14th annual Sherriff brings in 10 leading amateur pipers
The top 10 North American amateur solo pipers will converge on Saturday, November 21st in Hamilton, Ontario, at the 14th annual George Sherriff Memorial Amateur Invitational Solo Piping Competition starting at 10 am at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, 70 James Street South.
In addition to the prestige of winning the event, often a catalyst for solo pipers to move the Professional competitions, the overall winner will receive $800 from the Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario for a trip to Scotland for competition or tuition, a set of engraved McCallum pipes and the George Sherriff Memorial Championship Banner and trophy.
There are three events: a 6/8 March that starts at 10 am, Piobaireachd at 1 pm and an MSR at 7:30 pm.
Competitors at this year’s Sherriff are:
- Ursa Beckford, Clifton, Maine
- Brendan Culver, Orangeville, Ontario
- Liz Dunsire, Bellingham, Washington
- Bobby Durning, Milltown, New Jersey
- Richard Gillies, Portland, Oregon
- Thomas Harrington, Glenholme Nova Scotia
- Lee Cho-Lam, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong
- Anthony Masterson, Houston
- Elizabeth Sheridan, Oakville, Ontario
- Glenn Walpole, Tiverton, Ontario
Seventeen-year-old Durning was the overall winner of the 2008 George Sherriff Memorial.
The event will be judged by Jack Lee, Stuart Liddell and Reay Mackay. Lee Cho-Lam (who has competed as Chris Lee) currently lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is the first Asian-born competitor at the Sherriff.
Pipers are invited based on their competitive success over the previous year, with recommendations made by their home association. Past winners of the Sherriff have gone on to successful Professional careers, including Glenn Brown (2000), Ben McClamrock (2007) and Alex Gandy (2005).
In addition to the Saturday competitions, a reception will be held for the competitors and judges on Friday, starting at 8 pm at the James Street Armoury in Hamilton. The event is open to the public. Stuart Liddell has agreed to perform a brief recital.
Organized by Bob Worrall, the competition is held in conjunction with the Naigara-Hamilton Branch of the PPBSO. The event attracts many sponsors, including pipes|drums Magazine, which made a cash donation to the contest to offset travel and overhead expenses.
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