Oban 150 Day 2: Leask, Liddell take the top-tier firsts

Oban, Scotland – August 26, 2021 – The second day of special solo piping events marking the Argyllshire Gathering’s 150th anniversary took place in the town’s Mossfield Park, traditional home to the Thursday games. The day was bright and warm, temperatures soaring to 22 degrees, with the piping held in a separate area away from the other Highland games activities.

Events were limited by necessity to top-tier pipers living in Scotland. Steven Leask and Stuart Liddell won the March and Strathspey & Reel, respectively, for those grade Premier and A by the Competing Pipers Association, and John Dew enjoyed a second a first in the March and Strathspey & Reel for B-Grade players. Liddell also won the Open Jig, in which all competitors could compete.

Premier & A-Grade
March
1st Steven Leask, Glasgow
2nd Angus J. MacColl, Oban, Scotland
3rd Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland
4th Sarah Muir, Glasgow
5th Angus D. MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland
Judges: Barry Donaldson, Ian Duncan

Strathspey & Reel
1st Stuart Liddell, Inveraray, Scotland
2. Alasdair Henderson, Dunoon, Scotland
3rd Willie McCallum
4th Calum Watson, Lasswade, Scotland
5th Ben Duncan, Edinburgh
Judges: Colin MacLellan, John Wilson

Open Jig
1st Stuart Liddell, “Inspector Donald Campbell of Ness,” “The Old Woman’s Dance”
2nd Willie McCallum
3rd Steven Gray
4th Ben Duncan
5th Sarah Muir
Judges: Dr. Angus MacDonald, Colin MacLellan

B-Grade
March
1st Andrew Hall, Glasgow
2nd John Dew, Perth, Scotland
3rd Sandy Cameron, Roy Bridge, Scotland
4th Jonathon Simpson, Bo’ness, Scotland
5th Ruairidh Brown, Glasgow
Judges: Iain MacFadyen, John Wilson

Strathspey & Reel
1st John Dew
2nd Ross Miller, Linlithgow, Scotland
3rd Fraser Allison
4th Ruairaidh Brown
5th Callum Wynd, Stirling, Scotland
Judges: Barry Donaldson, Ian Duncan