2024 British Champions: Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia

Forres, Scotland – June 8, 2024 – Against nine other Grade 1 bands, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia won the 2024 British Championships. Grade 2 went to Glasgow Skye Association.

It was Boghall’s first championship win of 2024 after St. Laurence O’Toole won the UK Championship in May.

The weather was cool and changeable, going from rain showers to sunshine and back again all day, presenting challenges for competitors and the audience. For example, Inveraray & District tuned in dry conditions but were hit with a significant downpour as soon as they started their competition performance.

For perhaps the first time in RSPBA major championships history, there were more bands competing in Grade 1 than in Grade 2.

The British Championships were not held in 2023 because the Inverclyde Council had elected not to renew its sponsorship. Inveraray & District are the defending Grade 1 champions from the 2022 event in Greenock, Scotland, the first major championship held following a two-year shutdown of all pipe band events in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grade 1 (MSR, 10 competed)
1st Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland) (1,1,2,1)
2nd Inveraray & District (Scotland) (2,2,4,3)
3rd Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (Scotland) (ens.pref.) (4,5,5,2)
4th St. Laurence O’Toole (Ireland) (3,4,3,6)
5th Police Scotland Fife (Scotland) (6,6,1,4)
6th Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland) (5,3,6,5)
7th ScottishPower (Scotland) (8,7,8,7)
8th  Johnstone (Scotland) (7,8,9,9)
9th Police Scotland & Federation (Scotland) (10,10,7,8)
10th Closkelt (Northern Ireland) (9,9,10,10)
Judges: Maurice Rhodes, Jim Campbell (piping); Paul Brown (drumming); Robert Mathieson (ensemble)

Grade 2 (Medley, nine competed)
1st Glasgow Skye Association (Scotland) (1,1,2,5)
2nd Royal Burgh of Annan (Scotland) (5,5,1,1)
3rd Uddingston (Scotland) (2,4,4,2)
4th North Stratton (Canada) (3,3,5,3)
5th Portlethan & District (Scotland) (4,2,6,6)
6th Buchan Peterson (Scotland) (9,7,3,4)
Judges: John Wilson, Barry Donaldson (piping); Gordon Brown (drumming); David Brown (ensemble)