SLoT Win Euro Pipe Band Championship

St Laurence O’Toole from Dublin are the new European Champions after a high quality contest today at Grant Park, Forres, in the north of Scotland. In second place were Field Marshal Montgomery with Inveraray third and Shotts fourth. The drumming prize went to Inveraray.

The full Grade 1 result was:

1 SLoT
2 FMM
3 Inveraray
4 Shotts
5 S Power
6  Spirit of Scotland
Drumming: Inveraray
Judges: Robert Mathieson, John McCarlie, David Brown, Gordon Lawrie

Grade 2 saw another great victory for the Police Service of Northern Ireland who must now be hot favourites to continue their progress and gain promotion to Grade 1 in 2017. The G2 result:

1 PS N Ireland
2 Buchan Peterson
3 Johnstone
4 Balagan – Denmark
5 Lomond & Clyde
6 Glasgow Skye
Drumming: Glasgow Skye
Judges: George Wilson, Robert Shaw, Paul Turner, John MacInnes

Buchan Peterson warming up
Buchan Peterson warming up in Grade 2

Grade 3a
1 Lewis PB
2 City of Inverness
3 Concord – Netherlands
4 Portleithen
5 Stockbridge
6 Coalburn IOR
Drumming:
Judges: John Moles, James Campbell, Alex Dudgeon, Gordon Craig

Grade 3b
1 2622 RAF (Highland)
2 Prestonpans
3 Wallacestone
4 Turriff
5 Arbroath
6 Bothwell Castle
Drumming: 2622 RAF
Judges: John Connor, James Semple, Ciaran Mordaunt, Anthony Sloane

P/M Gordon Bruce and West Lothian Schools
P/M Gordon Bruce and West Lothian Schools

Juvenile
1 Dollar Academy (pictured up top playing up to the line today)
2 George Watson’s
3 West Lothian Schools
4 Boghall
5 Preston Lodge
Drumming: G Watson’s
Judges: Robert Mathieson, John McCarlie, David Brown, Gordon Lawrie

Grade 4a
1 Lanark
2 Ullapool
3 Denny & Dunipace
4 Kirkcaldy
5 Burntisland
6 Irvine
Drumming: Ullapool
Judges: John Moles, James Campbell, Alex Dudgeon, Gordon Craig

Grade 4b
1 Johnstone
2 Lower Clyde
3 Lochryan
4 Elgin
5 Bowhill
6 Isle of Skye
Drumming: Elgin
Judges: Alvis Kerr, Linden Ingram, Joe Noble, Alan Ronaldson

Novice A
1 Dollar
2 N Lanarkshire
3 G Watson’s
4 Scotch Coll. Melbourne
5 Ross & Cromarty
6 Oban High
Drumming:
Judges: Alvis Kerr, Linden Ingram, Joe Noble, Alan Ronaldson

Novice B
1 Lochgelly
2 Lochalsh Jnr.
3 Bucksburn
4 MacKenzie Cal.
5 Dumbarton
6 1st Troon BB
Drumming: Lochgelly
Judges: Alvis Kerr, Linden Ingram, Joe Noble, Alan Ronaldson

The promoters ‘Piping at Forres’ laid on a very special day for the bands with free water and a hamper of goodies for each. In all 127 bands entered including bands from Denmark, the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland and five school bands from Australia.

Chairman of Piping at Forres Alan James said: ‘I hope the bands enjoyed the day as much as we did ‘win or lose’. We look forward to 2017 and another great spectacle here in the north.’

Full results and all summaries now available at rspba.org. Check Piping Press later for a critique of the Grade 1 contest.