78th Frasers Choose to Give Ontario Contests a Miss

The 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band has disclosed to Piper & Drummer Online that it will not attend at least two Ontario competitions this year.

The winners of the Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario‘s 1999 Champion Supreme award and the current North American Pipe Band Champions will not attend either the Georgetown or Barrie highland games. Bill Livingstone, pipe major of the band, cited the primary reason for the 78th Frasers bowing out of the events as being a “completely unimaginative” band contest format.

“There’s so much more that these games could be doing to showcase the pipe band competition event,” Livingstone said. “With 12 contests on the Ontario circuit to pick from, we’ve decided to attend the ones that know how to put on a show. This is not about prize money; it’s all about taking a stand on how bands should be displayed. We’re really concerned about the future of the Highland games scene and our ability to perform at them.”

Livingstone said the 78th Frasers plan to attend the new Kincardine Highland Games, which he says promises to put on a great show for spectators and bands alike. He also acknowledged the Pleasanton Highland Games, held in California each September, as a benchmark for how a pipe band contest should be conducted.

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