WAPOL changes plans to compete at World’s

The Grade 1 Western Australia Police Pipe Band (WAPOL), which impressed many people when it competed at the 2004 World Pipe Band Championships and elsewhere, has decided not to attend this year’s World’s.

“WAPOL will not be attending this year world championships due to funding,” said Pipe-Major James Cowie. “With the huge expense that the band has to cover for international travel we have fallen short of this year’s target.”

Like other antipodean bands, WAPOL has been trying to attend the World’s every other year. In 2004 the band qualified for the Grade 1 Final at the World’s, and finished eleventh overall.

“As you can imagine it is very disappointing for the band and our supporters, but this does put us in a good position for the next two years’ travel plans,” Cowie continued. “The band will continue to fund-raise hard for the next year, so as this unfortunate situation will not arise again.”

Cowie added that the band is working on a recording that should be released later in the year. WAPOL’s Live@MPAC disc of 2004 was well reviewed.

p|d

What do you think? We always want to hear from our readers, so please use our comment system to provide your thoughts!

Do you have news? Be sure to send your information to pipes|drums. We can’t report what we don’t know about! Please remember to support the businesses that advertise and make the not-for-profit p|d possible.