The RSPBA has made the draw for the European Pipe Band Championships. The contest takes place on June 29 at Bught Park, Inverness, Scotland.
The draw (and times of play) is as follows:
Grade 1
1 14:00 The Glasgow Skye Association
2 14:10 Inveraray and District
3 14:20 Lomond and Clyde
4 14:30 Johnstone
5 14:40 Field Marshal Montgomery
6 14:50 St Laurence O’Toole
7 15:00 Pipes and Drums of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
8 15:10 Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia
9 15:20 Glasgow Police
10 15:30 Scottish Power
11 15:40 Police Scotland Fife
12 15:50 Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia
Judges: Donald MacPhee and Anthony Sloane (piping); Stuart Coils (drumming) and Jennifer Hutcheon (ensemble).
Grade 2
1 13:45 City of Discovery
2 13:54 Mackenzie Caledonian
3 14:03 Royal Burgh of Annan
4 14:12 Royal Burgh of Stirling
5 14:21 Uddingston Strathclyde
6 14:30 Wallacestone and District
7 14:39 Scottish Fire and Rescue Services
8 14:48 Portlethen and District
9 14:57 Bucksburn and District
10 15:06 Highland Granite Pipes and Drums
11 15:15 Distillery Isle of Islay
12 15:24 Buchan Peterson
13 15:33 Oban
14 15:42 Closkelt
Judges: George Wilson and Terry Lee (piping); Lee Innes (drumming) and Peter Snaddon (ensemble).
Grade 3A
1 14:15 Prestonpans Royal British Legion
2 14:23 Deeside Caledonia
3 14:31 The Highlanders (4 SCOTS)
4 14:39 Stockbridge
5 14:47 Johnstone
6 14:55 Coalburn I.O.R.
7 15:03 Ross and Cromarty Pipes and Drums School
8 15:11 Mackenzie Caledonian
9 15:19 Vale of Atholl
10 15:27 Ramage City of Newcastle
11 15:35 Lewis
12 15:43 City of Inverness
Judges: Robert Worrall and Robert Mathieson (piping); Paul Brown (drumming) and Gordon Lawrie (ensemble).
Grade 3B
1 11:00 Lanark and District
2 11:08 Kilmarnock
3 11:16 Turriff and District
4 11:24 Williamwood
5 11:32 Tweedvale
6 11:40 Oban High School
7 11:48 Perth and District
8 11:56 Arbroath
9 12:04 Mesa Caledonian (U.S.A.)
10 12:12 Ayr Pipe Band Society
11 12:20 Lochryan
12 12:28 Denny and Dunipace
13 12:36 Dunbar Royal British Legion
Judges: Barry Donaldson and John Wilson (piping); Brian Martin (drumming) and Paul Turner (ensemble).
Grade Juvenile
1 10:00 Preston Lodge High School
2 10:08 Dollar Academy
3 10:16 Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia
4 10:24 George Heriot’s School
5 10:32 George Watson’s College (Juvenile)
Judges: Donald MacPhee and Anthony Sloane (piping); Stuart Coils (drumming) and Jennifer Hutcheon (ensemble).
Grade 4A
1 10:00 Fraserburgh Royal British Legion
2 10:08 Royal Burgh of Stirling
3 10:16 Methil and District
4 10:24 R.A.F. Lossiemouth
5 10:32 Lower Clyde Pipes and Drums
6 10:40 Dornoch
7 10:48 The Pipes and Drums of Basel
8 10:56 Haileybury (Australia)
9 11:04 Rothesay and District
10 11:12 Northern Constabulary Community
11 11:20 Elgin and District
12 11:28 Royal High
13 11:36 Mid Argyll
14 11:44 Penicuik and District
15 11:52 Kelty and Blairadam
16 12:00 Glenrothes and District 2010
17 12:08 Stockbridge
Judges: Robert Worrall and Robert Mathieson (piping); Paul Brown (drumming) and Gordon Lawrie (ensemble).
Grade 4B
1 13:30 Pitlochry and Blair Atholl
2 13:38 Coupar Angus Burgh
3 13:46 Vale of Atholl
4 13:54 Ullapool and District
5 14:02 Scotch College Adelaide
6 14:10 Uddingston Strathclyde
7 14:18 Ellon and District Royal British Legion
8 14:26 Camelon and District
9 14:34 Ardross Pipe Band
10 14:42 Strathpeffer and District
11 14:50 Culter and District
12 14:58 Tulliallan
13 15:06 Troon Blackrock
14 15:14 Greyfriars Pipes and Drums
15 15:22 Grampian District Pipes and Drums
16 15:30 Badenoch and Strathspey
17 15:38 Kilbarchan
18 15:46 Granite City
19 15:54 Strathendrick
20 16:02 Forres and District Pipe Band
Judges: Jim Semple and Alvis Kerr (piping); David Brown (drumming) and James Campbell (ensemble).
Grade Novice Juvenile B
1 10:00 Aberdeenshire Schools
2 10:08 Lochgelly High School
3 10:16 Presbyterian Ladies College (Sydney, Australia)
4 10:24 Burntisland and District
5 10:32 City of Inverness Youth
6 10:40 Knox Grammar School (2) – Australia
7 10:48 Garnock Valley
8 10:56 Stirling and District Schools Junior
9 11:04 Scotch College Melbourne (Australia)
10 11:12 Skye Youth
11 11:20 Sgoil Lionacleit
12 11:28 Mackenzie Caledonian Juvenile
13 11:36 Bucksburn and District Novice
14 11:44 Oban High School
15 11:52 Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia
16 12:00 Renfrewshire Schools
17 12:08 Preston Lodge High School Pipe Band
18 12:16 North Lanarkshire Schools
Judges: George Wilson and Terry Lee (piping); Lee Innes (drumming) and Peter Snaddon (ensemble).
Grade Novice Juvenile A
1 11:00 Stirling and District Schools
2 11:08 George Watson’s College (Novice)
3 11:16 North Lanarkshire Schools
4 11:24 Knox Grammar School (1), Australia
5 11:32 Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia
6 11:40 George Heriot’s School
7 11:48 Lochalsh Junior
8 11:56 Dollar Academy
9 12:04 Scotch College Melbourne
Judges: Jim Semple and Alvis Kerr (piping); David Brown (drumming) and James Campbell (ensemble).
Bught Park is about a 10 minute walk from Eden Court theatre, the venue for the Northern Meeting. It is home to the Inverness Highland Games and to Inverness Shinty Club.
Last year’s competition was held on a sweltering hot day in nearby Forres and saw Inveraray and District win the Grade 1 contest and Mackenzie Caledonian the Grade 2 contest. Grade 3A went to Uddingston Strathclyde, 3B to Johnstone, Juvenile to Dollar Academy, 4A to Tweedvale and 4B to Lower Clyde Pipes and Drums. Novice Juvenile A and B went to Dollar Academy (No. 2) and North Lanarkshire Schools respectively.
