European Pipe Band Championships Underway at Forres

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From the Highland town of Forres, in Moray, and Grant Park, the European Pipe Band Championship is underway, writes our Special Correspondent.

The running order has approaching 110 listed to play across all grades. The first band – Scottish Fire & Rescue Service Novice Juvenile B, steps off at 10am on the dot. In adjoining arenas, Grades 4A and B will be underway too. The top Juvenile bands are on early afternoon, with Grade 1 at 2.45pm.

Inverness Youth in Novice
A windy and grey day will provide some additional challenges, but no rain is forecast so far.

For those not here, there are several routes to see and hear what is going on. The RSPBA twitter feed @rspbahq is covering Grade 2 and 4a a little later with clips of each band expected on the Association’s YouTube channel.  Read a preview of Grade 2 here.

Choice of drinks in the north-east
Results will follow in the early evening here, and reports of the contest in due course. Last year Grade 1 went to St Laurence O’Toole (pictured top) who had a full five point margin over Field Marshal who only scraped second by ensemble preference over Inveraray, the latter winning the drumming.

Defending their title at Forres, the drum corps of Inveraray & District
Meanwhile the RSPBA have issued the draw for the Scottish Pipe Band Championships at Dumbarton on July 29. Here’s the list and times in G1:

14:30 Scottish Power
14:40 Fife Police
14:50 Vale of Atholl
15:00 Inveraray
15:10 Buchan Peterson
15:20 Ravara
15:30 Johnstone
15:40 PSNI
15:50 Bleary
16:00 FMM
16:10 Boghall
16:20 Shotts
16:30 SLot
16:40 Glasgow Police

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