2022 Northern Meeting Day 2: Angus D. MacColl wins Clasp and P/A HP&J; Ross, Knichel take the B-Grade events

Inverness, Scotland – September 2, 2022 – The Northern Meeting solo piping competitions at Eden Court Theatre on the banks of the River Ness continued, highlighted by the prestigious Clasp, reserved for previous winners of the Highland Society of London Gold Medal and the balance of the light music events.

The Clasp was won by Angus D. MacColl of Benderloch, Scotland, his fifth time winning the prestigious award. He followed that up with a winn of the Premier/A-Grade Hornpipe & Jig. MacColl has the distinction of winning both the Clasp and the Senior Piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering in the same year.

Zephan Knichel of Surrey, British Columbia, was overall best in the B-Grade light music events, and Andrew Ferguson of Dollar, Scotland, gained the aggregate trophy for the Silver Medal and the B-Grade MSR.

Highland Society of London Gold Medallist Nick Hudson did not attend the prize-giving due to his wife giving birth in Houston while he was competing on Thursday.

On the first day, the Highland Society of London Gold Medal and Silver Star Former Winners MSR were livestreamed for a £15 fee, but none of the Friday contests were made available online.

Whereas the results from the first day events were revealed as they were determined by the judges, all of the prizes from day two were announced together at a ceremony that started around 5 pm.

With Angus D. MacColl already having qualified for the Glenfiddich by virtue of the Oban Senior Piobaireachd, the remaining two spots go to other prize-winners in a pecking order of major events. Second prize in the Clasp went to Fred Morrison of Bishopton, Scotland, so he will probably get the nod, as will Willie McCallum of Bearsden, Scotland, after his second in the Silver Star Former Winners MSR at Inverness, since Dollar, Scotland’s Callum Beaumont was second in the Oban Senior Piobaireachd but had already qualified twice. Thus, the 10 Glendfiddich invitees: Glenn Brown, Glasgow (Bratach Gorm); Callum Beaumont (London overall champion, Masters champion, 2nd Oban Sr. Piob); Jamie Forrester, Uddingston, Scotland (Oban Gold Medal); Alex Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (Inverness Silver Star); Nick Hudson, Houston (Inverness Gold Medal); Jack Lee, Surrey, British Columbia (reigning Glenfiddich Champion); Angus D. MacColl (Oban Sr. Piobaireachd, Clasp); Willie McCallum (2nd Inverness Silver Star MSR); Fred Morrison (2nd Inverness Clasp); and Connor Sinclair, Crieff, Scotland (Oban Former Winners MSR); all subject to confirmation and acceptance of invitations.

Clasp (19 competed)
1st Angus D. MacColl, “Nameless Cherede Darievea”
2nd Fred Morrison
3rd Craig Sutherland, Crieff, Scotland
4th Callum Beaumont, Dollar, Scotland
5th Greg Wilson, Christchurch
Judges: Murray Henderson, Jack Taylor, Bill Wotherspoon

Also competing (alphabetical): Glenn Brown; Stuart Easton; Bruce Gandy; Andrew Hayes; Alasdair Henderson; Finlay Johnston; Jack Lee; Stuart Liddell; Ian K. MacDonald; Roddy MacLeod; Peter McCalister; Willie McCallum; Connor Sinclair; and Iain Speirs.

Premier/A-Grade Hornpipe & Jig (44 competed)
1st Angus D. MacColl
2nd Sean McKeown, Bowmanville, Ontario
3rd Ian K. MacDonald, Whitby, Ontario
4th Jenny Hazzard, Edinburgh
5th James MacHattie, Summerside, Prince Edward Island
Judges: Michael Grey, Iain MacFadyen, Ronnie McShannon

