Tribute to the late Ken Eller at Pacific Northwest Games; Alastair Lee wins Open Piping trophy; SFU takes overall

Enumclaw, Washington – July 27-28, 2024 – Alastair Lee of Surrey, British Columbia, edged out Zephan Knichel, also of Surrey, to take the Open Solo Piping aggregate trophy at the Pacific Northwest Highland Games. Simon Fraser University was the overall winner in the Grade 1 band competitions, with St. Thomas Alumni travelling from Houston to come away with a win in the MSR against the perennial World Championship contenders.

At the prize-giving ceremony at the end of the second day, British Columbia Pipers Association Vice-President David Hilder read a tribute to piping and drumming great Ken Eller, who passed away on July 26th:

“Yesterday the piping and pipe band world lost a giant: Ken Eller, ‘The Captain,’ pipe-major, mentor, international adjudicator from Ontario, teacher, friend. Ken was a friend to all and always had a moment for everyone. Ken was a man on the square, an honest and true man – as true as a compass. It is comforting to know Ken is now fly fishing and playing pipes somewhere out there. He will be greatly missed around this world. Please join me in a moment of silence for this great man and all those lost in his past year. Rest easy brother.”

“It is comforting to know Ken is now fly fishing and playing pipes somewhere out there. He will be greatly missed around this world.” – BCPA VP David Hilder

Bands
Grade 1
Medley
1st Simon Fraser University (1,1,1,1)
2nd St. Thomas Alumni (2,2,2,2)
Judges: Shaunna Hilder, David Hilder (piping); Scott Robertson (drumming); Terry Lee (ensemble)

MSR
1st St. Thomas Alumni (2,1,2,1) (ens.pref.)
2nd Simon Fraser University (1,2,1,2)
Judges: Shaunna Hilder, Terry Lee (piping); Scott Robertson (drumming); David Hilder (ensemble)

Grade 2
Medley
1st Cascadia
2nd Wasatch & District
Judges: Shaunna Hilder, Terry Lee (piping); Scott Robertson (drumming); David Hilder (ensemble)

MSR
1st Cascadia
2nd Wasatch & District
Judges: Shaunna Hilder, David Hilder (piping); Scott Robertson (drumming); Terry Lee (ensemble)

Grade 3
Medley
1st Greighlan Crossing
2nd Robert Malcolm Memorial 3
3rd Keith Highlanders 3
Judges: Hugh Armstrong, Keith Paton (piping); Scott Robertson (drumming); Terry Lee (ensemble)

MSR
1st Greighlan Crossing
2nd Robert Malcolm Memorial 3
3rd Keith Highlanders 3
Judges: Keith Paton, Hugh Armstrong (piping); Scott Robertson (drumming); Terry Lee (ensemble)

Grade 4
Medley
1st Northwest Junior
2nd Portland Metro Youth
3rd Robert Malcolm Memorial 4
4th Keith Highlanders 4
5th Kenmore and District 4
6th Wasatch & District 4
7th Clan Gordon
Judges: Hugh Armstrong, Keith Paton (piping); Scott Robertson (drumming); Terry Lee (ensemble)

MSR
1st Northwest Junior
2nd Portland Metro Youth
3rd Robert Malcolm Memorial 4
4th Keith Highlanders 4
5th Kenmore and District 4
6th Wasatch & District 4
7th Clan Gordon
Judges: Hugh Armstrong, Keith Paton (piping); Scott Robertson (drumming); Terry Lee (ensemble)

Grade 5
Quick Marches Set (Saturday)
1st Kenmore & District 5
2nd Grand Prairie & District
Judges: Hugh Armstrong, Keith Paton (piping); Scott Robertson (drumming); Terry Lee (ensemble)

Quick Marches Set (Sunday)
1st Kenmore & District 5
2nd Grand Prairie & District
Judges: Hugh Armstrong, Keith Paton (piping); Scott Robertson (drumming); Terry Lee (ensemble)

