Lee Takes First Glenfiddich Title

Blair Atholl, Scotland – November 1, 2003 – The annual Glenfiddich Solo Piping Championships were held before a packed Great Hall of Blair Castle, the Duke of Atholl’s residence. Jack Lee of Surry, British Columbia, won his first overall championship, with a first in the Piobaireachd event and a fourth in the twice-over March, Strathspey & Reel contest.

Lee thus becomes the first non-Scottish piper to win the overall championship since the contest started in 1974.

There was a three-way tie in points for the overall prize between Lee, Wilie McCallum, of Bearsden, Scotland, and Gordon Walker of Kilmarnock, Scotland. Lee’s first place in the Piobaireachd was the deciding factor.

Competitors are invited based on results of the year’s biggest contests.

Piobaireachd
1st Jack Lee, “Lament for the Laird of Anapool”
2nd Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland, “The Daughter’s Lament”
3rd Bruce Gandy, Halifax, Nova Scotia, “Battle of the Pass of Creiff”
4th Gordon Walker, Kilmarnock, Scotland, “The Bells of Perth”
5th Mike Cusack, Houston, “The Big Spree”
Judges: Malcolm McRae, Jack Taylor and James Young.

March, Strathspey & Reel
1st Gordon Walker, “Knightswood Ceilidh,” “Piper’s Bonnet,” “John Morrison, Assynt House”
2nd Alasdair Gillies, Pittsburgh
3rd Willie McCallum
4th Jack Lee
5th Murray Henderson, Kirriemuir, Scotland
Judges: Walter Drysdale, John McDougall and Iain MacLellan.

Also competing but not in the prizes were Chris Armstrong, Bathgate, Scotland; Roderick MacLeod, Glasgow; and Iain Speirs, Edinburgh.

The competition is sponsored by long time supporter of piping, Wm. Grant & Son Distillers, makers of some of the world’s finest malt whiskies.

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