Saturday 14th October marked the start of the NZ Pipe Band season, with A&D competing in the RNZPBA Auckland Centre Mini Band Showcase, held at Murphy’s Law Irish Bar in Drury. Representing the band from the pipe core were PM Ben McLaughlin, PS Isaac Turner, Craig Stirling, and Lewis MacDonald; and from the drum core DS Louis Norton and Gemma Pullan, with Chantelle Ballantyne making her debut on the bass.
Alongside A&D in Grade 1 were the New Zealand Police Pipe Band, and the Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band – current NZ champions. The benefits of a condensed, but effective 2 week buildup paid off, with A&D receiving straight firsts in piping for both the MSR and Medley, with a 1st and 2nd in drumming, taking out the aggregate. This is an excellent and fitting start to a season where we aspire to achieve musical excellence at all public performances.
A&D piper Tim Chia had a successful run leading the City of Auckland Pipe Band to victory in the Grade 3/4 Medley with straight 1sts in piping, and 1st in drumming. Our latest recruit, Damian Hodgetts, also had a very successful run leading the Bay of Plenty Pipe Band to a 1st place in the Grade 4 March event.
We’d also like to thank City of Sails Pipe Band for lending us their plastic G1 chanters for the contest – we now have our new chanters on the way in readiness for the season ahead.
This was a fantastic event held at a great location that we fully support, and highly recommend all bands attend in future!
Full Grade 1 results were as follows:
Elite MSR
1st Auckland & District Pipe Band (1,1,1,2,2)
2nd New Zealand Police Pipe Band (3,2,3,1,1)
3rd Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band (2,3,2,3,3)
Judges: M. Appleton, B. Switalla, H. Pullan (Piping); G. Rodgers (Drumming); Andrea Purvis (Bass & Tenor)
Elite Medley
1st Auckland & District Pipe Band (1,1,1,1,3)
2nd New Zealand Police Pipe Band (3,3,2,2,2)
3rd Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band (2,2,3,3,1)
Judges: M. Appleton, B. Switalla, H. Pullan (Piping); G. Rodgers (Drumming); Andrea Purvis (Bass & Tenor)