Having sat through all the Grade 1 performances at the World Pipe Band Championships (WPBC) this year on both Friday and Saturday, I have prepared my summary in three separate sections – general comments about the event, thoughts on the Grade 1 medley performances, and some observations about the revised two-day format for Grade 1.  I should make it clear from the outset that I was sitting in the main…

There are fewer venues for a games as grand as the gorunds of Chatsworth House in Derbyshire home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. The weather brought a mixed day of showers and sunshine with a temperature of around 14 celsius. Nineteen pipers entered – 12 playing in the open events and 10 in the events restricted to members of the Competing Pipers Association currently graded ‘B’ or ‘C’….

This contest was held on Aug 30 at Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, during but not part of, the Northern Meeting Piping Competition. Overall Winners:Grade 3-Hector ThomsonGrade 2-Dugald MacLeodGrade 1-David MacKenzie Grade 3 – Piobaireachd Ground 1.Hector Thomson2. Sven Vollberg Full Piobaireachd 1. Hector Thomson 2. Sven Vollberg 3. Robert Thomson 2/4 March 1. Cameron O’ Neill 2. Sven Vollberg 3. Hector Thomson Strathspey and Reel1. Cameron O’ Neill 2 Hector Thomson 3. Sven Vollberg Grade 2  Piobaireachd 1. William Wardrope 2….

A soggy Birnam games with intermittent spells of sunshine throughout the afternoon. An interesting twist for the 12 ceol beag competitors was the submission and performance of two marches, two strathspeys and one reel. Winner of the Sinagoca Cup for Overall Best Piper was Jonathon Simpson. He is pictured above with Junior Champion Ewan Allen. Boggies kilts, boggy ground.Piobaireachd:1 Ben McClamrock 2 Ursa Beckford3 Jacob Dicker4 Archie Drennan5 Dan LydenAdjudicators: R…

This was a highly successful conclusion to two days of top class piping. The 2019 Gold Medallist was young Connor Sinclair pictured above. The overall prize for Champion Piper was won by Stuart Liddell. You can read a review of the Clasp competition by the Editor here. Gold Clasp1 Callum Beaumont, Daughter’s Lament 2 Jack Lee, Lament for John MacDonald, Inverness 3 Angus MacColl, Donald Gruamach’s March4 Stuart Liddell, Donald…