Christchurch, New Zealand will play host to the biggest contest in the southern hemisphere since the beginning of the pandemic at the 2023 New Zealand and South Pacific Pipe Band Championships.
Bands from across Australia and New Zealand will compete over two days in Christchurch on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th March 2023.
“This shows the Australasian pipe band community is in full flight again and ready to showcase the best of what ‘Down Under’ has to offer,” Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands’ Association President Iain Blakeley says.
“With strong entries across all six grades – including juvenile – we are absolutely delighted to be putting on such a top-quality event. With top bands from Australia coming across, the quintessential trans-tasman rivalry will be on full display.
“Of particular note, we have eight world-class juvenile pipe bands including the 2013 World Champions St. Andrew’s College, and the current reigning New Zealand and Australian champions ILT City of Invercargill and Scotch College Melbourne.”
Top adjudicators from across Australasia have been selected. Greg Wilson, Stuart Easton, Liam Kernaghan and Ian Lyons make up the piping panels, Harold Gillespie and Alistair Hanning complete the ensemble panel and Andrew Wolmersley and Ross Levy round off the drumming panel.
“We are delighted to have such top-quality musicians from 47 pipe bands entered and ready for the biggest pipe band competition in the Southern Hemisphere since the pandemic,” Mr Blakeley said.
The current New Zealand Pipe Band champions are:
- Grade 1 – Canterbury Caledonian Society HPB
- Grade 2 – St. Andrew’s College PB
- Grade 3 – Canterbury Caledonian Society Grade 3
- Grade 4A – ILT City of Invercargill HPB
- Grade 4B – The Scottish Society of New Zealand #2 PB
- Juvenile – ILT City of Invercargill HPB
The 47 bands entered for the 2023 New Zealand and South Pacific Championships:
Grade 1
- Auckland and District Pipe Band
- Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
- ILT City of Invercargill Highland Pipe Band
- Manawatu Scottish Pipe Band
- New Zealand Police Pipe Band
Grade 2
- Celtic Pipe Band (Nelson)
- Hawthorn Pipe Band (Melbourne)
- Metro Scottish Pipe Band
- St Andrew’s Pipe Band (Brisbane)
- St Andrews College Pipe Band
- Wellington Red Hackle Pipe Band
Grade 3
- Auckland and District Pipe Band
- Auckland Police Pipe Band
- Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
- City of Tauranga Pipe Band
- Hawkes Bay Caledonian Pipe Band
- ILT City of Invercargill Highland Pipe Band
- Manawatu Scottish Pipe Band
- Northland Caledonian Pipe Band
Grade 4A
- Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
- Celtic Pipe Band (Nelson)
- City of Rotorua Pipe Band
- Hamilton Caledonian Pipe Band
- Hokonui Celtic Pipe Band
- Metro Scottish Pipe Band
- Papakura Pipe Band
- Scotch College Pipe Band (Melbourne)
- St Andrews College Pipe Band
- Waimatuku Southern Scenic Highland Pipe Band
- Wellington Red Hackle Pipe Band
Grade 4B
- Ashburton Pipe Band
- Blenheim and Districts Highland Pipe Band
- City of Dunedin Pipe Band
- City of Sails Pipe Band
- Hokonui Celtic Pipe Band
- ILT City of Invercargill Highland Pipe Band
- John McGlashan College Pipe Band
- McAlpines North Canterbury Pipe Band
- South Canterbury Pipe Band
Juvenile
- Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
- ILT City of Invercargill Highland Pipe Band A
- ILT City of Invercargill Highland Pipe Band B
- John McGlashan College Pipe Band
- Lewis Turrell Memorial Pipe Band
- Scotch College Pipe Band (Melbourne)
- St Andrews College Pipe Band A
- St Andrews College Pipe Band B
- Highland Pipe Band A
- ILT City of Invercargill Highland Pipe Band B
- John McGlashan College Pipe Band
- Lewis Turrell Memorial Pipe Band
- Scotch College Pipe Band (Melbourne)
- St Andrews College Pipe Band A
- St Andrews College Pipe Band B
