Alistair Aitken’s report yesterday prompted this response form a reader who has asked to remain anonymous:
Who has got it wrong this time? What was the large seated main stand in between G1 and G2 arenas for?
I was at Ingliston this year and all that you could hear from the stand was a mixture of G1 and G2 playing and a mixture of the next G1 and G2 bands tuning up all at same time.
Why was there was no event actually in front of the main stand whilst all the trophies were on display at the complete opposite side of the main arena?
When it came to the Finale, it started at least an hour late and I thought it was supposed to be the new massed band style. Curious, I left the seated area for a few minutes to see what may be holding things up but there didn’t appear to be anything; all the bands were spread out across the entrance field tuning up as usual.
Eventually the march past finally started at approximately 17.30. The six centre bands marched over to the far side of the field and stood with their backs to the main stand (playing in turn) and the rest of the bands marched in not playing and filed in behind them also with their backs to the main stand.
All bands were in at approx. 18.10. Then there was brief pause for silence to remember members who passed away during the year. I don’t know if it was even properly observed as there was no command to attention etc given for a marching band style gathering of this nature.
The prizes were then distributed as usual. Maybe the RSPBA officials want the prizegiving to be a ‘closed shop’ as well as the actual results.
While it is well done to Shotts, some of the lower placed bands in Grade 1 may be wondering ‘why’, or ‘why me’?
Victorian Pipers Association
On Saturday May 30th, over 70 competitors attended the Victorian Pipers’ Association contest held at Scotch College, Melbourne, Australia. The large field comprised just under 30 competitors in the Novice grade, 12 in D, 18 in C, 10 in B and five in A. Heats were run in Novice with the top four going through to finals.
Prizes were donated by St Kilda Retail, the Australian arm of RG Hardie, and included, an ‘Infinity’ poly pipe chanter for the D grade overall, practice chanters with carry cases for Novice, maintenance kits for C and D grade, and a variety of caps, hats and towels for runner up, A and B grades.
A Piob.: 1 Jono Quay, Beloved Scotland 2 Josh Chandler, Earl of Seaforth’s Sal. 3 Cam Ely, King’s Taxes; March:1 Dan Whelan 2 Jono Quay 3 Josh Chandler; S&R: 1 Jono Quay 2 Josh Chandler 3 Dan Whelan; H&J: 1 Jono Quay 2 Josh Chandler 3 Dan Whelan; Overall – Jono Quay
B Piob.: 1 Michael Stewart, Farewell to the Laird of Islay 2 Dan Whelan, Lament for the Iolaire 3 Campbell Wilson, Lament for the Iolaire; March 1 Cam Ely 2 Robert Wilkinson 3 Michael Zhang; S&R: 1 Cam Ely 2 Campbell Wilson 3 Robert Wilkinson; H&J: 1 Michael Zhang 2 Campbell Wilson 3 Matt Gervasoni
C Piob.: 1 Finley Parsons, Corrienessan’s Sal. 2 Mike Taylor, Glengarry’s Lament 3 Isabella Lau, Cabar Feidh Gu Bragh; March: 1 Eden Jones 2 Finley Parsons 3 Charlie Schaefer; S&R: 1 Finley Parsons 2 Michael Stewart 3 Davyd Leech; H&J: 1 Finley Parsons 2 Charlie Irving 3 Henry Hayward; Overal: Finley Parsons
D Piob.: 1 Sachindri Rathnayake 2 Isabella Lau 3 Dylan Tran; March: 1 Sachindri Rathnayake 2 Isabella Lau 3 Dylan Tran; S&R (two parts) 1st – Sachindri Rathnayake 2 Isabella Lau 3 Fraser Ford; Overall – Sachindri Rathnayake
Novice Piob.: 1 Fergus McKittrick 2 Maisie Nield 3 Isaac Kunde; March: 1 Maisie Nield 2 Fergus McKittrick 3 Jeremy Xue; Slow Air: 1 Maisie Nield 2 William Batchelor 3 Fergus McKittrick; Overall – Maisie Nield
Judges: James Easdon, Matt Fraser, Matt Gervasoni, Craig MacKenzie, Stephanie Scott, Chris Sinclair, Michael Stewart, Robert Wilkinson,
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