Drambuie-Kirkliston officially goes to Grade 1

The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association’s National Council officially ratified the recommendations of the organization’s Music Board and moved the Drambuie-Kirkliston Pipe Band to Grade 1 after the band’s Grade 2 win at the World Championships and its capture of the overall 2005 Champion of Champions award. No other Grade 2 RSPBA-member bands were upgraded.

There was some speculation that two or three Grade 1 bands were on the brink of being relegated, but none ultimately were moved. The addition of Drambuie brings the total number of Grade 1 RSPBA-member bands to 18.

There had been speculation that the Windsor Police Pipe Band of Ontario would be upgraded by the RSPBA after that band’s consistent placings at the World’s over the years. At the 2005 Alliance of North American Pipe Band Associations (ANAPBA) summit in Winnipeg member associations made a formal request to the RSPBA’s chairman, Kevin Reilly, that his organization not re-grade non-RSPBA-member bands.

It is widely assumed that the Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario will officially upgrade the Windsor Police to Grade 1.

Four Grade 3A bands were upgraded to Grade 2: Seven Towers and Marlacoo of Northern Ireland and Strathclyde Fire & Rescue and Coalburn IOR of Scotland.

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