Many years ago I was judging Grade 4 at Cowal Games in the days when that grade could have over 40 competitors. It was one of the wettest days I ever encountered at Dunoon – and there were many. The rain was coming down in sheets and I was standing on the grass in about three inches of water. The second band to play was Ashbourne from Derbyshire in England. …
The factors outlined in my last article regularly affect adjudicators but there are others which are totally unexpected. Some examples of both types of these situations I encountered during my adjudication career are as follows. All of them are true. Perception or fact? The first time I judged the Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championships I was on the MSR drumming competition. The potential winners being talked about beforehand were…
Former RSPBA Adjudicator Alistair Aitken OBE continues with his detailed look at the judging of pipe bands and how it can be improved. Read his first instalment here. What are the common barriers to effective pipe band adjudication? Firstly, there is no doubt that the location and layout of a pipe band competition can be factors. Contests can of course be held indoors or outdoors. Indoor competitions can be easier…
As the COVID-19 lockdown unfortunately has resulted in the complete loss of the 2020 pipe band outdoor competition season, I am sure the usual ‘reviewers’ of pipe band results must be quite frustrated that they are this year having to look for other pastimes to vent their frustrations and sometimes unfair accusations. While the competition scene is dormant, apart from virtual versions, this may be an opportune time to take…
I was very sad to learn that Tony Harris, former RSPBA National Councillor, passed away on Friday 10 April 2020 at the age of 89, writes Alistair Aitken. Tony had been in a care residence for some time near his home in Toddington in Bedfordshire. Tony was born in Wootton Green, a small village in Bedfordshire. He lived in nearby Stewartby, where his father, uncles and grandfather worked for the…
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