The top 15 p|d stories of 2015

#6

Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia: 2015 World Pipe Band Champions – August 15th

The pipe band world knew they were good, but relatively few thought that Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia would actually win the biggest event of the year. But win they did, rising above at least four other bands that could have reasonably taken the prize following an exceptionally good day of performances.

Why was this story important? For the most part, Shotts was a three-year-old band, with Pipe-Major Ryan Canning’s first competition season being 2013. He overhauled a moribund pipe section, attracted new players and worked with Leading-Drummer Jim Kilpatrick to produce a world-beating musical sound. This win ushered in a new era for top-grade pipe bands, in which reaching the top doesn’t have to happen over decades, but can occur in a relative flash.