Inveraray & District: World Championship #1

Glasgow – August 12, 2017 – Following a testing two days comprising four separate plays, Inveraray & District of Scotland was crowned 2017 World Pipe Band Champions at a crowded Glasgow Green. It was the first World’s victory for the popular group from Argyllshire, the culmination so far of one of the great success story in pipe band history, beginning in 2005 in Novice Juvenile and 12 years later achieving World Champion status. Inveraray emerged victorious after Saturday’s final round against 11 other bands in the top grade. Friday’s qualifying round whittled Grade 1 down from 20 contestants.

The day started cold and overcast, with frequent strong showers, but by the afternoon gave way to dry and sometimes sunny conditions. A few bands in Grade 1 – primarily ScottishPower and SFU received the brunt of the wet weather.

While the top four was made up of the prize-winners of RSPBA major championships, Simon Fraser University of Canada continued their return to form with a fifth.

World Champions 2017 Inveraray & District marched off with the trophy and banner at 8:30 pm.

The Grade 1 final was streamed live worldwide via BBC Scotland. The RSPBA’s web server couldn’t handle the demand and crashed after the results were announced.

Grade 1 Overall
1st Inveraray & District (Scotland)
2nd Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland)
3rd St. Laurence O’Toole (Ireland)
4th ScottishPower (Scotland)
5th Simon Fraser University (Canada)
6th Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (Scotland)
Drumming overall: Inveraray & District
Drumming MSR: Inveraray & District
Drumming Medley: St. Laurence O’Toole

+ World’s dozen finalists announced

Medley
1st Inverary & District (1,3,2,1
2nd St. Laurence O’Toole (3,4,1,4
3rd ScottishPower (ensepref) (4,2,6,2)
4th Field Marshal Montgomery (2,1,5,6)
5th Simon Fraser University (5,5,3,3)
6th Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (6,7,10,5)
7th Peoples Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia (7,6,9,7)
8th Vale of Atholl (8,8,7,9)
9th Police Scotland Fife (9,9,4,11)
10th Glasgow Police (10,10,11,8)
11th Police Service of Northern Ireland (11,11,8,10)
12th Dowco Triumph Street (12,12,12,12)
Judges: Tom Brown, Sam Young (piping); Greg Dinsdale (drumming); Robert Mathieson (ensemble)

MSR
1st Inveraray & District (2,2,1,1)
2nd Field Marshal Montgomery (1,1,2,2)
3rd St. Laurence O’Toole (6,5,3,4)
4th ScottishPower (3,4,6,7)
5th Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (4,3,10,5)
6th Peoples Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia (5,7,8,3)
7th Simon Fraser University (7,6,4,6)
8th Vale of Atholl (10,10,5,8)
9th Glasgow Police (8,9,12,9)
10th Police Scotland Fife (9,12,7,10)
11th Police Service of Northern Ireland (11,8,9,11)
12th Dowco Triumph Street (12,11,11,12)
Judges: JohnWilson, Donald MacPhee (piping); Alex Dudgeon (drumming); Tony Sloane (ensemble)

For the first time, the RSPBA ran the Grade 2 final in the main arena, with 12 bands competing for the prize. While Lomond & Clyde enjoyed the best overall RSPBA season and won the Champion of Champions aggregate prize for the grade, Glasgow Skye secured the World’s title. Both bands are virtually assured of being upgraded.

Grade 2 Overall
1st Glasgow Skye Association (Scotland)
2nd Lomond & Clyde (Scotland)
3rd St. Thomas Alumni (USA)
4th City of Dunedin (USA)
5th MacKenzie Caldonian (Scotland)
6th Manorcunningham (Ireland)
Drumming: Lomond & Clyde

Grade 3A
1st Royal Burgh of Stirling (Scotland)
2nd New Ross & District (Ireland)
3rd Marlacoo & District (Northern Ireland)
4th Coalburn IOR (Scotland)
5th St. Joseph’s (Ireland)
6th Deeside Caledonian (Scotland)
Drumming: Royal Burgh of Stirling

Grade 3B
1st Royal Burgh of Annan (Scotland)
2nd Bothwell Castle (Scotland)
3rd Quinn Memorial (Northern Ireland)
4th The Highlanders (4 Scots) (Scotland)
5th Major Sinclair Memorial
6th Kevin R. Blandford Memorial (USA)
Drumming: Royal Burgh of Annan

Juvenile
1st Dollar Academy (Scotland)
2nd George Watson’s College (Scotland)
3rd George Heriot’s School (Scotland)
4th West Lothian Schools (Scotland)
5th Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)
6th Robert Malcolm Memorial (Canada)
Drumming: George Heriot’s School

Grade 4A
1st 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (Scotland)
2nd Tullylagan (Northern Ireland)
3rd McNeillstown (Northern Ireland)
4th Denny & Dunnipace Gleneagles (Scotland)
5th Cullybackey (Northern Ireland)
6th Dunbar Royal British Legion (Scotland)
Drumming: Tullylagan

Grade 4B
1st College of Piping, Summerside (Canada)
2nd Kildoag
3rd Lisnamulligan
4th Culter & District
5th Cullen (Ireland)
6th Davidson’s Mains & District
Drumming: Kilmarnock

Novice Juvenile A
1st Ross & Cromarty Pipes and Drums School
2nd Dollar Academy
3rd Oban High School
4th George Watson’s College
5th George Heriot’s School
6th Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate
Drumming: George Watsons College

Novice Juvenile B
1st Lochalsh Junior
2nd Oban High School
3rd Bucksburn & District Junior
4th MacKenzie Caledonian
5th North Lanarkshire Schools
6th Sgoil Lionacleit
Drumming: Bucksburn & District Junior