Five different Highland Games piping contests were held over last weekend, one on Friday, three on Saturday and one yesterday, August 10. Attendances at some were affected by the European Pipe Band Championships being held in Perth.
Once more we appreciate the assistance of those correspondents who have sent the following information and pictures:
Nethybridge, August 9
Seven seniors played at Nethybridge, writes Dr Jack Taylor. This Games runs its own band competition. Seven competed this year. Surely these usually non-competing bands deserve a shout out. They are often the ones at the local games, gala days and everything in between. The winners were City of Inverness Youth Pipe Band (picture below). Incidentally, and entirely unconnected, Dufftown won the Tug o’ War!
Judge Duncan Watson, who first attended Nethybridge 60 years ago, was delighted to receive a 1953 edition Kilberry Book from local piper Jim Macleod. It had been given to Jim by Sherriff JP Grant of Rothiemurchus, editor of the early Piobaireachd Society books and decoder of the Campbell Canntaireachd. In the Kilberry are pencilled names of pipers attending the South Uist Games in the mid 1950s. Results:
Piobaireachd
1 Kyle Cameron – Chisholm’s Salute
2 Gordon Barclay – Lament for Viscount Dundee
3 Teddy Krogh – End of the Great Bridge
4 Anna Kummerlöw – Chisholm’s Salute
5 Susie Klinger – The Groat
March: 1 Anna Kummerlöw 2 Kyle Cameron 3 Teddy Krogh 4 Gordon Barclay
S&R: 1 Anna Kummerlöw 2 Kyle Cameron 3 Teddy Krogh 4 Gordon Barclay
Jig: 1 Kyle Cameron 2 Teddy Krogh 3 Anna Kummerlöw 4 Ruaridh Davidson
Champion Piper: Kyle Cameron, Tobermory.
Junior Open Piping (17 & Under)
Chanter, March, 12 and under, Craiglynne Centenary Cup: 1 Amber Houston McMillan, Oldmeldrum 2 Finlay McCluskie, Keith 3 James Houston McMillan, Oldmeldrum. March 4 parts, Ewen MacDonald Memorial Trophy: 1 Rory Menzies, Aberdeen 2 Mirren Silver, Inverness 3 Fergus Fraser, Inverness 4 Lewis Brown, Edinburgh; Strathspey & Reel, George Centenary Trophy: 1 Mirren Silver 2 Rory Menzies 3 Lewis Brown; Jig: 1 Rory Menzies 2 Mirren Silver 3 Lewis Brown. David Grant Blyth Cup for the most promising junior piper: Lewis Brown.
Judges: J Taylor, D Watson.
Strathpeffer Games, August 9
Eight competitors in the adult piping at a sometimes blustery but dry Strathpeffer. Disappointingly no junior competitors in either under 15 or under 18.
Piobaireachd:
1 Calum Dunbar, Lament for the Viscount of Dundee
2 Angus MacPhee, I Gave a Kiss to the King’s Hand
3 Ursa Beckford, Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay
4 Aaron King, MacCrimmon’s Sweetheart
March: 1 Angus MacPhee 2 Matt Pantaleoni 3 Calum Craib 4 Ursa Beckford
S&R: 1 Angus MacPhee 2 Calum Dunbar 3 Matt Pantaleoni 4 Calum Craib
Jig: 1 Calum Dunbar 2 Matt Pantaleoni 3 Angus MacPhee 4 Ursa Beckford
Judge : DJ MacIntyre
Aberfeldy Games, August 9
Jen MacIntosh reports: A rather blustery day at Aberfeldy Show and Games with just the one heavy shower of rain. Unfortunately, this happened whilst Calum Maclean from the isle of Mull was mid-MSR, so he was a bit drookit by the end! There were no entries for the Juniors but the Senior results were as follows:
Piobaireachd
1 Mark McKenzie, Red Speckled Bull
2 Brian Lamond, Fingerlock
3 Andrew Hall, Lament for the Viscount of Dundee
4 Ben Mulhearn, King’s Taxes
MSR: 1 Bobby Allen 2 Brian Lamond 3 Andrew Hall 4 Ben Mulhearn
Slow Air & Jig: 1 Ben Mulhearn 2 Bobby Allen 3 Brian Lamond 4 Andrew Hall
Champion Piper and winner of the MacDougall Cup: Brian Lamond. Judges: R Clark, N Mulvie.
Tain Games, August 10
In mainly cloudy, but dry conditions, eight pipers competed in the open Senior competitions although nine played in the Jig. Only two competitors in the under 15 and no competitors in the under 18.
U15 Piobaireachd: 1 Rory Menzies; U15 March: 1 Rory Menzies 2 Gabriel Birkhofer; U15 S/R: 1 Rory Menzies 2 Gabriel Birkhofer; U15 Jig: 1 Rory Menzies 2 Gabriel Birkhofer
Senior Ceòl Mòr
1 Angus MacPhee, Lament for MacLeod of Colbeck
2 Andrew Hall, Prince’s Salute
3 David Stulpner, King’s Taxes
4 Ursa Beckford, MacCrimmon’s Sweetheart
March: 1 Ursa Beckford 2 Teddy Krogh 3 Angus MacPhee 4 Matt Pantaleoni
S/R: 1 Teddy Krogh 2 Angus MacPhee 3 Andrew Hall 4 Ursa Beckford
Jig: 1 Angus MacPhee 2 Andrew Hall 3 Teddy Krogh 4 David Stulpner
Judges: DJ MacIntyre, N Matheson
Assynt Games, August 8
Piob:
1 Anna Kummerlöw, Kinlochmoidart’s Lament No.1
2 Angus MacPhee, I Gave a Kiss to the King’s Hand
3 Teddy Krogh, End of the Great Bridge
March: 1 Angus MacPhee 2 Teddy Krogh 3 Calum Dunbar
S&R: 1 Anna Kummerlöw 2 Angus MacPhee 3 Teddy Krogh
Jig: 1 Ursa Beckford 2 Calum Dunbar 3= A Kummerlöw / A MacPhee
Judge: J Mather
Classic 2/4 Competition Marches (H -Y) – ‘Play Along’ Lessons
More of the all time greats of the 2/4 march repertoire are listed here. Each is played in full on the practice chanter by Robert Wallace. Firstly he goes through the tune very slowly at a practice tempo and then he plays it a little more quickly, closer to performance speed. If the tune you need is not listed email pipingpress@gmail.com.
