Braemar Junior Games

Braemar Junior Games was held on Saturday July 22nd on the famous King George V Park. This initiative by the Braemar Committee has been successful in giving youngsters knowledge and experience of the Highland Games and all it entails. Many aged 5-16 enjoyed the athletic events including sack and hill races, heavies, dancing and piping. Ballater, Newtonhill and Huntly Pipe Bands played throughout the afternoon. Piobaireachd: 1 Annabelle Charlton  2…

Tobermory Games Results

This small, traditional Highland games on the island of Mull celebrated its 100th anniversary yesterday in fine style. A large crowd, a large entry in the piping and only one rain shower. Duty band was Oban High School and Chieftain Sir Lachlan Maclean of Duart and Morvern. The programme blurb read: ‘Since 1923 on the ‘third Thursday after the first Monday in July’, Mull Highland Games have been held on…

Editor’s Notebook: Reid Letters/ Festival Contest/ Tony Lightfoot/ MacLellan Contest/ Piping Live March

Comparisons are odious as they say, but it is a habit in which we pipers just can’t help indulging. For example, Robert Reid jnr., we read this week, believed Malcolm Macpherson a better player than the Bobs of Balmoral. I don’t suppose we’ll ever know. The ‘Binneas’ recordings of Malcolm are very poor and I know of no others of him. There are good recordings of RB Nicol and RU…

Editor’s Notebook: Yardley Medal/ Silver Chanter/ MacDougall’s House/ Luss, Bute & Annan Contests

Reader Phil Meyer has been in touch from Tasmania. Phil writes: ‘I  am a descendent of George Yardley and was wondering if the attached medal [front and back above] has any value from an insurance point of view? ‘George was my great-grandfather on my grandmother’s side so I have never met him. In fact I believe neither my father or his two sisters actually met him either. I will see…

Editor’s Notebook: Boghall/ Regradings/ MacDougall Pipes/ Band Quartets/ British Legion 1970

There are a couple of things that need to be said following the Boggies big win last weekend. This very much a community band with a loyal membership that has stuck with it over the decades irrespective of success or lack of it. This loyalty was much more common when I played in bands than it is today with butterfly bagpipers flitting around hither and thither before landing on another…