Harry’s 2016 Raspberry Awards

The Not-Before-Time Award, Year Two

Last year Harry awarded this to the Solo Piping Judges Association for proposing guidelines for conflict of interest at solo competitions, and he suggested that maybe it was time for something in the pipe band world also. Mere weeks later, the oft-eviscerated Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association announced that relatives could no longer judge family members in the World Championships final [loud cheer], and late in the year the Solo Piping Judges Association came back to formalize the previous year’s thoughts, despite a significant push-back from members of the panel who felt things were good enough as is. Harry thinks those dissenting voices should form “The Victorian-Edwardian Attitudes Piping Association” to lobby for getting things back on track.

+ RSPBA adjudicators can no longer judge family in finals

+ Carried: no judging pupils at big UK events

+ UK’s joint committee adopts rigid conflict policy