Northern Meeting Prelim: Judges, Draw etc.

This week the focus of world piping switches to Scotland’s northernmost city, Inverness and our own Theatre of Dreams, Eden Court. Anyone who has ever been to the Northern Meeting piping competitions knows of the tension, the excitement and special atmosphere that surrounds the place and its precincts over the two days of the Meeting. The best pipers in the world are there to do battle for honours they know…

Oban 2015 – Gold Medallist John Angus Smith Interview

By Robert Wallace Another successful Argyllshire Gathering concluded yesterday as you will have read, and plans are already underway for next year’s gathering. The weather was particularly unkind on Games Day (though it brightened up later), but it could not lessen the light in the eye of the new Gold Medallist, John Angus Smith. In a short interview he told Piping Press: ‘It feels fantastic to have won the Gold…

Donald MacPherson’s Medals and Trophies For Sale at Auction – Updated

The medals and trophies belonging to one of the greatest pipers of all time are to go on sale to the general public. Donald MacPherson’s unprecedented collection of Northern Meeting Clasps, Silver Stars and trophies representing his 15 Senior Piobaireachd wins at the Argyllshire Gathering will go on sale at auction in October.  The picture above shows one of the six Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society Silver Stars won by Donald…

Lonach, Ballater, Cortachy Games

Cortachy Games 16/8/15 Piob 1 Ursa Beckford 2 Nick Hudson 3 Palmer Shonk March 1 Ursa Beckford 2 Nick Hudson 3 Anna Kummerlow S&R 1 Ursa Beckford 2 William Rowe 3 Anna Kummerlow Ballater Games 20/8/15 Piob 1 Andrew Donlon 2 Anna Kummerlow 3 Matt Pantaleoni 4 Allan Russell March 1 Andrew Donlon 2 Allan Russell 3 Edward Gaul 4 Andy Wright Strathspey and Reel 1 Andy Wright 2 Allan Russell 3…

PP Editor’s Blog: Monktonhall Pipe Band/ New England Camp/Worlds etc

Thanks to Les Hutt, Inverness, for reminding me of the Glenurquhart and Invergordon Games tomorrow (see Comments). There’s certainly plenty of opportunity for pipers this Saturday to get out and have a tune and I  hope as many as possible will take advantage of the last few weekends of the games. Les’s old band were the Monktonhall Colliery and he learned his piping under Willie McBride, a fine piper and a first…