Inveraray: 2017 British Champions

Paisley, Scotland – May 20, 2017 – Inveraray & District won the British Pipe Band Championship, the first of five RSPBA major competitions. The event was held again at St. James Playing Fields within earshot of the M8 motorway and Glasgow International Airport. Weather was variable, with intermittent showers and a high of 14 degrees The Grade 1 contest featured 16 contestants, including two from Canada (Dowco Triumph Street and Simon Fraser University) and three bands (Buchan Peterson, Johnstone, and Police Service of Northern Ireland) making their debut in the top grade.

Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia continued a trend from 2016, finishing seventh, while Police Scotland Fife carried momentum from last year, rising up the list to fifth, with a third from one piping judge.

Dowco Triumph Street placed eighth, while SFU ended up twelfth, the band’s worst result ever at an RSPBA major. It was the first time since Dowco Triumph Street returned to Grade 1 status that the band beat their Vancouver rivals in an overall award. Johnstone and Police Service of Northern Ireland were ahead of SFU. Vale of Atholl, with new Lead-Drummer Adrian Hoy, rose up in the rankings from where they have been in the last several years, taking ninth.

Results were announced under sunny skies after 7 pm.

Grade 1 (MSR, 16 competed)
1st Inveraray & District (Scotland) (2,1,2,2)
2nd Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland) (1,3,3,1)
3rd Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (Scotland) (4,2,7,3)
4th St. Laurence O’Toole (Ireland) (5,6,1,5)
5th Police Scotland Fife (Scotland) (3,4,12,4)
6th ScottishPower (Scotland) (6,7,4,7)
Drumming: St. Laurence O’Toole
Judges: Colin Moffett, John Connor (piping); Sandy Russell (drumming); Cameron Edgar (ensemble)

In Grade 2, placings were spread widely between the piping judges for many bands. Manorcunningham won the drumming, but had a fifteenth and fifth in piping. Lomond & Clyde won their first championship under Pipe-Major David Wilton, Glasgow Skye was a solid second, and MacKenzie Caledonian of Dundee made a strong statement that they are a strong contender in 2017.

Grade 2 (medley, 16 competed)
1st Lomond & Clyde (Scotland) (1,2,5,1)
2nd Glasgow Skye Association (Scotland) (2,4,2,2)
3rd MacKenzie Caledonian (Scotland) (8,3,10,3)
4th Balagan (Denmark) (9,9,3,4) (EnsPref)
5th Closkelt (Northern Ireland) (5,6,6,8)
6th Bucksburn & District (Scotland) (6,1,7,12)
Drumming: Manorcunningham (Ireland)
Judges: Jim Wark, Harry Stevenson (piping); Stuart Coils (drumming); Paul Turner (ensemble)

Do you have results that you’d like to share with the piping and drumming world? Please do send them by email, using the format above, along with a photo or two.