New Zealand will host fifty-six pipe bands at the 2026 NZ Championships in March, making it one of the largest pipe band competitions outside Europe.
Bands will compete over two days at Inglewood on the North Island on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st March 2026.
We are delighted with the entries to the ‘Nationals’ – they show the depth and breadth of our teaching and development programmes across the country.
By Liam Kernaghan, President NZPBA
Given the geographic challenges for bands to get here, the fact that numbers are as strong as ever is an indication of the importance of the pipe band movement in New Zealand.
With strong entries across all six grades, including 15 in the Grade 4B competition, we are thrilled to be putting on such a top-quality event. With bands from Australia and Canada coming to compete, it will truly be an international event, showcasing, as always, the quintessential trans-Tasman rivalry.
I’m proud that the pipe band community ‘Down Under’ is continuing to go from strength to strength despite economic challenges.
Robert Mathieson and Keith Orr head a top-tier adjudication panel. Brian Switalla, Martin Frewen, Davey Welsh and Greg Wilson will adjudicate piping. Chris Stevens joins Robert Mathieson to complete the ensemble panel, and Ross Levy joins Keith Orr in rounding off the drumming panel.
Twelve bands are entered in the Juvenile grade, making it the biggest juvenile contest in the world. We are particularly proud of the fact our youth scene is growing across the country. Having twelve juvenile bands compete at the ‘Nationals’ is hugely encouraging for our movement here in New Zealand.
The current New Zealand Pipe Band champions are:
G1 – Manawatu, G2 – St Andrew’s Coll., G3 – Hamilton Cal., G4A – Metro Scottish, G4B – Invercargill, Juv.- St Andrew’s Coll. A
The 56 bands entered are:
G1: Auckland & Dist., Canterbury Cal., Manawatu
G2: Celtic PB (Nelson), Tauranga, St Andrew’s (Brisbane), St Andrews Coll., Emmanuel Coll.-Queensland, NZ Police, Invercargill
G3: Auckland & Dist., Canterbury Cal., Hamilton Cal., Hawkes Bay Cal., Manawatu, Metro Scottish, Scottish Soc. of NZ, Wellington Red Hackle
G4A: Hokonui Celtic, Canterbury Cal., Scots Coll., Rotorua, Wellington Red Hackle, Invercargill, St Andrew’s Coll., Canberra Burns Club, Papakura, City of Wellington, Edmonton & Dist. (Canada)
G4B: NSW Police (Australia), Wairarapa, Feilding Cal., Celtic (Nelson), Vale of Kawerau, South Canterbury Highland, Stratford, Scottish Soc. Highland, Manawatu, Hokonui Celtic, Marlborough, City of Sails, Invercargill, Wellington Red Hackle, NSW Highlanders (Australia), Napier Boys’ High School
Juv.: Invercargill, St Andrew’s Coll. B, Papakura, Manawatu Youth, Wellington Red Hackle, Lewis Turrell Mem., Scots Coll., St Andrew’s Coll. A, Napier Boys’ High School, Canterbury Cal., South Canterbury & Celtic (Combined)
Donald Sutherland Collection – digital book
This is a digital, repeat digital, book which means you download it to your computer or tablet. This book has some very good music. It is by Donald Sutherland, a native of Rogart, Sutherland. It has been out of print for many years and is reproduced here as a service to followers of www.pipingpress.com. Tunes include Mary Horne, Kenny MacDonald’s Jig, Captain Lachlan MacPhail of Tiree and many other less well-known, but quality, compositions. The book is sized for use…