2025 Sun Belt Invitational shaping up with players, judges

Six pipers so far are confirmed for the 10-piper 2025 Sun Belt Invitational Solo Piping Competition—”An Crios Gréine”—in Orlando, Florida, November 7th and 8th:

Callum Beaumont, St. Andrews, Scotland – 2024 Sun Belt Champion

Glenn Brown, Glasgow – sponsored by Patrick McBride

Andrew Carlisle, Pittsburgh – sponsored by the New World Celts

Finlay Johnston, Glasgow – winner of the Ardmore Cup

Nick Hudson, Houston – aggregate winner at the 2025 Dunedin Highland Games

James MacHattie, Summerside, Prince Edward Island – sponsored by the Sanson Family

The Open/Professional piping aggregate winners of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in North Carolina and the Masters Invitational at Piping Live! held later this year will be invited, and organizer Eric Stein said that he is awaiting confirmation on additional invitations.

Stein added that, with airfares “skyrocketing,” he is accepting sponsorships for pipers who are up to the standard, which he said can be “a difficult balance at times.”

Judges for both the Piobaireachd and Medley events will be Brian Donaldson, Ann Gray and Peter Kent.

Stein said that judges for the amateur events will be determined after all 10 pipers in the Open/Professional are confirmed, since the adjudicators are drawn from within that group.

He advised attendees to book their hotel rooms at the Sheraton Orlando North, which is also the contest venue. A group rate of US$199 is available for those who mention An Crios Gréine.

Like most of the world’s top solo piping competitions, the Sun Belt Invitational is not affiliated with or sanctioned by any piping or pipe band association. The competition was started in 2022 by Stein, who had previously organized the Metro Cup in New Jersey. The Ardmore Cup in Ardmore, Ireland, is an offshoot of the Sun Belt Invitational.