2002 World Champions: Field Marshal (updated)

Field Marshal Montgomery are the 2002 World Pipe Band Champions after a contest that was reportedly one of the better ones in recent years. Simon Fraser University came in second. It was Field Marshal’s third World title.

The contest was not close, with Field Marshal winning both the Medley and MSR sections. Field Marshal, according to many, had possibly the best performances in the band’s storied history.

Brilliant sunshine put some colour in many a pasty face.

Shotts & Dykehead were third, and the 78th Fraser Highlanders fourth. The two bands swapped third and fourth placings in each event, the 78th Frasers finishing third in the MSR. Shotts won the overall drumming award. ScottishPower unfortunately had a very poor introduction to the band’s MSR.

The Grade 1 final comprised 15 bands. Those in the final but not in the list were Boghall & Bathgate, David Urquhart Travel, Dysart & Dundonald, Los Angeles Scots (USA), Lothian & Borders Police, Peel Regional Police (Canada), Ravara, St. Laurence O’Toole, and Toronto Police (Canada). None of those that qualified in the morning made the prize list.

In a stunning circumstance, McNaughton’s Vale of Atholl was disqualified in the qualifying round for being eight minutes late to the starting line. It was the first time the Vale failed to qualify for the final or make the prize list at the World’s in many years.

The Grade 2 contest was won by Ballycoan. As has happened before, no Scottish band made the Grade 2 prize list.

Grade 1
1st Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland)
2nd Simon Fraser University (Canada)
3rd Shotts & Dykehead
4th 78th Fraser Highlanders (Canada)
5th ScottishPower
6th Strathclyde Police
Overall Drumming: Shotts & Dykehead. Overall Best Bass Section: Shotts & Dykehead
Drumming MSR: Boghall & Bathgate; Drumming Medley: Field Marshal

Other placings in the final were:

7th St. Laurence O’Toole (Eire)
8th Dysart & Dundonald
9th Boghall & Bathgate
10th David Urquhart Travel
11th Los Angeles Scots (USA)
12th Toronto Police (Canada)
13th Ravara (Northern Ireland)
14th Peel Regional Police (Canada)
15th Lothian & Borders Police

Judges: MSR: Trevor Dear, John Wilson (piping); Gordon Parkes (drumming); Joe Noble (ensemble). Medley: Iain Mathieson, Denver Cardwell (piping); J. MacInnes (drumming); Malcolm MacKenzie (ensemble)

The Toronto Police won the MSR qualifier event in the morning.

Grade 2
1st Ballycoan (Northern Ireland)
2nd Robert Malcolm Memorial (Canada)
3rd Upper Crossgare (Northern Ireland)
4th Bleary & District (Northern Ireland)
5th Windsor Police (Canada)
6th Bagad Cap Caval (France)
Drumming: Upper Crossgare

Grade 2 was reportedly of a very high standard, with the 12 bands that qualified from two sections of 18 excelling on the day. Robert Malcolm Memorial, according to one listener, was “first grade material,” and Maple Ridge of Canada also played very well, despite not making the prize list.

Grade 3A
1st McNaughton’s Vale of Atholl (ensemble preference)
2nd Lord Edward’s Own
3rd Killadeas (Northern Ireland)
4th Royal Burgh of Stirling
5th Syerla (Northern Ireland)
6th Tullintrain
Drumming: Vale of Atholl

A significant error in the RSPBA’s calculations resulted in the wrong band being announced the winner of Grade 3A. The organization corrected it later in the evening and confirmed McNaughton’s Vale of Atholl as the true winner.

Grade 3B
1st Inverkeithing
2nd Black Raven
3rd Ballydonnaghy Caledonia
4th West Midlands Police (England)
5th Finvoy (Northern Ireland)
6th Cottown
Drumming: Ballydonnaghy

Juvenile
1st George Watson’s College
2nd Lochgelly High School
3rd Dumbarton and District
4th Paisley
5th Dunoon Grammar School
Drumming: George Watson’s

Grade 4A
1st Killen (ensemble preference)
2nd Altnaveigh
3rd Quinn Memorial
4th Gortaclare
5th Annsborough
6th Arbroath RBL
Drumming: Mountfield

Grade 4B
1st William Wood
2nd Aarhus (Denmark)
3rd Corpus Christi
4th Duns RBL
5th Tweeddale
6th Gransha
Drumming: Gransha

Novice Juvenile
1st Edmonton Juvenile (Canada)
2nd Craigmount High School
3rd Lochgelly High School
4th 47th Culter BB
5th Bucksburn
6th Kintyre Schools
Drumming: Lochgelly

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