Ballater Games were held last Thursday with a very low turnout – another consequence of Worlds Week. Helmsdale Games in the far north were on Saturday, August 15 and Crieff yesterday, August 16. Pictured above is Champion Piper at Helmsdale, Angus MacPhee.
Thursday 13th August saw the Ballater Highland Games in upper Deeside, writes Duncan Watson. It is a popular venue for tourists and was well attended. The weather was pleasantly warm and a bit overcast.
While well attended by tourists it was not well attended by the adult piping fraternity with only two turning up to give us a tune in the piobaireachd. It was good to see them. Congratulations to Simon Fraser University Pipe Band for their success at Glasgow Green – at Ballater we had also a Simon Fraser all the way from Australia.
Fortunately there was a healthy turnout of young pipers and this is obviously of significant importance. We had a visit to the piping board by Sandy Milne and Graham Lumsden, partners in Milne Auctioneers, Aberdeen, who sponsor juvenile piping in the North East and thus make a contribution precious to the future of piping.
Piob.: 1 Andrew Graham, Lament for Mary Macleod 2 Simon Fraser, Wee Spree
March: 1 Andrew Graham 2 Cheng Bohan 3 Rebecca Batchelor 4 Simon Fraser
S&R: 1 Cheng Bohan 2 Andrew Fraser 3 Simon Fraser
U18 March: 1 Rory Menzies 2 Oscar Melville Butler 3 Callan Erskine 4 Larry Presslie
U18 S&R: 1 Larry Presslie 2 Rory Menzies 3 Oscar Melvile Butler 4 Callan Erskine
Judges: L Barclay, DJ MacIntyre, N Selbie, D Watson
Crieff Games: Sixteen played in the Seniors and 12 in the Juniors. Piping Convenor Robert Paterson: ‘Thanks to all the players, parents and judges for supporting the Gathering.’ Champion Piper: Gillian Blaney.
Piob.: 1 Martin Kessler 2 William Shropshire 3 Cameron MacLeod 4 Gillian Blaney 5 Calum Carn
MSR: 1 Fraser Allison 2 Gillian Blaney 3 Sam Foote 4 David Bruce 5 Calum Carn
U18 MSR: 1 Alasdair Bullock 2 Morla Bruce 3 Finlay Trewinnard 4 James Silcock 5 Lily Robertson
U18 Jig: 1 Kayli Folan 2 Alasdair Bullock 3 Lauren Bain 4 Jack Folan 5 Finlay Trewinnard
Judges: R Barnes, D Fraser, M Robertson, J Taylor
Helmsdale Games: Five played in the piobaireachd. Champion Piper: Angus MacPhee. Confined Champion: Fiona MacKay.
Piob.: 1 Angus MacPhee, Fingerlock 2 Gordon Barclay, Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay 3 Duncan MacGillivray, Big Spree
March: 1 Alasdair Fraser 2 Angus MacPhee 3 Gordon Barclay
S&R: 1 Angus MacPhee 2 Gordon Barclay 3 Alasdair Fraser
Jig: 1 Angus MacPhee 2 Alasdair Fraser 3 Gordon Barclay
Confined MSR (Ross-shire/ Sutherland/ Caithness): 1 Alasdair Fraser 2 Fiona MacKay 3 Duncan MacGillivray
Confined Jig: 1 Fiona MacKay 2 Alexander MacKay 3 Alasdair Fraser
Judge: JD MacKenzie
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