Inveraray & District: 2016 British Pipe Band Champions

Paisley, Scotland – May 21, 2016 – Inveraray & District won the 2016 British Championship, the first of the RSPBA’s five major competitions, at St. James Playing Field at Paisley, Scotland. Police Service of Northern Ireland also came out strong with a win in Grade 2. The event was held in mostly dry but breezy weather, around 16 degrees, but St. Laurence O’Toole and Spirit of Scotland were hit with a sudden downpour of rain. It was the first RSPBA competition judged by Terry Lee, the former Simon Fraser University Pipe Band pipe-major. The contest also marked the return of the Grade 1 Spirit of Scotland, which had not competed since the 2008 World Championships. Cullybackey had entered to compete in the Grade 1 competition, but did not make the trip from Northern Ireland.

Grade 1 (medley, 11 competed)
1st Inveraray & District (2,2,1,2)
2nd Field Marshal Montgomery (1,1,6,3)
3rd St. Laurence O’Toole (5,6,3,1)
4th ScottishPower (4,4,4,7)
5th Spirit of Scotland (6,8,2,4)
6th Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (3,3,10,5)
Judges: Ian Wood, Terry Lee (piping); Paul Turner (drumming); Jim Baxter (ensemble)

Grade 2 (MSR, 18 competed)
1st Police Service of Northern Ireland (2,1,4,1)
2nd Buchan Peterson (1,3,1,3)
3rd Johnstone (5,2,5,2)
4th Glasgow Skye Association (3,9,3,4)
5th Lomond & Clyde (9,4,2,5)
6th MacKenzie Caledonian (6,8,7,6)
Judges: Robert Pollock, Robert Mathieson (piping); Sandy Steele (drumming); Tony Sloane (ensemble)