2026 Northern Meeting the final big test for world’s top solo pipers

Inverness is set for two packed days of top-flight solo piping as the 2026 Northern Meeting brings the world’s leading players together for the most prestigious non-invitational gathering on the competition calendar.

Entries and judges are set, with the action running Thursday, September 3rd, and Friday, September 4th, all events within the elegant Eden Court Theatre complex on the west bank of the River Ness.

The Senior events feature the Clasp, Highland Society of London Gold Medal, Silver Medal, Silver Star Former Winners’ March, Strathspey & Reel, A- and B-grade light music events, and Hornpipe & Jig competitions. The gathering also offers a full slate of Junior contests.

2026 Argyllshire Gathering Highland Society of London Gold Medallist Sean McKeown of Bowmanville, Ontario, hopes to become only the thirteenth piper in 175 years to win the true “Double” when he competes in the Inverness Gold Medal. McKeown has achieved several prizes in the event, including a second in 2016 when fellow Canadian Ian K. MacDonald became the last piper to win the Double.

The first time both Highland Society of London Gold Medal competitions were staged was 1875, when the Argyllshire Gathering followed the Northern Meeting, which first held the contest in 1849.

Similarly, Zephan Knichel, Lynwood, Washington, will strive to get the Silver Medal Double, following his win at the Argyllshire Gathering. Only John Patrick, Denny, Scotland (1996), Cameron Drummond, Edinburgh (2009) and Gordon Bruce, Kilwinning, Scotland (2011) have realized the feat since the events were held in the same year, 1978.

Also of note, 23-year-old Brodie Watson-Massey of Edinburgh has an opportunity to become the first piper in history to win the Silver Medal (2024), the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal (2025), and the Clasp in consecutive years. In his first time competing in the event, Watson-Massey was fifth in the Senior Piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering.

Following their absence in the Former Winners MSR at Oban, elite pipers Chris Armstrong, Glasgow; Roddy MacLeod, Glasgow; Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland; and Gordon McCready, Paisley, Scotland, make a welcome return to the Silver Star MSR.

The winner of the Clasp and the Silver Star MSR gain an invitation to the 2026 Glenfiddich Championship. They would join Alasdair Henderson (Masters winner); Finlay Johnston (Bratach Gorm winner and FWMSR Oban winner); Stuart Liddell (Glenfiddich 2025 and 2025 London Champion); Sean McKeown (Oban Gold Medal); Iain Speirs (second in the Oban Senior Piobaireachd); and Greg Wilson (Senior Piobaireachd winner).

If pipers who already qualified for the Glenfiddich win the Clasp or the Silver Star, the pecking order continues to the second prizewinners of 1. The Clasp, 2. Silver Star, 3. Oban Former Winners MSR.

The Clasp again begins with two heats, with the top six from each progressing to Friday morning’s 12-player final.

Here are the lists of pipers (alphabetical by last name) in and judges of the various senior events:

Thursday, September 3rd

Clasp Heat 1

• Chris Armstrong, Glasgow
• Glenn Brown, Glasgow
• Jamie Forrester, Haddington, Scotland
• Nick Hudson, Houston
• Steven Leask, East Kilbride, Scotland
• Jack Lee, Surrey, British Columbia
• Stuart Liddell, Inveraray, Scotland
• Angus D. MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland
• Colin MacLellan, Edinburgh
• Roddy MacLeod, Glasgow
• Willie McCallum, Glasgow
• Mike Rogers, Silver Spring, Maryland
• John-Angus Smith, London
• Iain Speirs, Edinburgh
• Greg Wilson, Christchurch, New Zealand

Judges: Robert Barnes, Ronnie McShannon

Heat 2

• Callum Beaumont, Dollar, Scotland
• Alan Bevan, Abbotsford, British Columbia
• Cameron Drummond, Edinburgh
• Stuart Easton, Palmerston North, New Zealand
• Bruce Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
• Andrew Hayes, Nepean, Ontario
• Alasdair Henderson, Edinburgh
• Finlay Johnston, Glasgow
• Ian K. MacDonald, Whitby, Ontario
• Peter McCalister, Dunblane, Scotland
• Fred Morrison, Bishopton, Scotland
• Douglas Murray, Cupar, Scotland
• Connor Sinclair, Crieff, Scotland
• Innes Smith, Sheriffmuir, Scotland
• Brodie Watson-Massey, Edinburgh

Judges: Mike Cusack, Robert Wallace

Highland Society of London Gold Medal

• Calum Brown, Peterculter, Scotland
• Gordon Bruce
• Kyle Cameron, Tobermory, Scotland
• Sandy Cameron, Roybridge, Scotland
• Andrew Donlon, Washington, DC
• Cameron Drummond
• Ben Duncan, Edinburgh
• Brendon Eade, New Zealand
• Stuart Easton
• Jamie Elder, Auchtermuchty, Scotland
• Jamie Forrester
• Alex Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
• Steven Leask
• Alastair Lee, Surrey, British Columbia
• Cameron MacDougall, Nigg, Scotland
• Angus MacPhee, Inverness, Scotland
• Cameron May, Lesmahagow, Scotland
• Ben McClamrock, Washington, DC
• Gordon McCready
• John McDonald, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Sean McKeown, Bowmanville, Ontario
• Derek Midgley, Tinton Falls, New Jersey
• Sarah Muir, East Kilbride, Scotland
• Darach Urquhart, Glasgow
• Callum Wynd, Dunblane, Scotland

