Easton a beast on Victorian Solo Piping Championships, winning all four top events

Melbourne – July 27, 2024 – Stuart Easton of Palmerston North, New Zealand, hopped across the water to compete in the Victorian Pipers’ Association’s Victorian Championships and Australian Piobaireachd medals at Presbyterian Ladies’ College and came away with a perfect day, winning all four of the events he entered. More than AUD$5,000 in prize money was awarded across all of the grades, and about 60 solo pipers participated in the competitions.

In addition to prize money for each event, Easton won $1,000 and the James Center Memorial Trophy, donated by the family of the famous bonnet-wearing Scottish piper and bagpipe maker who emigrated to Australia later in his life.

Piobaireachd
Australian Gold Medal (AUD$500)
1st Stuart Easton
2nd Jonathan Quay
3rd Struan Thorpe
Judges: Alasdair Henderson, Malcolm McRae

Australian Silver Medal ($300)
1st Robert Wilkinson
2nd Greg Lowe
3rd Henry Carls
Judges: Fiona Manson, Malcolm McRae

Australian Bronze Medal ($150)
1st Stephanie Scott
2nd Roger Sinclair
3rd Jasmine Hofen
Judge: Marion Horsburgh

D Grade (ground and next variation, $50)
1st Brendan Nicholls
2nd Sherry Li
3rd James Brisolin
Judge: Alastair McInnes

Novice (ground only, $40)
1st Charli Millar
2nd Saxon Coffey
3rd Sachindri Rathnayake
Judge: Marion Horsburgh

Light Music
A Grade
2/4 March
1st Stuart Easton
2nd Craig Sked
3rd Callum Carn

Strathspey & Reel
1st Stuart Easton
2nd Ian Lyons
3rd Craig Sked

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Stuart Easton
2nd Craig Sked
3rd Struan Thorpe

B Grade
2/4 March
1st Simon Gibson
2nd Michael Zhang
3rd Greg Lowe

Strathspey & Reel
1st Michael Zhang
2nd Greg Lowe
3rd Cameron Ely

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Campbell Wilson (Aus)
2nd Cameron Ely
3rd Simon Gibson

B Grade Champion: Michael Zhang (Scots of Victoria Trophy; $300)

C Grade
2/4 March
1st Jessie Sun
2nd Jasmine Hofen
3rd Stephanie Scott

Strathspey & Reel
1st Jessie Sun
2nd Jasmine Hofen
3rd Stephanie Scott

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Jessie Sun
2nd Stephanie Scott
3rd Jasmine Hofen

C Grade Champion: Jessie Sun (Clan McLennan Perpetual Shield; $250)

D Grade
2/4 March
1st Charlie Tickell
2nd Sophie Lambourn
3rd Ebony Ciccocioppo

Strathspey & Reel
1st Charlie Tickell
2nd Ebony Ciccocioppo
3rd Sophie Lambourn

D Grade Champion: Charlie Tickell (Bradshaw Family Perpetual Shield; $200)

Novice Light Music
2/4 March
1st Jeanae Bao
2nd Isabella Lau
3rd Saxon Coffey

Slow Air
1st Jonathon Zilber
2nd Charlie Schaefer
3rd Sachindri Rathnayake

Novice Champion: Saxon Coffey (Clan McGillivray Perpetual Shield; $150)