I wonder how the RSPBA are getting on with the planning for next year’s major championships? Will it be five or the three and a half we had this year? Looking back it seems there was confirmation of the Worlds, the Euros, the Scottish and the UKs for 2026.
The latter was a bit of a non-event given the date on which it was held (July 12) but the Association pledged to change that for 2026. The Euros in Perth were deemed a success among the bands as was the idea to up the playing requirements to two runs in Grade 1. Will this latter stipulation be retained if there if a fifth major? I think it should be. It is a good run out before the Worlds for the G1 bands.
This brings me to my next point. Are four legs really necessary at Glasgow Green? For economic reasons I don’t think so, but against this you could counter along these lines:
Field Marshal were considered by most to be at least equal to Inveraray on the Saturday and many pundits had them in front. But those same pundits agree that over the piece the best band, Inveraray, won.
My second point would be that, as Chairman Bob Niven said in his interview, the Friday did attract a good crowd and seemed to be popular with the Novice and Juveniles. For these reasons, assuming the money is there, the two-day Worlds should continue.
On the subject of finance, what has happened to the RSPBA’s ‘easy funding guide’? The Board of Directors said last year that this ‘had been completed’, and would be ‘rolled out and communicated to members on how they can use this vehicle to donate funds to the Association’. I haven’t seen any evidence of it, have you?
Also, they were thinking of introducing Bronze, Silver and Gold support packages for the Major Championships, this to counteract a lack of sponsorship. What has happened to that?
Solos Tomorrow
A big day of competition tomorrow (October 11) with the National Mod Piping and the Lochnell Intermediate Championship. The Mod is in Fort William and has junior and senior piping. The venue is Lochaber High School. The draws for the P/A Ceòl Mòr is: 1 Angus MacPhee 2 Eireann Iannetta-Mackay 3 Sandy Cameron 4 Steven Leask 5 Calum Watson 6 Darach Urquhart 7 Cameron May 8 Gordon McCready.
The B Piob has 17 entered playing in this order: 1 Norman Gillies 2 Gordon Barclay 3. Andrew Smith 4 Daniel Nevans 5 Calum Dunbar 6 Ben Mulhearn 7 Kyle Shead 8 Alistair Brown 9 Duncan Beattie 10 Kristopher Coyle 11 Michael Fitzhenry 12 Cameron Macleod 13 Callum Wynd 14 Jonathon Simpson 15 Callum Carn 16 John Dew 17 Ross Conner.
It is good to see the Mod being so well supported and I hope there not too many no shows. There were several notables at the Captain John last week making for a weak competition in the P grade.
A few miles further south from the Fort we will be at Lochnell Castle in Benderloch for the showpiece Under 22 Championship. It features the best young players currently competing. Super prizemoney and trophies on offer, plus a free lunch and travelling expenses.
One of the earlier winners of this championship was Brodie Watson-Massey. Brodie was this year’s Inverness Gold Medallist showing that the ‘stepping-stone’ philosophy of Lochnell is sound.
Cameron May and Ruairidh Brown are two other Lochnell Champions who continue to make a name for themselves in the senior ranks.
Letters
Andrea Baggio writes from Padua in Italy: ‘I notice there is a Donald MacKillop having good results in an inter-college competition in 1948. I am wondering whether that piper could be the father of the article writer (and the subject of the jig). I’ve no direct address to get in touch with him, therefore this is the reason I’m writing you.’ Can anyone help Andrea?
CPA Secretary Lindsey Ellis: ‘I would be grateful if you would publish the following: All P, A and B grade entries for the 2025 SPSL Annual Competition are only available to access via the CPA website. Junior entries can be accessed by emailing info@scottishpipingsocietyoflondon.co.uk.’
On the Worlds Grade 1 arena, is it only me that finds the judges’ green tents in the way for listening and watching. On the field side these tents shield a considerable part of the view and take away the sound. Could the RSPBA maybe move them to other side in front of the white marquee for example? This would improve the experience for all of us not in the stands.