Hawthorn officially confirmed Grade 1 for Worlds by RSPBA

The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association has officially accepted Melbourne, Australia’s Hawthorn Grade 1 entry to the World Pipe Band Championships.

The band was advised by the RSPBA that its Grade 1 status in Australia would be honoured, thus also confirming pipes|drums’ estimate of 13 in the top grade at the 2026 Worlds.

The Hawthorn followed the standard grading confirmation procedure that all non-UK bands are reportedly required to follow when entering an RSPBA event. It will be the band’s first time competing in Grade 1 in Scotland, following their upgrade by Pipe Bands Australia after the 2023 competition season.

Hawthorn is currently the only Grade 1 band in Australia, after the Western Australia Police Pipe Band’s request to move to Grade 2 was approved by PBA.

“We’re grateful to the RSPBA for their help in working through it smoothly,” Hawthorn Pipe-Major Matt Fraser said. “We believe it’s the right call. Our results in New Zealand to date support a Grade 1 grading, and the majority of our members have significant Grade 1 experience, many having played in top-six bands for a number of years.”

Hawthorn is the reigning Australian Pipe Band Champions, winning the award in 2024 at the biannual event, which will be held in Perth, Australia, on April 11th.

“The standard in Grade 1 only continues to rise, and as the new kids on the block, we’re well aware of the challenge ahead of us,” Fraser added. “We’re delighted to be there, and we’re going to work as hard as we can to deliver the best performances we can. We’ve got a new medley we’re really excited to share.”

The list (alphabetical) of Grade 1 bands entered for the 2026 World Championships, August 14-15, in Glasgow:

• 78th Fraser Highlanders (Canada)
• Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland)
• Hawthorn (Australia)
• Inveraray & District (Scotland)
• Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)
• Police Scotland & Federation (Scotland)
• Police Scotland Fife (Scotland)
• Ravara (Northern Ireland)
• ScottishPower (Scotland)
• Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (Scotland)
• Simon Fraser University (Canada)
• St. Laurence O’Toole (Ireland)
• St. Thomas Alumni (USA)

The RSPBA has made it standard practice to review the grading of non-UK bands entering its sanctioned competitions, often reassigning them, almost always to a lower grade. The association also regularly regrades non-UK bands as part of its annual grading review, often causing confusion for both the regraded bands and their home associations.