2024 Argyllshire Gathering Day 1: Cameron Drummond (finally) wins Gold Medal; Henderson takes Senior Piob; McDonald wins Silver; Armstrong FWMSR

Oban, Scotland – August 21, 2024 – The first day of the two-day Argyllshire Gathering saw Cameron Drummond of Edinburgh win the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal for piobaireachd, adding his name again to the history books. Drummond had been second in the event at Oban and Inverness several times.

Drummond has won numerous top solo piping awards, including the Silver Chanter and the Silver Star MSR at the Northern Meeting. For his success, he earns an invitation for one of 10 spots at the 2024 Glenfiddich Championships in October, so far also taken by Alan Bevan (Masters Champion) Finlay Johnston (Scottish Pipers Society of London champion), Bratach Gorm winner Roddy MacLeod, and 2023 Glenfiddich Champion Callum Beaumont.

Four of the five prizewinners in the Gold Medal were not from the UK, and three were from the United States.

The Senior Piobaireachd for those who have won the Highland Society of London Gold Medal at either the Argyllshire Gathering or the Northern Meeting went to Alasdair Henderson, Edinburgh. It was his first time winning the award, and he, too, is invited to the Glenfiddich.

The Silver Medal went to Jon McDonald of Aberdeen, Scotland. The Former Winners MSR was won by Chris Armstrong of Glasgow, who also gains an invite to the Glenfiddich.

The MacGregor Memorial piobaireachd competition was won by Kyle Cameron of Fortrose, Scotland. The contest is for pipers 23 and younger who go through an application system for limited spots in the event. The competition was held in heats with a final of eight.

Highland Society of London Gold Medal (25 competed)
1st Cameron Drummond, “Black Donald’s March”
2nd Nich Hudson, Houston, “Nameless – hiharin odin hiharin dro”
3rd Derek Midgley, Tinton Falls, New Jersey, “Nameless – hiharin odin hiharin dro”
4th Brendon Eade, Waikato, New Zealand, “The Glen Is Mine”
5th Andrew Donlon, Washington, DC, “Farewell to the Laid of Islay”
Judges: Bruce Hitchings, Ronnie McShannon, Willie Morrison

Also competing: Glenn Brown, Glasgow; Calum Brown, Aberdeen, Scotland; Gordon Bruce, Kilwinning, Scotland; Sandy Cameron, Roy Bridge, Scotland; Andrew Carlisle, Pittsburgh; Ben Duncan, Edinburgh; Jamie Elder, Auchtermuchty, Scotland; Angus J. MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland; Steven Leask, East Kilbride, Scotland; Alastair Lee, Surrey, British Columbia; Cameron MacDougall, Nigg, Scotland; Ben McClamrock, Washington, DC; Sean McKeown, Bowmanville, Ontario; Derek Midgley, Tinton Falls, New Jersey; Sarah Muir, Campbeltown, Scotland; John Mulhearn, Carluke, Scotland; Matt Pantaleoni, St. Louis; William Rowe, Fielding, New Zealand; Innes Smith, Dunblane, Scotland; Darach Urquhart, Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland; Calum Watson, Bathgate, Scotland.

Senior Piobaireachd (for winners of at least one of the Gold Medals, 20 competed)
1st Alasdair Henderson, “Mrs. MacLeod of Talisker’s Salute”
2nd Callum Beaumont, St. Andrews, Scotland, “Lament for Donald Ban MacCrimmon”
3rd Stuart Liddell, Inveraray, Scotland, “A Son’s Salute to His Parents”
4th Bruce Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, “Nameless – cherede darieva”
5th Craig Sutherland, Perth, Scotland, “Scarce of Fishing”
Judges: Murray Henderson, Angus MacDonald, John Wilson

Also competing: Chris Armstrong; Alan Bevan, Abbotsford, British Columbia; Glenn Brown; Andrew Hayes, Ottawa; Nick Hudson; Finlay Johnston, Glasgow; Jack Lee, Surrey, British Columbia; Angus MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland; Ian MacDonald, Whitby, Ontario; Roddy MacLeod, Glasgow; Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland; Fred Morrison, Bishopton, Scotland; Innes Smith; Iain Speirs, Edinburgh; Greg Wilson, Christchurch.

