acres dedicated to fruit growing in Yuba County and 670 acres on the Feather River in Butte County, with one half of this acreage being devoted to fruit.

Another major part of Charles’ life was his interest in horses and for many years he was involved in breeding standard-bred animals. 

This horseracing track in Woodland was owned by Charles F. Silva from 1916 to 1921. To the right forefront of the photograph is Silva and his record-breaking horse, Teddy Bear. / Photo courtesy of PHCS

Breeder of race horses

 Charles, who eventually had the finest standard-bred stock in the state, raised the well-known pacer, Teddy Bear, who broke a 6-year-old record at the California State Fair on Aug. 29, 1911. The horse set the mile mark of two minutes and five seconds.

With his continued interest in horses, Charles purchased a racetrack in Woodland in 1916.

It can be speculated that Charles, who continued to own the track until 1921, purchased the track in order to run Teddy Bear on his own schedule during fair weather days throughout the year.

In the early 1920s, Charles traded a 21,000-acre parcel of land in Alturas (Modoc County) for the old Weinstock-Lubin and Co. department store building at 4th and K streets. The building had been vacated and the company had reopened in its new location at 12th and K streets.

Meat marketer

Charles also owned other business operations in Sacramento, including the Fulton Meat Market at 4th and M (now Capitol Mall) streets, California Market on J Street, between 7th and 8th streets, and meat markets on 10th and M (now Capitol Mall) streets, 16th and M (now Capitol Avenue) streets and in Folsom and Knights Landing.

He also owned a slaughterhouse on Y Street (present day Broadway), between 5th and 6th streets.

Charles established a rich connection to the Land Park community with his founding of Charles Station, which later became known as South Land Park Hills.

Charles F. Silva is shown at the age of about 55, around the time he acquired the old Weinstock-Lubin and Co. department store building at 4th and K streets. / Photo courtesy

Charles’ property was located off the present day Del Rio Road in the area of today’s Kennedy Lane and Pleasant Drive.

On this property, Charles owned and operated a second slaughterhouse, which had a thick concrete floor that later posed difficulties in building the foundations of some of the area’s high quality homes.

Family manDuring his life, Charles was married twice, with the first of his marriages occurring when he married Theresa Kennedy in Sacramento on Aug. 15, 1899. Together the couple had nine children.

Following Theresa’s death, Charles married Lois Blackwell and this marriage added two more children to his family.

The most prominent of Charles’ children was former Land Park area resident Ray Silva. Ray, who passed away in 1996, was a referee for the Harlem Globetrotters and the founder and operator of Kiddie Land, Land Park’s small-scale children’s amusement park, which is today known as Funderland.

Undoubtedly, Charles, who passed away on July 14, 1944, was a man who achieved many great things in his life.

And considering his many accomplishments and the fact that he once had practically pennies in his pocket and no assets to his name, Charles Silva should be remembered for many years as a self-motivated man whose drive to excel led to a life of success.

lance@valcomnews.com