The annual, two-day Skye Gathering piping competitions began today (Aug 5) in Portree. Twenty-nine entered for the Dunvegan Medal contest for which pipers have to submit four MacCrimmon tunes.
Previous winners are excluded and play for the Col. Jock MacDonald Clasp to the medal. The winner of the 2025 medal was local piper Alistair Brown, Kyleakin (pictured above with the medal, courtesy Cailean Maclean). We are still awaiting the junior results from Portree.
Dunvegan Medal
1 Alistair Brown, I Gave a Kiss to the King’s Hand
2 Angus MacPhee, Mrs MacLeod of Talisker’s Salute
3 John McDonald, Battle of Waternish
4 Cameron May, Lament for the Earl of Antrim
5 James Feeney, USA, Rory MacLeod’s Lament
6/8 March
1 Steven Leask
2 Angus MacPhee
3 Derek Midgley
4 Nick Hudson
5 Ben Duncan
H&J
1 Angus MacPhee
2 Brodie Watson-Massey
3 Ben Duncan
4 Derek Midgley
5 Sarah Muir
Col. Jock MacDonald Clasp for former winners of the Dunvegan Medal
1 Sandy Cameron, Mrs MacLeod of Talisker’s Salute
2 Derek Midgley, Earl of Ross’s March
3 Sarah Muir, Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay
Alistair Brown and Sandy Cameron automatically qualify for the 2026 Silver Chanter.
Kemble Star March
1 Brodie Watson-Massey
2 Cameron May
3 Ben Duncan
4 Steven Leask
5 Sandy Cameron
6 Darach Urquhart
Peter MacFarquhar Star S&R
1 Steven Leask
2 Ben Duncan
3 Cameron May
4 John McDonald
5 Anna Kummerlöw
6 Andrew Hall
Champion Piper (£500): Angus MacPhee; Best Light music (£200): Steven Leask and Ben Duncan; Best local piper (Finlay MacRae Memorial Trophy): Alistair Brown.
Ceòl Mòr – Open Under-18
1 2 3
March Strathspey & Reel – Open Under-18
1 2 3
Judges: A MacDonald, I MacFadyen, JD MacKenzie, J Taylor, J Wilson.