Silver Medal (25 competed)
1st John McDonald, Aberdeen, Scotland
2nd Cameron May, Lesmahagow, Scotland
3rd Eddie Gaul, Dundee, Scotland
4th Callum Wynd, Dunblane, Scotland
5th Luke Kennedy, Strathaven, Scotland
Judges: Euan Anderson, Jimmy Banks, Bill Wotherspoon

Also competing: Fraser Allison, Balfron, Scotland; Alistair Bevan, Abbotsford, British Columbia; Ruairidh Brown, Dunblane, Scotland; Greig Canning, Kirkcaldy, Scotland; John Dew, Edinburgh; Jacob Dicker, Maxville, Ontario; Bobby Durning, Carrollton, Texas; Andrew Ferguson, Dollar, Scotland; Mike Fitzhenry, Paisley, Scotland; Steven Gray, Lockerbie, Scotland; Eireann Iannetta-Mackay, Burrelton, Scotland; Zephan Knichel, Surrey, British Columbia; Anna Kummerlöw, Kladrum, Germany; Dan Lyden, Timonium, Maryland; Angus MacPhee, Inverness, Scotland; Ashley McMichael, Antrim, Northern Ireland; James McPetrie, Aboyne, Scotland; Ben Mulhearn, Troon, Scotland; Bradley Parker, Milngavie, Scotland; Jonathon Simpson, Falkirk, Scotland.

Former Winners MSR (26 competed)
1st Chris Armstrong
2nd Stuart Liddell
3rd Willie McCallum
4th Sara Muir
5th Ian K. MacDonald
Judges: Barry Donaldson, Iain MacFadyen, Bob Worrall

Also competing: Callum Beaumont; Alan Bevan; Glenn Brown; Andrew Carlisle; Cameron Drummond; Ben Duncan; Bruce Gandy; Alex Gandy; Alasdair Henderson; Finlay Johnston; Alister Lee; Jack Lee, Surrey, British Columbia; Angus D. MacColl; Angus J. MacColl; Cameron MacDougall; Roddy MacLeod; Willie McCallum; Fred Morrison; Allan Russell, Kelty, Scotland; Neil Smith, Balfron, Scotland; Iain Speirs, Edinburgh; Craig Sutherland.

MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd (for qualified pipers younger than 23)
1st Kyle Cameron, Fortrose, Scotland
2nd Cameron Bonar, Surrey, British Columbia
3rd Fraser Hamilton, Paisley, Scotland
4th Liam Nicolson, Albury, Australia
Judges: Mike Cusack, Ian Duncan, Alan Forbes, Robert Wallace

Also competing: Bobby Allen, Chryston, Scotland; Ewan Allen, Livingston, Scotland; Callum Bevan, Abbotsford, British Columbia; Ross Conner, Campbeltown, Scotland; Calum Dunbar, Inverness, Scotland; Seumas Eade, Waikato, New Zealand; Hector Finlayson, Erbusaig, Scotland; Colin Forrest, BC, Canada; Liam Forrest, BC, Canada; Arran Green, Stirling, Scotland; Malachi Johannsen, California; Gregor Macdonald, North Connel, Scotland; Camron MacPhail, Lochgilphead, Scotland; Lewis Maxwell, Alva, Scotland; Maggie McConnochie, West Melton, New Zealand; Ryan McCreadie, Livingston, Scotland; Murdo Muircroft, East Kilbride, Scotland; Hector Munro, London; Eala Niamh McElhinney, Duntocher, Scotland; Lucas Paterson, Christchurch, New Zealand; Andrew Pattison, Troon, Scotland; Jake Robertson, Glasgow; Rory Robson, Glasgow; David Stulpner, Australia; Jan van der Kuyl, Broughty Ferry, Scotland; Jack Watson, Australia; Hazel Whyte, Larkhall, Scotland; Duncan Winters, Colorado.

Stay tuned to pipes|drums for more results from Oban as they become available.