Gandy (the older one) wins the USPF professionals

The Internet – June 27, 2020 – Bruce Gandy of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, was the overall champion of the United States Piping Foundation professional solo piping competition, held this year by videos submitted to YouTube. In addition to prize money and other trophies, Gandy received the USPF Silver Buckle and trans-Atlantic airfare from the east coast to Glasgow, Edinburgh, or London to compete at eligible senior competitions. It was the 34th running of the event. The competition is limited to pipers who live permanently in North America.

It was Gandy’s sixth time winning the event.

Competitors were notified of the judges’ tune selections on June 17th and given until 8 pm, June 20th to submit their videos. The judges then started their assessments, delivering results a week later.

Because no one needed to travel, entry was far greater than any previous year.

Professional
Piobaireachd (St. Andrew’s Society of Philadelphia Silver Quaich)
1st Derek Midgley, Tinton Falls, New Jersey, “Lord Lovat’s Lament” (USD$1000)
2nd Bruce Gandy, “Lament for the Children” ($800)
3rd Ian K. MacDonald, Whitby, Ontario, “Lament for Donald Ban MacCrimmon” ($600)
4th Sean McKeown, Bowmanville, Ontario, “Battle of the Pass of Crieff” ($400)
5th Andrew Carlisle, Pittsburgh “Lament for the Earl of Antrim” ($200)
Judges: Ian Duncan, Ronnie McShannon

MSR (St. Andrew’s Society of Baltimore Silver Charger)
1st Bruce Gandy, “Crags of Stirling,” “Ewe wi’ the Crookit Horn,” “Miss Pitcaithley’s”
2nd Alex Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, “Brigadier-General Ronald Cheape of Tiroran,” “Bob of Fettercairn,” “Alick C. MacGregor”
3rd Derek Midgley, “The Clan MacColl,” “Tulloch Castle,” “The Little Cascade”
4th Sean McKeown, “Abercairney Highlanders,” “Inveraray Castle,” “Alick C. MacGregor”
5th Nick Hudson, Houston, “Mrs. Duncan MacFadyen,” “Mrs. Donald MacPherson,” “Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran”
Judges: Ian Duncan, Ronnie McShannon

Also competing but not in the chips were Tony Adkins Richland, Washington; Maeghan Bielski Middleboro, Massachusetts; John Bottomley, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Andrea Boyd, Toronto; Liz Cherry, Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Brad Davidson, Waterloo, Ontario; Austin Diepenhorst, Santee, California; Andrew Donlon, Germantown, Maryland; Bobby Durning, Salem, Massachusetts; James Feeney, West Simsbury, Connecticut; Jeremy Freeman, Cornwall on Hudson, New York; Andrew Hutton, Brantford, Ontario; Tyler Johnson, Oak Park, Michigan; Richard King, San Diego, California; Zephan Knichel, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia; Teddy Krogh, Anchorage, Alaska; Dan Lyden, Timonium, Maryland; Ben McClamrock, Washington, DC; Michael McLeod, Greenwood, South Caroina; Ben Montross, Montpelier, Vermont; Matt Pantaleoni, St. Louis; Patrick Regan, Dallas; Sean Regan, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania; Andy Rogers, Fredericton, New Brunswick; Peter Skae, Old Tappan, New Jersey; Blaise Theriault, Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia; Mary Wallace, Richmond, Virginia; and Jack Williamson Topeka, Kansas.

The overall winner of the amateur events was Sandy Adams of Vancouver with two third prizes. He also received the USPF Silver Buckle and round trip airfare to Scotland and two weeks’ tuition at an approved venue in Scotland.

Amateur
Piobaireachd (Donald MacPherson Silver Quaich)
1st Stuart Marshall, Stokesdale, North Carolina, “The MacLeods’ Salute”
2nd Kevin Darmadi, Houston, “Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon”
3rd Sandy Adams, “MacLeod’s Controversy”
4th Stanton Man, Raleigh, North Carolina, “Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay”
5th Jessica Bain, Halifax, Nova Scotia, “Lament for Donald of Laggan”
Judges: Paula Glendinning, Willie McCallum

MSR (Seumas MacNeill Silver Quaich)
1st Ross Davison, Ottawa, “John MacDonald’s Welcome to South Uist,” “Tulloch Castle,” “Captain Lachlan MacPhail of Tiree”
2nd Jessica Bain, “Inveran,” “Duncan Lamont,” “Peter MacFarquhar”
3rd Sandy Adams, “The Centenary Jewel,” “P-M Hector MacLean,” “Bessie McIntyre”
4th Stanton Man, “P-M John Stewart,” “Tulloch Gorm,” “Lt.-Col. D.J.S. Murray”
5th Tyler Destremps Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, “Arthur Bignold,” “Fiddler’s Joy,” “Arnish Light”
Judges: Paula Glendinning, Willie McCallum

Also competing in the amateur events, but not in the prizes: Eric Albert, Springfield, Oregon; Mitchell Arnold, Aurora, Ontario; Sebastian Benedetto, Cape Neddick, Maine; Adam Blaine, San Jose, California; Gillian Blaney, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia; Alex Burlew, Pittsburgh; Evan Burlew, Pittsburgh; Thomas Cangelosi, Arlington, Virginia; Dane Grant, Pictou County, Nova Scotia; Tyrone Heade, Seattle; Colin Johnstone, Aurora, Ontario; Kayleigh Johnstone, Aurora, Ontario; Ryan Kavanagh, Pittsburgh; Alexandra Knox, Woodbine, Maryland; Elizabeth Knox, Woodbine, Maryland; Steven Knox, Woodbine, Maryland; Scott Long, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; Patrick MacDonald, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia; James Malcolm, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia; Alasdair Martin, Huntersville, North Carolina; Gille Mason, Blossvale, New York; Liam Murray, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; Laura J. Neville, Wrightstown, New Jersey; Cameron Nixon Waynesville, North Carolina; Jim Roberts, Norfolk, Virginia; Michael Trenor, Columbus, Ohio; and Brady Webb, Westville, Nova Scotia.