Canterbury Caledonian Society: 2021 New Zealand Pipe Band Champions
Hastings, New Zealand – March 19-20, 2021 – Canterbury Caledonian Society took home the 2021 New Zealand Pipe Band Championship, held at Mitre10 Sports Park in the town of Hastings, Hawke’s Bay, in the country’s North Island. It was the third consecutive year that the band has won the prize, this time in late summer conditions that were unusually overcast and chilly.
A worldwide audience, which maxed out at about 700, watched all grades and events and the Friday Street March streamed via YouTube Live in a multi-camera production that rivalled that of BBC Scotland’s broadcasts of the World Pipe Band Championships, complete with expert and intelligent commentary using plain language by Grade 1 experienced commentators Libby O’Brien and Philip Mair, with Helen Jarrett conducting post-performance interviews.
While the Northern Hemisphere still struggles to get the pandemic under control, New Zealand has kept the virus largely at bay. There was almost no sign of masks or precautions, or even reference to COVID-19, lending a stark contrast to two very different atmospheres. The livestream broadcast was a certain tonic for those who have lived without pipe bands in competition or even at practice for 18 months.
Canterbury Caledonian Pipe-Major Jamie Hawke, who lives in Australia, committed two weeks in quarantine after landing in New Zealand, and then another two weeks practicing, as well as taking COVID-19 tests, in order to compete with his band. Most Grade 1 and Grade 2 bands were noticeably smaller, usually with 12-15 pipers and five-six snare drummers, but no less enjoyable.
Even with cold conditions, the standard of playing from bands across all grades mostly likely impressing anyone watching and listening, particularly those in the northern hemisphere who haven’t played together for more than a year.
Grade 1 (five bands competed))
Overall
1st Canterbury Caledonian
2nd Manawatu Scottish
3rd Auckland & District
4th ILT City of Invercargill
5th New Zealand Police
Drumming: Canterbury Caledonian
Bass section: New Zealand Police
Ensemble: Canterbury Caledonian
Medley
1st Canterbury Caledonian (1,1,1,1)
2nd Manawatu Scottish (2,2,2,4)
3rd ILT City of Invercargill (4,4,3,3)
4th Auckland & District (3,3,4,5)
5th New Zealand Police (5,5,5,2)
Judges: Brian Switalla, Liam Kernaghan, (piping); Chris Stevens (ensemble); Ross Levy (drumming)
MSR
1st Canterbury Caledonian Society (1,1,1,1)
2nd Manawatu Scottish (2,2,2,3)
3rd Auckland & District (4,3,3,5)
4th New Zealand Police (5,5,4,2)
5th ILT City of Invercargill (3,4,5,4)
Judges: Greg Wilson, Ross Fergusson (piping); Craig Meinsmith (ensemble); Glenn Rodgers (drumming)
Grade 2
Overall (five competed)
1st St. Andrew’s College
2nd Scottish Society of New Zealand
3rd Celtic (Nelson)
4th Wellington Red Hackle
5th Hamilton Caledonian
Drumming: Scottish Society of New Zealand
Bass section: Scottish Society of New Zealand
Medley
1st Scottish Society of New Zealand (1,1,1,2)
2nd St. Andrew’s College (2,2,2,1)
3rd Celtic (Nelson) (3,3,3,3)
4th Wellington Red Hackle (4,4,4,4)
5th Hamilton Caledonian (5,5,5,5)
Judges: Greg Wilson, Ross Fergusson (piping); Craig Meinsmith (ensemble); Glenn Rodgers (drumming)
MSR
1st St. Andrew’s College (1,1,2,2)
2nd Wellington Red Hackle (4,3,1,4)
3rd Celtic (Nelson) (2,2,4,5)
4th Scottish Society of New Zealand (5,5,3,1)
5th Hamilton Caledonian (3,4,5,3)
Judges: Brian Switalla, Liam Kernaghan, (piping); Chris Stevens (ensemble); Ross Levy (drumming)
Grade 3 (five competed)
1st Canterbury Caledonian Society (Gr3)
2nd City of Tauranga
3rd Manawatu Scottish (Gr3)
Medley: Canterbury Caledonian Society (Gr3)
MSR: City of Tauranga
Drumming: Manawatu Scottish (Gr3)
Bass section: Hawke’s Bay Caledonian
Grade 4A (11 competed)
1st ILT City of Invercargill
2nd City of Rotorua
Medley: ILT City of Invercargill
MSR: ILT City of Invercargill
Drumming: ILT City of Invercargill
Bass section: ILT City of Invercargill
Grade 4B (nine competed)
1st Scottish Society of New Zealand #2
2nd ILT City of Invercargill (Gr4)
Medley: Scottish Society of New Zealand #2
MSR: Scottish Society of New Zealand #2
Drumming: Scottish Society of New Zealand #2
Bass section: Scottish Society of New Zealand #
Juvenile (12 competed)
1st ILT City of Invercargill (Juvenile)
Bass section: St. Andrews College A
Stay tuned to pipes|drums for more results as they become available.
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