Hawthorn wins 2022 Australian Pipe Band Championships

Narreeben, New South Wales, Australia – October 1-2, 2022 – The Australian Pipe Band Championships returned after several years hiatus, and Hawthorn was the big winner in the top Grade 2 events, taking firsts in both the Medley and the MSR. The Western Australia Police, the only Grade 1 band in the country, had planned to attend, but had to withdraw.

The concluding ceremonies on the first day saw a massive brief deluge of rain at Rugby Park, but otherwise the weather was typically great. The competition now expects to get back to its regular biannual schedule, moving around from state to state each time.

Grade 2
Medley
1st Pipeband Club (2,1,2,1)
2nd Hawthorn (1,3,1,2)
3rd Emmanuel College Highlanders at the University of Queensland (3,2,3,3)
Judges: Brett Tidswell, Brian Switalla (piping); Greg Bassani (drumming); Nat Russell (ensemble)

MSR
1st Hawthorn (1,1,2,1)
2nd Pipeband Club (2,2,1,2)
3rd Emmanuel College Highlanders at the University of Queensland (3,3,3,3)
Judges: Tom McGirr, Andrew Sneddon (piping); Dugal McConnell (drumming); Stephen Mathews (ensemble)

Grade 3 (five competed)
Medley
1st City of Melbourne (1,1,1,1)
2nd City of Ipswich (2,2,3,2)
3rd St. Mary’s District Band Club (4,4,2,3)
4th Canberra Burns Club (3,3,4,4)
5th Northern Suburbs (5,5,5,5)
Judges: Brett Tidswell, Brian Switalla (piping); Greg Bassani (drumming); Nat Russell (ensemble)

MSR
1st City of Ipswich (1,1,1,1)
2nd City of Melbourne (2,2,2,2)
3rd St. Mary’s District Band Club (3,3,3,4)
4th Canberra Burns Club (4,4,4,3)
5th Northern Suburbs (5,5,5,5)
Judges: Tom McGirr, Andrew Sneddon (piping); Dugal McConnell (drumming); Stephen Mathews (ensemble)

Grade 4A (nine competed)
Medley
1st Haylebury
2nd Scotch College Melbourne
3rd Old Scotch
4th Knox Grammar School
5th Canberra Burns Club
Judges: Tom McGirr, Andrew Sneddon (piping); Dugal McConnell (drumming); Stephen Mathews (ensemble)

Marches
1st Haylebury
2nd Scotch College Melbourne
3rd Old Scotch
4th Knox Grammar School
5th Canberra Burns Club
Judges: Brett Tidswell, Brian Switalla (piping); Greg Bassani (drumming); Nat Russell (ensemble)

Grade 4B (11 competed)
Medley
1st City of Melbourne 2
2nd Governor McQuarrie Memorial
3rd Ballarat Grammar School
4th NSW Police
5th City of Ipswich 2
6th Scotch College Melbourne
Judges: Tom McGirr, Andrew Sneddon (piping); Dugal McConnell (drumming); Stephen Mathews (ensemble)

Marches
1st Scotch College Melbourne
2nd Scots College NSW
3rd Ballarat Grammar School
4th City of Ipswich 2
5th Knox Grammar School
6th NSW Police
Judges: Brett Tidswell, Brian Switalla (piping); Greg Bassani (drumming); Nat Russell (ensemble)