Inveraray are the 2024 Scottish Champions after a high standard Medley contest at a warm Levengrove Park, Dumbarton. The win gave P/M Stuart Liddell his first championship of the season.
There was free admission for the public and a good crowd. One hundred and thirty-two bands took part. Full results below. G1:
1 Inveraray
2 Boghall
3 Fife Pol.
4 SLOT
5 FMM
6 S Power
with the drumming going to Inveraray.
Each band had to submit two Medleys, one of which was chosen at the line. The judges for Grade 1 were Peter Hunt and John Wilson (piping), Stuart Coils (drumming) and Tom Brown (ensemble).
Grade 2
1 Uddingston
2 Portlethan (ensemble pref.)
3 Ravara
4 Glasgow Skye
5 Buchan Peterson
6 Annan
Drumming: Buchan Peterson
Grade 3a
1 Denny & Dunipace
2 Clougher
3 Vale of Atholl
4 Macneilstown
5 Oban
6 Maj. Sinclair
Drumming: Vale of Atholl
Grade 3b
1 Burntisland
2 Arbroath
3 Methil
4 Lower Clyde (ensemble pref.)
5 Scot. Borders
6 Cloughfin
Drumming: Burntisland
Grade 4a
1 Tweedvale
2 Camelon
3 Culter
4 Fraserburgh RBL
5 Royal Army of Oman
6 Cupar Angus
Drumming: Tweedvale
Grade 4b
1 2 Scots, Royal Regt. of Scotland
2 Govan Community
3 Altnaveigh
4 Kilmarnock
5 Dunoon Argyll
6
Drumming: 2 Scots
Novice A
1 W Lothian Schools
2 Renfrew Schools
3 Brisbane Boys
4 Dollar Acad. (ensemble pref.)
5 G Watson’s College
6 Lochgelly High
Drumming: W Lothian Schools
Novice B
1 High School Dundee
2 Lochgelly High
3 Kintyre Schools
4 Boghall & Bathgate (ensemble pref.)
5 Isle of Arran
6 Dollar Acad.
Drumming: Burntisland
Best band on parade: Royal Army of Oman
- Check out all band summary sheets on the RSPBA website here. Stay tuned to PP for the Editor’s critique on the Grade 1 contest.
Juvenile
1 G Watson’s
2 Dollar Acad.
3 Preston Lodge
4 G Heriot’s
Drumming: G Watson’s
Congratulations to Inveraray on a well-deserved result, especially following the drenching they suffered during their performance at the previous Championship at Forres (where they heroically managed to achieve a 2nd place).
On a more general note, it is reassuring to see a good correlation between piping judges at all 3 majors so far this year (at least in grades 1 and 2). Whether the RSPBA have re-introduced mandatory judges’ consultation at the end of each competition is unknown, but the consistency of outcomes is certainly both desirable and welcomed, especially following some major inconsistencies last year.