2008 European Champions: Field Marshal Montgomery
Lisburn, Northern Ireland – July 26, 2008 – Field Marshal Montgomery of Belfast came back to win the European Championships on their home turf on a very warm, dry day. The band also took the drumming award in Grade 1. St. Laurence O’Toole of Dublin settled for second, after the band won the British and Scottish championships earlier in the year. It was the first contest for the Strathclyde Police under newly appointed Pipe-Major Don Bradford.
In Grade 2 Ravara, also of Northern Ireland, took the contest, leaving Torphichen & Bathgate, which had won the two previous majors, in second.
Grade 3A was won again by MacKenzie Caledonian, taking its second consecutive championship.
The RSPBA disclosed the draw for the World’s Grade 1 Qualifier immediately following the contest results being announced.
pipes|drums was once again first with the Grade 1 and Grade 2 results, posting them as they were announced from the march past.
Grade 1 (MSR, 13 competed)
1st Field Marshal Montgomery
2nd St. Laurence O’Toole
3rd House of Edgar-Shotts & Dykehead
4th Boghall & Bathgate
5th Strathclyde Police
6th ScottishPower
Drumming: Field Marshal
Judges: Harry McNulty, Gordon Lawrie (piping); Harry Russell (drumming); Jim Baxter (ensemble)
Grade 2 (medley, 15 competed)
1st Ravara
2nd Torphichen & Bathgate
3rd Seven Towers
4th Killean
5th Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary
6th Phoenix Honda-Glasgow Skye
Drumming: Ravara
Judges: John Moles, Iain MacLellan (piping); Gordon Parkes (drumming); Joe Noble (ensemble)
Grade 3A (MSR)
1st MacKenzie Caledonian
2nd Clydebank
3rd Cottown
4th Lanark
5th Howrd Memorial
6th Aughintober
Drumming: Howard Memorial
Judges: Harry Stevenson, Winston Pollock (piping); Sandy Steele (drumming); Malcolm MacKenzie (ensemble)
Grade 3B (MSR)
1st McNeillstown
2nd Aughoronan
3rd Raffray
4th Central Scotland Police
5th Castlerock
6th Cullenfad
Drumming: Aughoronan
Judges: Ian Wood, Alan Ronaldson (piping); Alistair Aitken (drumming); Ciaran Mordaunt (ensemble)
Juvenile
1st Inveraray Schools
2nd George Watson’s College
3rd Boghall & Bathgate
4th Kintyre Schools
5th Vale of Atholl
Drumming: George Watson’s
Judges: Harry McNulty, Gordon Lawrie (piping); Harry Russell (drumming); Jim Baxter (ensemble)
Grade 4A
1st Manor Cunningham
2nd Black Bottle
3rd Royal Burgh of Stirling
4th St. Laurence Howth
5th Granshaw
6th Moneygore
Drumming: Manor Cunningham
Grade 4B
1st Stockbridge
2nd Cleland Memorial
3rd Stamperland
4th Bellaghy
5th Ballyboley
6th Burntisland
Drumming: Cleland Memorial
Novice Juvenile
1st Kintyre Schools
2nd George Watson’s College
3rd Stirling & District
4th 1st Troon Boys’ Brigade
5th Dumbarton
6th Pitlochry & Blair Atholl
Drumming: George Watson’s
Is it true that both SLOT and FM had early chanters? Times have changed my freinds.
shotts drums 6th are you sure
Both had early E’s alright. Can’t believe the drumming results though. There wasn’t much hope for either SLOT or Shotts after Russell handed in his marks. I don’t see how times have changed at all either. The last time the Europeans were held in Lisburn both FM and Shotts had early E’s. On that the the results were the same : FM, SLOT & HOES. Do your research! I can also name bands and other majors where the eventual winners had early chanters & drones not striking in properly.