Bruce Gandy’s first welcome to the Ardmore Cup

By winning the recent Sun Belt Invitational, Nova Scotia’s Bruce Gandy has been invited to compete in the Ardmore Cup in Wexford, Ireland, on February 24th.

The Ardmore Cup is the Sun Belt’s sister contest, each organized by Eric Stein and a team of volunteers as new independently-run solo piping competitions, unsanctioned by a piping and drumming association.

After the success of the BarRoom Brawl at the Sun Belt, the Ardmore Cup will also add a freestyle event on Friday, February 23rd, at the Round Tower Hotel in Ardmore, Waterford, where pipers competing at the competition can try to be the most entertaining for the audience that will determine the winner.

In the spirit of furthering piping in the area, the Saturday events will also include the first Pipe-Major Tommy Tully Practice Chanter Competition at St. Declan’s Village Hall, with the winner receiving a new set of Highland pipes.

Judging the Saturday competitions will be David Caldwell, Tim Farrelly, and John Wilson, the winner of the Ardmore Cup decided by the best aggregate in the MSR and Medley, the only two events offered.

Further details of and invitees to the Ardmore Cup are still to be revealed.

The first Ardmore Cup, held in February 2023, was won by Connor Sinclair of Crieff, Scotland.