•Pipe Major Richard Parkes leads Field Marshal Montgomery off the field at the British Pipe Band Championships, Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin
On the final day of 2024 we look back 10 years to the first major of the 2014 season, the British Pipe Band Championship held in Bathgate. Grade 1 was won by Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band that day, and FM went on to win all but one major competition in 2014 – the European title, which was Inveraray and District’s first ever major title in Grade 1.
In 2014 Pipe Major Richard Parkes MBE won his tenth World Pipe Band Championship in Grade 1, he added number 11 in 2016, number 12 in 2018 equaling the record of Pipe Major Ian McLellan BEM, and eventually breaking it in 2022 with his thirteenth win. Richard Parkes retired in 2024 as the most successful pipe major ever, and his record of Grade 1 wins is going to be very hard, if not impossible, to break.
•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin•British Pipe Band Championships at Bathgate in 2014. Photo John Slavin