Piping Quartets
Grade 1 (MSR)
1st Q 2 SFU
Judge: Keith Paton

Grade 2 (MSR)
1st Q 1 Cascadia
2nd Q 2 Cascadia
Judge: Andrew Lee

Grade 3 (MSR)
1st Q 2 Greighlan Crossing 3
2nd Q 1 Greighlan Crossing 3
3rd Q 2 RMM3
Judge: Hugh Armstrong

Grade 4 (MSR)
1st Q 2 Northwest Jr
2nd Q 1 Clan Gordon
3rd Q 1 Northwest Jr
4th Q 1 Wasatch & District
5th Q 1 Kenmore & District 4
6th Q 1 RMM4
Judge: Glenn Brown

Solo Piping
Open
Piobaireachd
1st Zephan Knichel
2nd Nick Hudson
3rd Cameron Bonar
4th Alastair Lee
5th Alistair Bevan
6th Callum Bevan
Judge: Glenn Brown

2/4 March
1st Zephan Knichel
2nd Alastair Lee
3rd Seumas Coyne
4th Cameron Bonar
5th Nick Hudson
6th Alistair Bevan
Judge: Danielle Millar

Strathspey & Reel
1st Alastair Lee
2nd Nick Hudson
3rd Darran Forrest
4th John Lee
5th Joseph Stewart
6th Callum Bevan
Judge: Glenn Brown

Jig
1st Alistair Bevan
2nd Cameron Bonar
3rd Alastair Lee
4th Zephan Knichel
5th Joseph Stewart
6th Callum Bevan
Judge: Andrew Lee

Grade 1
Piobaireachd
1st Liam Forrest
2nd Matthew Launer
3rd Colin Forrest
4th Jack Martin
5th Jeff Rowell
6th Aaron Malcomb
Judge: Alan Bevan

2/4 March
1st Colin Forrest
2nd Liam Forrest
3rd Jack Martin
4th Jeff Rowell
5th Liam Boyle
6th Aiden Fowler
Judge: Andrew Lee

Strathspey & Reel
1st Liam Forrest
2nd Colin Forrest
3rd Jack Martin
4th Jeff Rowell
5th Liam Boyle
6th Matthew Launer
Judge: Jack Lee

Jig
1st Liam Boyle
2nd Aiden Fowler
3rd Jack Martin
4th Jeff Rowell
5th Colin Forrest
6th Matthew Launer
Judge: Hugh Armstrong

Grade 2
Piobaireachd
1st Grace Barnes
2nd Tyler Johnson
3rd Jacob Bowers
4th Jon Scott
5th Ian MacPhail
6th Marcus Range
Judge: Alan Bevan

6/8 March
1st Grace Barnes
2nd Marcus Range
3rd Evan Jamieson
4th Jacob Bowers
5th Jon Scott
6th Ian MacPhail
Judge: Danielle Millar

Strathspey & Reel
1st Ian MacPhail
2nd Grace Barnes
3rd Tyler Johnson
4th Marcus Range
5th Jon Scott
6th Evan Jamieson
Judge: Terry Lee

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Grace Barnes
2nd Ian MacPhail
3rd Jacob Bowers
4th Brittany Crooks
5th Evan Jamieson
6th James Naismith
Judge: Keith Paton

Grade 3
Piobaireachd
1st Timothy Oliverson
2nd Garrett Bargabos
3rd Adi Moss-Sheth
4th Truin Tomasetti
5th David Barrash
6th Tim Riddle
Judge: Terry Lee

2/4 March
1st Adi Moss-Sheth
2nd Timothy Oliverson
3rd Jacob Robertson
4th Jayne Ferlitsch
5th Michael Page
6th Garrett Bargabos
Judge: Jack Lee

Strathspey & Reel
1st Adi Moss-Sheth
2nd Truin Tomasetti
3rd Jacob Robertson
4th Jayne Ferlitsch
5th David Barrash
6th Michael Bigelow
Judge: Andrew Lee

Jig
1st Adi Moss-Sheth
2nd Jacob Robertson
3rd Jayne Ferlitsch
4th David Barrash
5th Michael Bigelow
6th Eric Spears
Judge: Danielle Millar

