Kerr McQuillan: 2026 World Solo Snare Champion; World Solo Tenor Champion: Jill Watson

Glasgow, Scotland – October 17, 2026 – Kerr McQuillan of Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia won the 2026 World Solo Drumming Championship at Glasgow Caledonian University, taking the world’s most prestigious solo snare drumming title in a field of 33 competitors from around the world. This is McQuillan’s third world title, and his second consecutive win.

McQuillan secured the championship after qualifying for the semi-final round and advancing to the Adult Snare Final.

The competition also featured the World Solo Tenor Drumming Championship, won by Jill Watson of Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia.

The event, organized by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) in partnership with Glasgow Life, drew 206 competitors, 149 snare drummers and 57 tenor drummers, across the categories.

The events featured stellar piping accompaniment that benefited the drumming performances. The opposite was also true, though to a far lesser extent.

The World Solo Drumming Championships are the most coveted individual honours in competitive pipe band drumming.

No prize money was offered to any award winners, including the adult World Champions.

World Solo Snare Drumming Championships

Adult Final
Overall
1st Kerr McQuillan, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia
2nd Steven McWhirter, Inveraray & District
3rd Willie Glenholmes, Field Marshal Montgomery, Northern Ireland
4th Steven Shedden, Hawthorn, Australia
5th Derek Cooper, Ulster Scottish, USA
6th Gareth McLees, Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia
Judges: Paul Brown, Allan Craig, Brian Martin, and Mark Wilson (MSR); and Jim Baxter, Stuart Coils, Adrian Hoy, and Lee Innes (Hornpipe & Jig)

Adult Final
MSR
1st Kerr McQuillan (1,1,1,4)
2nd Steven McWhirter (2,3,3,3)
3rd Willie Glenholmes (3,6, 3,1)
4th Steven Shedden (4,2,5,6)
5th Gareth McLees (8,7,7,3)
6th Derek Cooper (6,4,8,10)
Judges: Paul Brown, Allan Craig, Brian Martin, Mark Wilson

Adult Final
Hornpipe and Jig
1st Kerr McQuillan (1,1,1,2)
2nd Steven McWhirter (3,2,2,1)
3rd Willie Glenholmes (4,5,3,6)
4th Derek Cooper (5,9,5,3)
5th Alex Buchanan (6,8,6,4)
6th Richard Black, Hawthorn, Australia (10, 3, 4, 8)
Judges: Jim Baxter, Stuart Coils, Adrian Hoy, Lee Innes

Juvenile Solo Snare Drumming

Senior
1st Tommi McAndrew, Simon Fraser University, Canada
2nd Malcolm Fuller, Simon Fraser University, Canada
3rd Adam Bell, Troon Caledonia
4th Aaron Christie, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia
5th Joshua Green, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia
6th Jamie Coffey, Field Marshal Montgomery, Northern Ireland
Judges: Paul Brown, Mark Wilson

World Solo Tenor Championships

Adult
1st Jill Watson, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia
2nd Jordan Bailey, Inveraray & District
3rd Zara Pate, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia
4th Alison Geal, Glasgow Skye Association
5th Josh Cunningham, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia
6th Cameron Sinclair, Police Scotland Fife
Judges: Ross Bingham, Trevor Buckley, Gary Smyth

Juvenile
1st Flora McNab, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia
2nd Sophie Boyle, TEXO Deeside Caledonia
3rd Amy Clelland, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia
4th Mia Gallacher, Denny and Dunnipace Association
5th Katie Cruz, Glasgow Skye Association
Judges: Trevor Buckley, Gary Smyth