2025 NZ Young Piper of the Year: Seumas Eade

Nelson, New Zealand – October 4, 2025 – On a Piobaireachd preference, Seumas Eade of Waikato, New Zealand, was awarded the 2025 Young Piper of the Year trophy at the annual event held at the Nelson Centre of Musical Arts against 17 other contestants in the Under-21 category. Along with the trophy, he received NZD$1,000.

Eade got the nod in an aggregate points tie with Maggie McConnochie of Christchurch. Eade was first in the Piobaireachd and third in the MSR, the two events determining the overall. McConnochie was second in both.

Eade also won the overall in the B-Grade, again winning on Piobaireachd preference in an aggregate tie with McConnochie.

The Piping & Dancing Association of New Zealand ran the event. Competitors were kept informed of each event’s progress through live updates using Google Sheets.

Under 21
Piobaireachd
1st Seumas Eade
2nd Maggie McConnochie
3rd Nicholas Weston
Judge: Greg Wilson

MSR
1st Sam Foote
2nd Maggie McConnochie
3rd Seumas Eade
4th Finlay Trewinnard
Judges: Willie Rowe, Adam Waghorn, Greg Wilson

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Seumas Eade
2nd Maggie McConnochie
3rd Dylan Jones
4th Ralph Hunter
Judge: Willie Rowe

B-Grade (overall: Seumas Eade)
Piobaireachd
1st Seumas Eade
2nd Maggie McConnochie
3rd Nicholas Weston
Judge: Greg Wilson

2/4 March
1st Maggie McConnochie
2nd Seumas Eade
3rd Sam Foote
4th Tayla Eagle
Judge: Greg Wilson

Strathspey Reel
1st Maggie McConnochie
2nd Seumas Eade
3rd Ralph Hunter
4th Sam Foote
Judge: Adam Waghorn

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Seumas Eade
2nd Maggie McConnochie
3rd Dylan Jones
4th Ralph Hunter
Judge: Willie Rowe

C-Grade (overall: Finlay Trewinnard)
Piobaireachd
1st Emily Brook
2nd Ethan Carmichael
3rd Jordan Baerselman
Judge: Brendon Eade

2/4 March
1st Finlay Trewinnard
2nd Charlie Gregg
3rd Hamish Bilton
4th Ethan Carmichael
Judge: Brendon Eade

Strathspey & Reel
1st Finlay Trewinnard
2nd Charlie Gregg
3rd Dylan Jones
4th Hamish Bilton
Judge: Willie Rowe

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Hamish Bilton
2nd Charlie Gregg
3rd Dylan Jones
4th Liam Reid
Judge: Brendon Eade

D-Grade (overall: Isaac Phimister)
Piobaireachd
1st Keaton Reichert
2nd Frank Morrison
3rd Lachie Kidd
Judge: Brendon Eade

2/4 March
1st Isaac Phimister
2nd George Nicholls
3rd Frank Morrison
4th Benjamin Carline
Judge: Willie Rowe

Strathspey & Reel
1st Nate Jones
2nd Frank Morrison
3rd Lachie Kidd
4th Georgia Newman
Judge: Adam Waghorn

Slow Air & Jig
1st Georgia Newman
2nd Isaac Phimister
3rd Charlotte Donovan
4th Lachie Kidd
Judge: Adam Waghorn

Novice
Practice Chanter (any tune)
1st Kieran Bearselman
2nd Benaiah Marshall
3rd Japhy Marshal
Judge: Brendon Eade

March
1st Manuwa Kotea-Tekoronga
2nd Patrick Glover
Judge: Adam Waghorn