Also competing (alphabetical): Callum Beaumont; Calum Brown; Glenn Brown; Gordon Bruce; Greig Canning; Andrew Carlisle; Gordon Conn; Seamus Coyne; Angus D. MacColl; Ben Duncan; Stuart Easton; Mike Fitzhenry; Jamie Forrester; Alex Gandy; Bill Geddes; Steven Gray; Andrew Hayes; Alasdair Henderson; Nick Hudson; Liam Kernaghan; Steven Leask; Alastair Lee; Cameron MacDougall; James Mackenzie; Roddy MacLeod; Ben McClamrock; Gordon McCready; Ashley McMichael; Derek Midgley; Fred Morrison; Sarah Muir; John Mulhearn; Willie Rowe; Innes Smith; Iain Speirs; Craig Sutherland; Darach Urquhart; Calum Watson; Matt Wilson; and Greg Wilson.

B-Grade
MSR (34 competed)
1st Ciaren Ross, Clackmannan, Scotland
2nd Calum Moffat, Lockerbie, Scotland
3rd Andrew Ferguson, Dollar, Scotland
4th Zephan Knichel, Surrey, British Columbia
5th Ross Miller, Glasgow
Judges: Patrick Grant, Jim McGillivray

Also competing (alphabetical): Fraser Allison; Scott Armstrong; Ursa Beckford; Xavier Boderiou; Ruairidh Brown; Sandy Cameron; Finlay Cameron; Kris Coyle; Jason Craig, Dollar, Scotland; Lachie Dick; Jacob Dicker; Bobby Durning; Jamie Elder; Decker Forrest, Skye; Eddie Gaul; Andrew Hall; Anna Kummerlow; Dan Lyden; Angus MacPhee; Peter McCalister; John McDonald; Ed McIlwaine; Alastair Murray; Dan Nevans; Matt Pantaleoni; Jonathon Simpson; Brodie Watson-Massey; Jack Williamson, Topeka, Kansas; and Callum Wynd.

Hornpipe & Jig (34 competed)
1st Zephan Knichel
2nd Fraser Allison, Balfron, Scotland
3rd Anna Kummerlow, Kladrum, Germany
4th John Dew, Glasgow
5th Andrew Ferguson
Judges: Patricia Henderson, Ian MacLellan

Also competing (alphabetical): Scott Armstrong; Ursa Beckford; Xavier Boderiou; Ruairidh Brown; Sandy Cameron; Finlay Cameron; Kris Coyle; Jason Craig, Dollar, Scotland; Lachie Dick; Jacob Dicker; Bobby Durning; Jamie Elder; Decker Forrest, Skye; Eddie Gaul; Andrew Hall; Dan Lyden; Angus MacPhee; Peter McCalister; John McDonald; Ed McIlwaine; Ross Miller; Alastair Murray; Dan Nevans; Matt Pantaleoni; Ciaren Ross; Jonathon Simpson; Brodie Watson-Massey; Jack Williamson; and Callum Wynd.

Juniors
17 and Younger
Overall Champion: Eala McElhinney
Piobaireachd (17 competed)
1st Lewis Maxwell, Alva, Scotland
2nd Liam Nicolson, Australia
3rd Kyle Cameron, Rosemarkie, Scotland
4th Eala McElhinney, Duntocher, Scotland
Judges: Stuart Samson, Bruce Hitchings

MSR (17 competed)
1st Hector Finlayson, Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland
2nd Eala McElhinney
3rd Jake Robertson, Aberdeen, Scotland
4th Logie Johnston, Isle of Mull, Scotland
Judges: Ian Duncan, Peter Hunt

15 and Younger
Overall Champion: Fraser Hamilton
Piobaireachd (eight competed)
1st Fraser Hamilton, Paisley, Scotland
2nd Grace Kelman, Inverness, Scotland
3rd Angus Robson, Broughty Ferry, Scotland
4th Charles McLennan, Inverness, Scotland
Judges: Ian Duncan, Peter Hunt

MSR (nine competed)
1st Rory Menzies, Aberdeen, Scotland
2nd Fraser Hamilton
3rd Angus Robson
4th Grace Kelman
Judges: Stuart Samson, Bruce Hitchings