Judges: Patricia Henderson, Donald MacPhee, Bill Wotherspoon

Silver Medal

• Joe Biggs, Ajax, Ontario
• Cameron Bonar, Surrey, British Columbia
• Alistair Brown, Isle of Skye
• Ruairidh Brown, Dunblane, Scotland
• Eireann Cameron, Glasgow
• Greig Canning, Kirkcaldy, Scotland
• Callum Carn, Glasgow
• Ross Conner, Campbeltown, Scotland
• John Dew, Glasgow
• Jacob Dicker, Maxville, Ontario
• Bobby Durning, Texas
• Mike Fitzhenry, Paisley, Scotland
• Eddie Gaul, Dundee, Scotland
• Liam Kernaghan, Wellington, New Zealand
• Zephan Knickel, Lynwood, Washington
• Anna Kummerlöw, Kladrum, Germany
• Dan Lyden, Timonium, Maryland
• Ed McIlwaine, Vancouver
• James McPetrie, Aboyne, Scotland
• Ross Miller, Linlithgow, Scotland
• Bradley Parker, Chapelhall, Scotland
• Andrew Pattison, Troon, Scotland
• Jonathon Simpson, Bo’ness, Scotland
• Andrew Smith, Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland
• Campbell Wilson, Czech Republic

Judges: Ian Duncan, Alan Forbes, Peter Hunt

Silver Star Former Winners’ March, Strathspey & Reel

• Chris Armstrong
• Callum Beaumont
• Alan Bevan
• Cameron Drummond
• Ben Duncan
• Brendon Eade
• Alex Gandy
• Bruce Gandy
• Andrew Hayes
• Alasdair Henderson
• Nick Hudson
• Finlay Johnston
• Jack Lee
• Stuart Liddell
• Angus D. MacColl
• Ian K. MacDonald
• Roddy MacLeod
• Willie McCallum
• Gordon McCready
• Fred Morrison
• Sarah Muir
• Douglas Murray
• Allan Russell, Kelty, Scotland
• Iain Speirs
• Greg Wilson

Judges: Jimmy Banks, Murray Henderson, Bob Worrall

Friday

Clasp Final

The top six from each Friday heat, judged by Iain MacFadyen, Jack Taylor, and John Wilson.

A-Grade MSR

• Bobby Allen, Glasgow
• Cameron Bonar
• Calum Brown, Peterculter, Scotland
• Glenn Brown
• Gordon Bruce, Kilwinning, Scotland
• Sandy Cameron
• Greig Canning
• Andrew Carlisle, Pittsburgh
• Ross Conner
• Seumas Coyne, Glendale, California
• John Dew
• Andrew Donlon
• Stuart Easton
• Michael Fitzhenry
• Jamie Forrester
• Jenny Hazzard, Edinburgh
• Liam Kernaghan
• Steven Leask
• Alastair Lee
• Angus J. MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland
• Cameron MacDougall
• Peter Macgregor, Dunfermline, Scotland
• Cameron May
• Ben McClamrock
• James MacHattie, Summerside, Prince Edward Island
• Sean McKeown
• Derek Midgley
• Callum Moffat, Lockerbie, Scotland
• Craig Muirhead, Stirling, Scotland
• Bradley Parker
• Connor Sinclair
• Innes Smith
• Darach Urquhart
• Calum Watson, Bathgate, Scotland
• Brodie Watson-Massey
• Campbell Wilson, Czech Republic
• Callum Wynd

Judges: Peter Hunt, Ronnie McShannon, Bob Worrall

B-Grade MSR

• Fraser Allison, Stirling, Scotland
• Joe Biggs
• Keith Bowes, Erskine, Scotland
• Alistair Brown
• Ruairidh Brown
• Eireann Cameron
• Kyle Cameron
• Callum Carn
• Josh Chandler, New Zealand
• Kristopher Coyle, Northern Ireland
• Callum Davidson, Broxburn, Scotland
• Jacob Dicker
• Piers Dover, New Zealand
• Bobby Durning
• Jamie Elder
• Andrew Ferguson, Dollar, Scotland
• James Frazer, Northern Ireland
• Eddie Gaul
• Norman Gillies, Edinburgh
• Andrew Hall, Glasgow
• Zephan Knichel
• Anna Kummerlöw
• Dan Lyden
• Cameron MacLeod, Glasgow
• Angus MacPhee
• John McDonald
• James McPetrie
• Ross Miller
• Hector Munro, London
• Dan Nevans, Barnhill, Scotland
• Louis Newman, New Zealand
• Angus Nicolson, Fort William, Scotland
• Liam Nicolson, Melbourne
• Matt Pantaleoni, St. Louis
• Andrew Pattison
• Ryan Praskovich, Pittsburgh
• Mike Rogers
• Jonathon Simpson
• Andrew Smith
• Jack Williamson, Topeka, Kansas

