The Scottish outdoor pipe band competition season got underway today on the east coast at Dunbar in East Lothian.

Results:
Grade 1
(MSR) – 1. Police Fife Scotland; 2. Royal Burgh of Stirling.
Judges: J. Connor and B. Donaldson (piping); L. Innes (drumming) and P. Snaddon (ensemble).

Grade 2 (Medley) – 1. Royal Burgh of Stirling; 2. George Watson’s College, Juvenile; 3. Preston Lodge High School; 4. George Heriot’s School; 5. The Highlanders (4 SCOTS); 6. Stockbridge (ensemble preference).
Judges: M. Rhodes and D. MacPhee (piping); D. Brown (drumming) and C. Edgar (ensemble).

Grade 3 (MSR) – 1. Dunbar Royal British Legion; 2. Denny and Dunipace (ensemble preference); 3. The Highlanders, 4 SCOTS (ensemble preference); 4. Ramage City of Newcastle; 5. Stockbridge; 6. Royal Burgh of Stirling.
Judges: J. Connor and B. Donaldson (piping); L. Innes (drumming) and P. Snaddon (ensemble).

Juvenile (Medley) – 1. Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia; 2. George Watson’s College, Juvenile; 3. George Heriot’s School; 4. Preston Lodge High School.
Judges: M. Rhodes and D. MacPhee (piping); D. Brown (drumming) and C. Edgar (ensemble).

Grade 4a – 1. Royal High; 2. Penicuik and District (ensemble preference); 3. Royal Burgh of Stirling; 4. Camelon and District; 5. Stockbridge.
Judges: J. Connor and B. Donaldson (piping); L. Innes (drumming) and P. Snaddon (ensemble).

Grade 4b – 1. Camelon and District; 2. Stow Borders.
Judges: M. Rhodes and D. MacPhee (piping); D. Brown (drumming) and C. Edgar (ensemble).

Novice Juvenile A – 1. West Lothian Schools; 2. George Watson’s College, Novice; 3. Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia; 4. George Heriot’s School; 5. Preston Lodge High School Pipe Band, Nov B.
Judges: M. Rhodes and D. MacPhee (piping); D. Brown (drumming) and C. Edgar (ensemble).

Novice Juvenile B – Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (ensemble preference); 2. Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia; 3. Preston Lodge High School Pipe Band; 4. Tynecastle.
Judges: J. Connor and B. Donaldson (piping); L. Innes (drumming) and P. Snaddon (ensemble).

Tomorrow sees more east coast pipe band action – at Banchory and Dundee – but with no Grade 1 bands entered attention will be focussed on the west coast at Gourock in Renfrewshire where a handful of Grade 1 bands will have their first outing. Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia is the first band on at 15:50 followed by Johnstone, Scottish Power, Glasgow Police, Shotts and Glasgow Skye.

Glasgow Police will be under the spotlight, having spent the winter and spring rebuilding with mostly new players, while Emmet Conway marks his first competition in his new role as Pipe Major of Shotts.

We will bring you the results as soon as we have them.

Next Saturday (18th) sees the first ‘major’ of the season, the British Pipe Band Championships at Paisley.