Grade 4
Piobaireachd
1st Logan Gillespie
2nd Gavin Syme
3rd Eden Svangtun
4th Flint Yoder
5th Keelan Allen
6th Nancy Westad
Judge: Danielle Millar

2/4 March
1st Gavin Calder
2nd Gavin Syme
3rd Sean Underwood
4th Keelan Allen
5th Eden Svangtun
6th Tim Riddle
Judge: Andrew Lee

Strathspey & Reel
1st Sean Underwood
2nd Gavin Calder
3rd Keelan Allen
4th Eden Svangtun
5th Gavin Syme
6th Tim Riddle
Judge: Keith Paton

6/8 March
1st Sean Underwood
2nd Keelan Allen
3rd Tim Riddle
4th Logan Gillespie
5th Patrick Sutherland
6th Gavin Syme
Judge: Andrew Lee

Grade 5
2/4 March
1st Adelynn Williams
2nd Evan Markus
3rd Joe Williamson
4th Keefe McWilliams
5th Maeve Ross
6th Charlotte Burslem
Judge: Keith Paton

6/8 March
1st Evan Markus
2nd Adelynn Williams
3rd Joe Williamson
4th Zachary Robertson
5th Maeve Ross
6th Ian McIntyre
Judge: Jack Lee

Slow Air
1st Joe Williamson
2nd Maeve Ross
3rd Adelynn Williams
4th Ella Durning
5th Zachary Robertson
6th Keefe McWilliams
Judge: Terry Lee

Adult
Piobaireachd
1st Steve Barnes
2nd Cynthia Byrne
3rd Doug Gardner
4th Barry Kirk
Judge: Hugh Armstrong

2/4 March
1st Doug Gardner
2nd Steve Barnes
3rd Cynthia Byrne
4th Rochelle Eldridge
5th Bruce Crawford
6th Dixie Mize
Judge: Jack Lee

Slow Air
1st Doug Gardner
2nd Steve Barnes
3rd Cynthia Byrne
4th Barry Kirk
5th Bruce Crawford
Judge: Jack Lee

Strathspey & Reel
1st Doug Gardner
2nd Steve Barnes
3rd Cynthia Byrne
Judge: Hugh Armstrong

Solo Drumming
Snare
Open
MSR
Jake Mix
Judge: Scott Robertson

Hornpipe & Jig
Jake Mix
Judge: Blair Brown

Grade 1
MSR
1st Megan Millar
2nd Sam Linsley
3rd Malcolm Fuller
Judge: Scott Robertson

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Sam Linsley
2nd Megan Millar
3rd Malcolm Fuller
Judge: Blair Brown

Grade 2
MSR
1st Erin Allen
2nd Hope Barnes
Judge: Blair Brown

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Hope Barnes
2nd Keiran Stephan
Judge: Blair Brown

Grade 3
2/4 March
1st Jayce Edetsberger
2nd Max Fenwick
Judge: Scott Robertson

6/8 March
1st Jayce Edetsberger
2nd Max Fenwick
Judge: Blair Brown

Grade 4
2/4 March
1st Samuel Lawler
2nd Aiden Huston
3rd Reilly Svangtun
Judge: Scott Robertson

6/8 March
1st Aiden Huston
2nd Reilly Svangtun
3rd Sean Wilson
Judge: Blair Brown

Tenor Drumming
Open
MSR
Mitchell Olding
Judge: Scott Robertson

Hornpipe & Jig
Mitchell Olding
Judge: Scott Robertson

Intermediate
6/8 March
Lindsay MacGregor
Judge: Scott Robertson

MSR
Elise Svangtun
Judge: Blair Brown

Novice
2/4 March
1st Sierra Ferrell
2nd Abigail Plopper
Judge: Scott Robertson

6/8 March
Sierra Ferrell
Judge: Blair Brown

Drum Corps Fanfare
Grade 1
Corps SFU
Judges: Blair Brown, Scott Robertson

Grade 2
Corps Wasatch & District
Judges: Blair Brown, Scott Robertson

Grade 4
Corps Kenmore & District 4
Judges: Blair Brown, Scott Robertson