Judges: Lewis Barclay, Patrick Grant, John Wilson

Premier/A-Grade Hornpipe & Jig

• Bobby Allen
• Callum Beaumont
• Alan Bevan
• Cameron Bonar
• Calum Brown
• Gordon Bruce
• Sandy Cameron
• Greig Canning
• Andrew Carlisle
• Ross Connor
• Seumas Coyne
• John Dew
• Andrew Donlon
• Cameron Drummond
• Ben Duncan
• Brendan Eade
• Stuart Easton
• Michael Fitzhenry
• Jamie Forrester
• Alex Gandy
• Bruce Gandy
• Andrew Hayes
• Jenny Hazzard
• Alasdair Henderson
• Nick Hudson
• Liam Kernaghan
• Steven Leask
• Alastair Lee
• Stuart Liddell
• Angus D. MacColl
• Angus J. MacColl
• Ian K. MacDonald
• Cameron MacDougall
• Cameron May
• Ben McClamrock
• James McHattie
• Sean McKeown
• Derek Midgley
• Fred Morrison
• Sarah Muir
• Craig Muirhead
• Douglas Murray
• Bradley Parker
• Connor Sinclair
• Innes Smith
• Iain Speirs
• Calum Watson
• Brodie Watson-Massey
• Campbell Wilson
• Greg Wilson
• Callum Wynd

Judges: Lewis Barclay, Robert Barnes, Murray Henderson

B-Grade Hornpipe & Jig

• Fraser Allison
• Joseph Biggs
• Keith Bowes
• Alistair Brown
• Ruairidh Brown
• Eireann Cameron
• Kyle Cameron
• Callum Carn
• Joshua Chandler
• Kristopher Coyle
• Callum Davidson
• Jacob Dicker
• Piers Dover
• Bobby Durning
• Jamie Elder
• Andrew Ferguson
• James Frazer
• Edward Gaul
• Norman Gillies
• Andrew Hall
• Zephan Knickel
• Anna Kummerlow
• Dan Lyden
• Cameron MacLeod
• Angus MacPhee
• James McPetrie
• Ross Miller
• Hector Munro
• Daniel Nevans
• Louis Newman
• Angus Nicolson
• Liam Nicolson
• Matt Pantaleoni
• Andrew Pattison
• Ryan Praskovich
• Michael Rogers
• Jonathon Simpson
• Andrew Smith
• Jack Williamson

Judges: Jimmy Banks, Ian Duncan, Patricia Henderson

Juniors

Under-18 Piobaireachd

• Hugh Anderson, Tobermory, Scotland
• Morla Bruce, Alexandria, Scotland
• Alasdair Bullock, Lochawe, Scotland
• Oscar Butler, Clochan, Scotland
• Rory Cairns, Edinburgh
• Callan Erskine, Perth, Scotland
• Kai Hay, Buckhaven, Scotland
• Grace Kelman, Inverness, Scotland
• Aiden Low, Kelty, Scotland
• Charlie Mack, Port Seton, Scotland
• Arthur MacKay, Livingston, Scotland
• Lorne McIntyre, Haddington, Scotland
• Rory Menzies, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Harris Morford, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland
• Lachlan Rennie, Broughty Ferry, Scotland
• Lily Robertson, Oban, Scotland
• James Silcock, Falkirk, Scotland

March, Strathspey & Reel

• Hugh Anderson
• Morla Bruce
• Alistair Bullock, Lochawe
• Oscar Butler
• Rory Cairns
• Callan Erskine
• Kai Hay
• Grace Kelman
• Aiden Low
• Charlie Mack
• Arthur MacKay
• Lorne McIntyre
• Rory Menzies
• Harris Morford
• Lachlan Rennie
• Lily Robertson
• James Silcock

Under-15

Piobaireachd

• Cailean Acamovic, Prestonpans, Scotland
• Harper Cheyne, Inverurie, Scotland
• Adam Fersia, Edinburgh
• Jack Folan, Perth, Scotland
• Rory Forbes, Edinburgh
• Archie Leonard, Edinburgh
• Travis McKenna-Johnston, Annan, Scotland
• Larry Presslie, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Mirren Silver, Inverness, Scotland

March, Strathspey & Reel

• Cailean Acamovic
• Harper Cheyne
• Adam Fersia
• Jack Folan
• Rory Forbes
• Archie Leonard
• Travis McKenna-Johnston
• Larry Presslie
• Mirren Silver

Stay tuned to pipes|drums for results from the 2026 Northern Meeting as they become available.