The band has recently returned from a trip to the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. This was a first for many band members, with the band sporting it’s largest youth presence in many years.
The trip started with a both enjoyable and successful week in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The band made significant progress in the first week, culminating at the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Pipe Band Championships. Despite the pipes getting cooked in the sun during final tuning after an overcast build up, the band managed to achieve a reasonable 5th place in Grade 1. We were also humbled to receive two acknowledgements from the local authorities, which was greatly appreciated and consistent with the fantastic hospitality we received from the locals throughout the week.
Piping Live week in Glasgow saw the band make even further progress, with particular highlights including performing in George Square as well as competing in the International Quartets Competition on the Tuesday. The band was also well represented by Louis Norton and Chantelle Ballantyne in their respective drumming for drinks entries, as well as by Tim Dudley and Lewis MacDonald in the Pipe Idol heats throughout the week.
As it happened, the day of the Worlds qualifiers didn’t end up going our way. Fortunately we managed to keep our heads held high – we’d practiced hard, treated each other with respect, and learnt many lessons which we’ll take advantage of heading into the New Zealand domestic season.
Results were as follows:
Lisburn (MSR only)
1st Field Marshall Montgomery (1,1,1,1)
2nd Vale of Atholl (2,2,3,3)
3rd Police Service of Northern Ireland (4,5,2,3)
4th Bleary & District (5,4,4,3)
5th Auckland & District (6,3,6,5)
6th Closekelt (3,6,8,7)
7th Manorcunningham (7,8,7,6)
8th Ravara (8,7,5,8)
Judges: N. Russel, H. Stevenson (Piping); S. Steele (Drumming); G. Craig (Ensemble)
World Pipe Band Champs Qualifier 1 Medley
1st Inverary & District (1,1,1,1)
2nd Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (2,2,3,2)
3rd PSNI (3,3,4,4)
4th Police Scotland Fife (6,5,2,3)
5th Auckland & District (4,4,9,6)
6th Glasgow Police (5,6,5,7)
7th Bleary & District (7,7,7,5)
8th Dowco Triumph Street (8,9,6,8)
9th Toronto Police (9,8,10,9)
10th Buchan Peterson (10,10,8,10)
Judges: J. Semple, B. Switalla (Piping); Paul Brown (Drumming); John Moles (Ensemble)