Macalester College graduates summa cum laude with eight firsts at 2026 Minnesota Scottish Fair & Highland Games

St. Paul, Minnesota – July 18, 2026 – The 2026 Minnesota Scottish Fair & Highland Games were held on the idyllic urban campus of Macalester College, and the Macalester College Pipe Band won the President’s Jug, presented by Sue Rivera, the college’s seventeenth and current president, who was a great promoter of the school’s Scottish tradition and instrumental in bringing the games back to the Macalester campus in 2023.

Kansas City Saint Andrews was awarded the Pipe-Major’s Shield, presented by Kyle Colvin, a member of the Macalester College band for more than 30 years.

Of note, the Grade 5 Minnesota Pipes & Drums returned to competition after a hiatus to win the Alumni Cup, presented by Brett Gemlo and Libby Snelson, Macalester class of 1978.

Macalester College is one of the highest-ranked academic institutions in the United States and has supported piping and drumming almost since its inception in 1874.

The Minnesota Scottish Fair & Highland Games will return to the Macalester College campus in July 2027.

Bands

Grade 3
Overall
1st Macalester College
2nd Chicago Celtic
3rd Turlach Ur
Drumming: Macalester College
Bass Section: Macalester College

Medley
1st Macalester College (1,1,1,1)
2nd Chicago Celtic (3,3,2,2) (ens.pref.)
3rd Turlach Ur (2,2,3,3)
Judges: Mike Koch, David McNally (piping); Andrew Miller (drumming); Nick Hudson (ensemble)

MSR
1st Macalester College (1,1,1,1)
2nd Chicago Celtic (3,3,2,2) (ens.pref.)
3rd Turlach Ur (2,2,3,3)
Judges: Mike Koch, David McNally (piping); Andrew Miller (drumming); Nick Hudson (ensemble)

Grade 4
Overall
1st Kansas City St. Andrew
2nd Madison
3rd Macalester College (Gr4)
4th Brian Boru Irish (MSR pref.)
5th Twin Cities Metro

Medley
1st Kansas City St. Andrew (1,1,2,1)
2nd Madison Pipes and Drums (3,2,1,2)
3rd Macalester College (Gr4) (2,3,3,3)
4th Twin Cities Metro (4,5,4,4)
5th Brian Boru Irish (5,4,5,5)
Judges: Mike Koch, David McNally (piping); Andrew Miller (drumming); Nick Hudson (ensemble)

MSR
1st Kansas City St. Andrew (2,1,1,1)
2nd Madison (1,2,3,2)
3rd Macalester College (Gr4) (3,3,2,3)
4th Brian Boru Irish (4,5,4,4)
5th Twin Cities Metro (5,4,5,5)
Judges: Mike Koch, David McNally (piping); Andrew Miller (drumming); Nick Hudson (ensemble)

Grade 5 (quick march medley)
1st Minnesota (1,1,1,1)
2nd Macalester College (Gr5) (2,2,2,2)
Judges: Mike Koch, David McNally (piping); Andrew Miller (drumming); Nick Hudson (ensemble)

Grade 5 Quartets (quick march medley)
Minnesota
Judge: Dave McNally

Solo Piping

Grade 1
Piobaireachd
1st Tak Tang
2nd Henry McCarthy
Judge: Nick Hudson

MSR
1st Andrew Spitsnogle
2nd Henry McCarthy
Judge: Dave McNally

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Andrew Spitsnogle
2nd Henry McCarthy
Judge: Tad Myers

6/8 March
1st Henry McCarthy
2nd Andrew Spitsnogle
Judge: Tad Myers

Grade 2
Piobaireachd
Stella Jacoby
Judge: Dave McNally

2/4 March
1st Brendan Allendorf
2nd Anthony St Clair
3rd Justice Peterson
4th Katie Brady
5th Stella Jacoby
6th Tak Tang
Judge: Tad Myers

Strathspey & Reel
1st Brendan Allendorf
2nd Anthony St Clair
3rd Justice Peterson
4th Orin Weiss
5th Katie Brady
6th Tak Tang
Judge: Tad Myers

Jig
1st Brendan Allendorf
2nd Anthony St Clair
3rd Orin Weiss
4th Justice Peterson
5th Katie Brady
6th Tak Tang
Judge: Dave McNally

6/8 March
1st Brendan Allendorf
2nd Anthony St Clair
3rd Justice Peterson
4th Orin Weiss
5th Tak Tang
6th Katie Brady
Judge: Mike Kotch

Grade 3

Piobaireachd
1st Katie Brady
2nd Michael Huddle
3rd Daniel Nicla
4th Mark Waymack
5th Adria Fernandez
6th Justice Peterson
Judge: Nick Hudson

2/4 March
1st Colleen Ryan
2nd Michael Huddle
3rd Brett Wax
4th Daniel Nicla
5th Mark Waymack
6th Mike Hagerty
Judge: Mike Kotch

Strathspey & Reel
1st Leslie Schier
2nd Michael Huddle
3rd Nolan Schoenle
4th Adria Fernandez
5th Brett Wax
6th Mark Waymack
Judge: Dave McNally

6/8 March
1st Colleen Ryan
2nd Adria Fernandez
3rd Mike Hagerty
4th Nolan Schoenle
5th Mark Waymack
Judge: Tad Myers

Grade 4

Piobaireachd
1st Joe Butler
3rd Larry Peitersen
4th Chris Layton
5th Mike Householder
6th Amanda Miller
Judge: Dave McNally

2/4 March A
1st Jessie Lu
2nd Chris Layton
3rd Ewan Ferguson
4th Mica Murdoch
5th Bob Chaney
6th Danielle Freshwaters
Judge: Nick Hudson

2/4 March B
1st Jacob Payne
2nd William Zadra
3rd Brendan Denison
4th Tanya Berg
5th Linda Bomya
6th Colum MacKinnon
Judge: Mike Kotch

Strathspey & Reel A
1st Ewan Ferguson
2nd Colum MacKinnon
3rd William Zadra
4th Mike Householder
5th Jessie Lu
6th Danielle Freshwaters
Judge: Tad Myers

Strathspey & Reel B
1st Jacob Payne
2nd Timothy Hess
3rd Mica Murdoch
5th Tanya Berg
6th Linda Bomya
Judge: Mike Kotch

Grade 4 Junior

2/4 March
Atticus Harr
Judge: Tad Myers

Strathspey & Reel
Atticus Harr
Judge: Dave McNally

Grade 5

Grade 5 Junior March
Rory Fuller
Judge: Tad Myers

Practice Chanter
Betsy LaRocco
Judge: Tad Myers

Grade 5 Senior March
1st Amanda Miller
2nd David Thao
3rd Sean O’Malley
4th Mary McGinley
5th Rydel Van Dyke
6th Nac Nathan
Judge: Mike Kotch