On Saturday April 18th the Victorian Pipers’ Association held its first in-person contest of the 2026 season at Rupertswood Mansion in the grounds of Salesian College, Sunbury (Melbourne, Australia). Forty-one competitors registered for the competition.
This was the first time a contest was held at this venue and it holds some historical significance.
By Jonathon Quay, President,
Victorian Pipers Association
The contest was sponsored by the Sunshine Foundation, a charity created in honour of Hugh Victor McKay, an industrialist in Melbourne during the late 1800s to early 1900s. HV McKay CBE (1854-1926) founded the Sunshine Harvesters company and had a significant involvement with pipe bands, funding the Sunshine Pipe Band, which eventually became the current Victoria Scottish band. This year marks the centenary of HV McKay’s passing and it is fitting that a piping contest has been started in his honour.
The Sunshine Foundation’s sponsorship enabled the VPA to award a prize purse of $2100AUD, which was awarded across C, D and Novice grades. It should be noted that the number of competitors was a record for a season opener in the VPA.
Rupertswood Mansion was owned by HV McKay and the mansion itself has a very prominent place in Australian history, being the birthplace of the Ashes cricket series. The first Ashes test match was played at the cricket ground adjacent to Rupertswood and the legendary burning of the bails and presentation of the Urn was held at the mansion.
A Piob.: 1 Jonathan Quay 2 Joshua Chandler 3 Stephen Ross
March: 1 Jonathan Quay 2 Dan Whelan 3 Joshua Chandler
S&R: 1 Jonathan Quay 2 Dan Whelan 3 Joshua Chandler
H&J: 1 Jonathan Quay 2 Dan Whelan 3 Joshua Chandler
B Piob.: 1 Campbell Wilson 2 Dan Whelan 3 Craig McKenzie
March: 1 Campbell Wilson 2 Stephanie Scott 3 Michael Zhang
S&R: 1 Campbell Wilson 2 Stephanie Scott 3 Michael Zhang
H&J: 1 Campbell Wilson 2 Stephanie Scott 3 Cam Ely
C Piob.: 1 Finley Parsons 2 Mike Taylor 3 Ian Thorn; March 1 Finley Parsons 2 Charlie Schaefer 3 Charli Millar; S&R: 1 Finley Parsons 2 Charli Millar 3 Charlie Schaefer; H&J: 1 Finley Parsons 2 Charli Millar 3 Lyn Vanos
D Piob.: 1 I Lau 2 S Rathnayake 3 D Tran; March: 1 S Rathnayake 2 I Lau 3 R Sinclair; S&R: 1 S Rathnayake 2 D Tran 3 R Sinclair; Novice Piob.: 1 W Carey 2 M McKay 3 F McKittrick; March: 1 W Carey 2 F McKittrick 3 M Nield; Slow Air: 1 F McKittrick 2 W Carey 3 M Nield
Overall A grade – Jonathan Quay; B grade – Campbell Wilson; C grade – Finely Parsons; D grade – Sachindri Rathnayake; Novice – Weston Carey; Judges: J Easdon, C Ely, M Gervasoni, C McKenzie, B Tidswell, D Whelan, R Wilkinson.
American Pipe Band Championship
Weather was hot and sunny for the 9th edition of the American Pipe Band Championships in Norfolk, Virginia, held as part of the Virginia International Tattoo on Scope Plaza on Saturday, April 18th 2026, writes Andrew Carlisle. Temperatures peaked at 89F. It was a terrific day and a large audience attended the admission free event.
Open Drum Fanfare: Carnegie Mellon University; M&D G2: MacMillan; M&D G3: Siren City
G2: 1 MacMillan, Washington DC 2 Great Lakes, Cleveland, Ohio; Best MSR: MacMillan; Best Medley: MacMillan; Best Drums: MacMillan
G3: 1 Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 2 Wake & District Public Safety, Raleigh, North Carolina 3 MacMillan Birtles, Rockville, Maryland 4 Siren City, Norfolk, Virginia; Best MSR: CMU; Best Medley: CMU; Best Drums: CMU
Judges: J Beaumont, Penticton, British Columbia, Canada, WO1 Pipe Major P Grant, Sr. Pipe Major British Army, Edinburgh, Scotland, A MacIntyre, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, J Sim, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Bagpiper’s Handbook – Handy Maintenance Tips
A concise yet complete handbook for all pipers. Learn how to tie in a stock, adjust your reeds, test your bag and much, much more. A handy size, the book can be kept in the pipe case for easy reference. The book comes complete with a set of video instructions which help explain each lesson. Access them: here.
‘It is beautifully presented and full of wise tips for pipers’….Fred Kew, Hong Kong
