#TBT – a pipes|drums throwback photo

We delve into our deep archive of original images to bring readers a #ThrowbackThursday image from the Crieff Highland Games of August 18, 1984.

It’s Anne Spalding competing in the Open Piobaireachd before judges Andrew Pitkeathly and James MacGregor. Although there was some rain on the day, the contest was held during one of the warmest and driest summers in Scotland’s history.

Anne Spalding in the 1970s and ’80s was one of the leading solo pipers in the world. While she is best known today for breaking the gender barrier, along with Patricia Henderson, at the Argyllshire Gathering in 1976. Before then, female pipers were prohibited from competing at Oban and the Northern Meeting at Inverness, despite their repeated applications to enter in previous years.

Spalding remains active as a member of the Grade 2 MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band of Dundee, Scotland, and she also runs the organization’s Novice band, also handling much of the teaching.

Over the years she has taught probably hundreds of kids, some of whom have gone on to be some of the world’s most successful pipers.