The Scottish Pipers’ Association’s (SPA) annual competition for professional pipers took place today. A good entry competed in the various grades across The National Piping Centre’s two campuses in Glasgow. The A Grade competitions took place at Otago Street while the B and C Grade competitions took place at McPhater Street.
Darach Urquhart of Glasgow, Scotland, was the overall A Grade winner.
Results:
A Grade Ceòl Mòr – 1. Darach Urquhart (Earl of Ross’s March); 2 Steven Leask (I Gave a Kiss to the King’s Hand); 3. Sarah Muir (End of the Great Bridge); 4. Bill Geddes (The Old Men of the Shells); 5. Allan Russell (Mary’s Praise).
Former Winners MSR – 1. Sarah Muir; 2. Steven Leask; 3. Pipe Major Ben Duncan; 4. Darach Urquhart; 5. Bill Geddes.
A Grade March – 1. Calum Brown; 2 Darach Urquhart; 3. William Rowe.
A Grade Strathspey & Reel – 1. Bill Geddes; 2 Calum Brown; 3 Pipe Major Ben Duncan; 4 William Rowe.
6/8 March – 1. Darach Urquhart.
B Grade Ceòl Mòr – 1. Finlay Cameron; 2. John McElmurray; 3. Calum Brown; 4. Jamie Elder; 5. Andrew Hall.
B Grade March – 1. Ciaran Ross; 2. Andrew Hall; 3. Cameron MacDougall; 4. Calum Wynd; 5. Sandy Cameron.
B Grade Strathspey and Reel – 1. Ciaran Ross; 2. Cameron MacDougall; 3. Finlay Cameron; 4. Calum Wynd; 5. Sandy Cameron.
C Grade Ceòl Mòr – 1. Finlay Frame; 2. Bradley Parker; 3. Ross Conner; 4. Gavin Hardie; 5. Brodie Watson-Massey.
C Grade March – 1. Finlay Frame; 2. Bradley Parker; 3. Ben Greeves; 4. Andrew Hutton; 5. Ben Mulhearn.
C Grade Strathspey and Reel – 1. Ben Greeves; 2. Kyle Shead; 3. Brodie Watson-Masse; 4. Finlay Frame; 5. Stuart MacCallum.
The judges were:
• All A Grade competitions – Willie Morrison and Roddy Livingstone.
• B Grade Piobaireachd – Andrew Frater.
• B Grade and C Grade MSR – Ian McLellan BEM and Neill Mulvie.
• C Grade Piobaireachd – Alan Forbes.
The SPA, founded in 1920, is in its centenary year. Its first president was John MacDougall Gillies. The current president is Tom Johnstone.
• The first heat of the SPA’s famous ‘Knockout’ series for the prestigious Piping Times Trophy takes place at Otago Street on the evening of May 4. The pipers are Gordon McCready and current trophy holder, Stuart Liddell.
