Inveraray & District: 2019 Scottish Champions

Dumbarton, Scotland – July 25, 2019 – The Scottish Championships, the fourth and penultimate RSPBA major competition before the World Championships on August 16-17, were held at Levengrove Park, and Inveraray & District took home the prize. It was the second straight major championship for the 2017 World Champions, paving what would appear to be a strong path to the World Championships August 16-17 in Glasgow.

ScottishPower won the Grade 1 drumming, the first drumming championship win for the band under Lead-Drummer Jake Jørgensen.

In Grade 2, Clsokelt returned to take their third major, after missing the European Championships at Inverness.

Piping judges in almost all instances were in virtual lockstep with one another.

The weather was deplorable, with constant rain leaving bands challenged to keep instruments dry and judges soaked standing out in the open for hours at a time. For the second major championship this year, the massed bands were cancelled due to bad weather, and prizes were announced to pipe majors and leading drummers at the hospitality tent.

Remarkably, Greg Dinsdale and Ken Eller of Canada, Brian Switalla of New Zealand and Nat Russell and Sam Young of Australia travelled to Scotland on their own dime. By contrast, RSPBA judges have their total travel and accommodation covered when judging events outside of the UK.

Grade 1 (medley, 12 competed)
1st Inveraray & District (1,1,2,2)
2nd ScottishPower (4,3,1,4)
3rd Field Marshal Montgomery (ens.pref.) (3,4,5,1)
4th St. Laurence O’Toole (2,2,6,3)
5th Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (5,6,3,7)
6th Police Scotland Fife (8,8,4,5)
Judges: Brian Switalla, John Wilson (piping); Greg Dinsdale (drumming); Alan Ronaldson (ensemble)

Grade 2 (MSR, 17 competed)
1st Closkelt (1,1,4,1)
2nd Ravara (4,4,1,4)
3rd Portlethen & District (3,3,7,2)
4th Uddingston Strathclyde (2,2,6,6)
5th Buchan Peterson (6,6,2,3)
6th Royal Burgh of Annan (5,7,5,5)
Judges: Ross Walker, Sam Young (piping); Gordon Craig (drumming); Robert Mathieson (ensemble)

Grade 3A
1st St. Joseph’s (5,1,1,3)
2nd City of Inverness (2,2,5,2)
3rd The Highlanders (4 Scots) (1,3,9,1)
4th St. Mary’s Derrystrasna (3,5,3,4)
5th Deeside Caledonia (4,4,10,5)
6th Battlehill (8,6,7,6)
Judges: Robert Shaw, Colin Moffett (piping); Bill Black (drumming); Peter Snaddon (ensemble)

Grade 3B
1st Dunbar Royal British Legion (2,1,1,1)
2nd Oban High School (1,2,11,4)
3rd Turriff & District (10,5,2,2)
4th Milngavie (5,9,5,3)
5th Lochryan (ens.pref.) (9,6,3,6)
6th Arbroath (6,3,7,8)
Judges: Bill Garrett, John Connor (piping; Lee Innes (drumming: John Moles (ensemble)

Juvenile
1st Dollar Academy (1,1,2,1)
2nd George Watson’s College (2,2,1,2)
3rd George Heriot’s School (4,3,3,4)
4th Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (5,4,4,3)
5th Preston Lodge High School (3,5,5,5)
Judges: Brian Switalla, John Wilson (piping); Greg Dinsdale (drumming); Alan Ronaldson (ensemble)

Grade 4A
1st Cullybackey (2,2,2,3)
2nd Methil & District (1,1,6,2)
3rd Mid Argyll (5,4,4,1)
4th Glenrothes & District (3,6,7,4)
5th Lower Clyde (6,5,8,6)
6th Kelty & Blairadam (4,3,14,7)
Judges: Robert Shaw, Colin Moffett (piping); Bill Black (drumming); Peter Snaddon (ensemble)

Grade 4B
1st Camelon & District (3,1,1,2)
2nd Strathendrick (2,3,3,1)
3rd Culter & District (4,4,2,3)
4th Dumfries (ens.pref.) (5,6,5,4)
5th Kilbarchan (1,2,9,8)
6th Vale of Atholl (6,5,6,5)
Judges: Mark Faloon, Ken Eller (piping); Stuart Coils (drumming); Nat Russell (ensemble)

Novice A
1st Dollar Academy (ens.pref.) (2,2,2,1)
2nd West Lothian Schools (1,1,3,2)
3rd North Lanarkshire Schools (4,3,1,3)
4th Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (3,4,6,4)
5th Stirling & District Schools (5,5,4,5)
6th George Heriot’s School (6,6,5,6)
Judges: Mark Faloon, Ken Eller (piping); Stuart Coils (drumming); Nat Russell (ensemble)

Novice B
1st Renfrewshire Schools (1,1,1,1)
2nd North Lanarkshire Schools (2,3,2,3)
3rd Kintyre Schools (ens.pref.) (4,2,9,2)
4th 1st Troon Boys Brigade (3,4,6,4)
5th Bucksburn & District (6,6,3,8)
6th Oban High School (7,5,7,6)
Judges: Ross Walker, Sam Young (piping); Gordon Craig (drumming); Robert Mathieson (ensemble)

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