Innovative competition
LAST April's fifth annual competition held by the Lowland and Border Pipers’ Society introduced a few innovations and subsequently highlighted some areas which will have to be given consideration before we hold the next one. The adoption of a “collective judging” policy, whereby score cards were distributed among willing members of the audience at the start of each class, seemed to work to everyone's satisfaction, (this 18 a judging method already employed at the very successful ‘Kitchen Piping’ events organised in Rosyth), and the choice of the St. Anne's Community Centre as  a venue proved to be a good one, providing plenty of room for non-disruptive tuning up well away from the more-than-adequate competition area. and with a good central location.

As has happened before, it seemed initially that competitors were going to be tragically few in number, but a last-minute rush of entries including, a welcome and very successful trio from Vale of Atholl Scotrail Pipe Band, ensured a busy enough competition. In future events, a number of pre-arranged stewards, marshalls, or whatever, would help in dealing with the submission of entry forms without the degree of rising panic I felt as I attempted to the competition underway in time and answering general enquiries!

Once again, the small pipes class was by far the largest, with eight entries; Border/ Lowland pipes followed the usual pattern with only three  competitors. An important matter to emerge. and one which has since received a fair amount of discussion within the Society (see Andy Hunter's letter), was the way in which some of the most accomplished entries contained little or no element of music which could be related to the Society's Lowland/Border ethos. Next year's competition, therefore, while retaining the “audience participation” element in judging, may well include a class in which Lowland/Border tunes are required.

It would be nice to see the number of entries increasing for the other classes - particularly the novice, which this year attracted only one entry.

RESULTS

Novice (Heriot and Allen Quaich):
1st. Alex Sutherland (only one entry).

Pipe & Song, (Jimmy Wilson Memorial Cup):
Ist. Gordon Campbell:
2nd. Julian Goodacre:
3rd John Agnew.

Original Composition (London Cup):
1st. Andy Hunter. The Queen's Hansel
2nd. Billy McNeill. The Vet's Hornpipe
3rd. Gordon Campbell. Dave Ewen’s Welcome to Ravenswood.

Duet for Pipes (Mains Castle Medals):
1st. Gordon Campbell & David MacNally:
2nd. Don Ward & Jock Agnew:
3rd, Una & Andy MacQueen.

Duet for Pipes and Other Instrument:(Dunfermline Tassies):
lst. Billy McNeil, (flute) & Arthur Timperley:
2nd. David McNally (whistle) & Gordon Campbell (only two entries).

Small Pipes Open (Colin Ross Trophy):
1st. Gordon Campbell
2nd. Jimmy Anderson.
3rd. David McNally.
Border Pipes Open (Hamish Moore Quaich):
1st. Gordon Mooney
2nd. Jock Agnew. 3rd. David Stevenson.