2012 Glenfiddich contestants confirmed

The pipers who will compete at the 2012 Glenfiddich Invitational Solo Piping Championships have been confirmed, and they feature the winners of the designated qualifying competitions and, as it turns out, only one competitor who does not live in Scotland.

The October 27th contest will again comprise Piobaireachd and MSR events held in the great hall of Blair Castle on Blair Atholl, Scotland.

Confirmed competitors:

• Callum Beaumont, Bo’ness, Scotland (Northern Meeting Clasp)

• Murray Henderson, Kirriemuir, Scotland (2nd, Northern Meeting Clasp)

• Finlay Johnston, Glasgow (Argyllshire Gathering Gold Medal)

• Jack Lee, Surrey, British Columbia (2nd, Argyllshire Gathering Silver Star MSR)

• Stuart Liddell, Inveraray, Scotland (Argyllshire Gathering Sr. Piobaireachd)

• Euan MacCrimmon, Inverness, Scotland (Northern Meeting Gold Medal)

• Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland (Northern Meeting Silver Star MSR, Masters’ Overall, London Overall, Bratach Gorm)

• Roddy MacLeod, Glasgow (2011 Glenfiddich Champion)

• Iain Speirs, Edinburgh (2nd, Argyllshire Gathering Sr. Piobaireachd)

• Gordon Walker, Galston, Scotland (Argyllshire Gathering Silver Star MSR)

The event is seen by most as the world’s pinnacle of solo piping, and just to appear at the competition has been a crowning achievement of many careers. The event started in 1974, and Willie McCallum holds the record for overall championships won with eight.

Judges for the Piobaireachd will be Iain MacFadyen, Jim McGillivray and Willie Morrison. The MSR will be adjudicated by Ian Duncan, Iain MacLellan and Iain Morrison.