The 57th Cobourg Highland Games (Ontario, Canada) – Saturday, September 11, 2021. The games were enjoyed by a large crowd in perfect weather conditions on the shores of Lake Ontario: lots of sun and a balmy temperature of 26 degrees, writes Michael Grey PPBSO President.
The games featured solo piping, solo drumming and pipe band competitions, heavy events, clan stalls, vendors, Highland dancing exhibitions – and a beer tent.
Ontario public health directives were such that bands had only six to eight weeks to prepare their competitive selections. While solo entry was strong, the pandemic appeared to have an effect on band entries. The event was the first Highland Games in Canada since September 2019.
Andrea Boyd was the overall professional solo piping champion; Mark McClennan the overall amateur solo piping champion. A note on the professional piping: the games marked the professional debut of Joseph Biggs.
Up to the day he had been dominating all senior amateur online contests he entered in 2021. He placed 6 of 12 competitors in the professional march, strathspey and reel.
[wds id=”2″]
Solo piping results: Professional Piobaireachd (submit 4) Judge: Bob Worrall
1 Andrea Boyd, Old Men of the Shells
2 Tyler Bridge, Glengarry’s March – D MacDonald)
3 Ian K. MacDonald, Patrick Og MacCrimmon’s Lament
4 Jacob Dicker Lament for the Viscount of Dundee
5 Callum Harper, Big Spree
6 Sean McKeown, I Got a Kiss of the King’s Hand
Professional MSR (submit 4) Judge: Michael Grey
1 Jacob Dicker, Centenary Jewel, Lady Campbell of Longsdale, The Angler
2 Sean McKeown, Hugh Alexander Lowe of Tiree, Islay Ball, Sandy Cameron
3 Ian K MacDonald, Inveran, Maggie Cameron, John Morrison, Assynt House)
4 Andrea Boyd, John MacDonald’s Welcome to South Uist, Lady Louden, Fiona MacLeod
5 Tyler Bridge, Invergordon’s Welcome to Queen Elizabeth II, Doune of Invernochty, Cronan’s Reel
6 Jospeh Biggs, Parker’s Welcome to Perthshire, Neil Sutherland of Lairg, Broadford Bay
Watch a short video of the games courtesy PPBSO President Michael Grey and the PPBSO Communications Committee (Chair Kris Bawden):
Professional Freestyle (5-7 minute medley of own choice) Judge: John Elliott
1 A Boyd 2 IK MacDonald 3 T Bridge 4 C Harper 5 J Dicker 6 S McKeown
Grade 1 Hornpipe/Jig Judge: John A. Elliott
1 M McClennan 2 CD Mitchell 3 I Dewar 4 H Little 5 J Kersell 6 M Fenton
Grade 1 M/S/R Judge: Jim McGillivray
1 M McClennan 2 I Dewar 3 M Fenton 4 J Kersell 5 CD Mitchell 6 H Little
Grade 2 Jig Judge: Glenn Walpole
1 K Bawden 2 J Doucette 3 M Greco 4 A Collins 5 B McKendry
Grade 2 March Judge: John A. Elliott
1 K Bawden 2 M Greco 3 A Collins 4 B McKendry
Grade 2 S/R Judge: Jim McGillivray
1 K Bawden 2 M Greco 3 B McKendry 4 A Collins 5 J Doucette
Grade 3 March Judge: Michael Grey
1 S Baker 2 T Perry 3 EJ McConkey 4 T Harris 5 S Love 6 N Yateman
Grade 3 S/R Judge: Glenn Walpole
1 T Harris 2 N Yateman 3 EJ McConkey 4 S Baker 5 T Perry
Grade 4 March Judge: Glenn Walpole
1 A MacDonald 2 M Evans 3 KP Sabbadin 4 S Stewart 5 B McVey 6 C Fradette
Grade 5 March Judge: Glenn Walpole
1 ID Lynch 2 C Straus 3 S Sabean 4 DR Larocque 5 L Lanaro 6 D Cooper
Practice Chanter – Novice March Judge: Jim McGillivray
1 Z Smith 2 B Sivakaran 3 E Munro 4 M Munro
Senior Amateur Piobaireachd Judge: Jim McGillivray
1 M Fenton 2 CD Mitchell 3 J Kersell 4 S Baker 5 M McClennan
Intermediate Amateur Piobaireachd Judge: Bill Livingstone
1 K Bawden 2 H Little 3 M Greco
Junior Amateur Piobaireachd Judge: Bill Livingstone
1 T Harris 2 A MacDonald 3 EJ McConkey 4 T Perry 5 J Hackney 6 A Kerr
Novice Piobaireachd (Urlar & first two passages) Judge: Michael Grey
1 N Yateman, Lament for Alasdair Dearg 2 C Straus, MacIntosh’s Banner 3 P Hummel, Struan Robertson’s Sal. 4 RJ Trayner, His Father’s Lament for Donald MacKenzie 5 KP Sabbadin, Clan Campbell’s Gath. 6 S Stewart, Caber Feidh gu Brath
