Pipers get ready for Oban

The Argyllshire Gathering is scheduled to take place on August 24 and 25 in the tourist town of Oban, Scotland, and about 50 of the world’s best competition pipers will take part. The marquee event, the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal, the Senior Piobaireachd and the Former Winners MSR, will take place on the first day, with the remaining light music contests happening outdoors at the Argyllshire Gathering games on Thursday.

Thirty pipers have been accepted for the Gold Medal this year, and the all-important order-of-play has been announced:

1. Ross Cowan, Annan, Scotland
2. Stuart Shedden, Glasgow *
3. Greg Wilson, New Zealand *
4. Chris Armstrong, Bathgate, Scotland *
5. Jori Chisholm, Seattle **
6. Richard Hawke, New Zealand **
7. Marion Horsburgh, New Zealand
8. Robert Watt, Northern Ireland
9. Allan Russell, Kelty, Scotland **
10. Brendon Eade, New Zealand
11. Alastair Dunn, Glasgow
12. Andrew Rogers, Fredericton, New Nrunswick
13. Glenn Brown, Milton, Ontario
14. Andrew Mathieson, Lochgelly, Scotland
15. Jeremy Freeman, California
16. Simon McKerrell, Edinburgh
17. P-M Michael Gray, The Highlanders **
18. Martin Kessler, Germany
19. Niall Stewart, Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland
20. Alan Bevan, Surrey, British Columbia **
21. Fiona Manson, New Zealand
22. Andrew Hayes, Ottawa **
23. Innes Smith, Edinburgh
24. John Angus Smith, Glasgow **
25. Jenny Hazzard, Edinburgh
26. Douglas Murray, Glenrothes, Scotland
27. Donald MacPhee, Alexandria, Scotland **
28. Euan MacCrimmon, Skye, Scotland
29. Gordon McCready, Renfrew, Scotland
30. James MacHattie, Toronto
* Has won the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting.
** Has gained a prize in a previous Gold Medal contest.

The Argyllshire Gathering this year for the first time brings on two Canadian judges. Bob Worrall will be part of the bench for the Former Winners MSR, and Jim McGillivray will be a judge for the MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd and the B-Grade Strathspey & Reel.

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