Our focus turns to the Argyllshire Gathering being held in Oban today and tomorrow. The Gathering attracts the best pipers in the world in a multi-discipline series of competitions.
Piobaireachd competitions are underway for the Highland Society of London Gold Medal, the Argyllshire Gathering Silver Medal, Senior Piobaireachd and MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd.
These exclusive events are restricted to either the top pipers in their category or those who have qualified from previous successes. Any prize is a significant achievement; a first prize changes the course of every piper’s career.
Top prizemoney is on offer (£1,000 for the Senior Piobaireachd) but the prestige attached to winning at Oban is what attracts the expert players.
Whilst the piobaireachd events start from early morning, from mid afternoon there is the Former Winners’ March Strathspey and Reel contest for the Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society Silver Star, the highest ceòl beag award in the world. Entrants have to submit six tunes of each and are asked to play the tunes selected twice over.
Another RSPS Silver Star is on offer in a similar event at the Northern Meeting in Inverness next week.
The first six to play in the Gold Medal are Cameron MacDougall, Connor Sinclair, Calum Brown, Innes Smith, Nick Hudson and Kyle Cameron. In the Senior Piobaireachd it is Jamie Forrester, Greg Wilson Callum Beaumont, Glenn Brown, Roderick MacLeod and Alasdair Henderson.
In the Former Winners we have Angus D MacColl, Cameron Drummond, Alasdair Henderson, Connor Sinclair, Calum Brown and Allan Russell. In the Silver Medal the first six are Cameron Bonar, Greig Canning, Callum Carn, Ruairidh Brown, Jacob Dicker and Liam Kernaghan.
Games Day is tomorrow, August 27, with the winner of the Gold Medal leading the pipers to the games at Mossfield Park for the remaining light music competitions.
These are A and B Grade March and Strathspey and Reel, Open Jig, Intermediate MSR for the RG Hardie Trophy, and local and junior piping. Winners of the A Grade qualify for the Former Winners in 2027. There are over 40 entrants in both A March and A Strathspey and Reel, with a short leet in each category.
The majority of the light music competitions are on the main games field rather than in the adjacent park as has happened in the past.
Check out the full draws here. Stay tuned to Piping Press for the results as they come in later today.
