John MacLeod of Bearsden, Scotland, wins 2010 Pick The Six contest and nearly $3k in prizes

pipes|drums’ 2010 Pick The Six contest drew a record number of entries, with almost 3,000 readers testing their powers or prognostication and pipe band punditry to predict the top six places in the Grade 1 Final at this year’s World Pipe Band Championships.

This year, a coincidental six entries got the result bang-on. As per the rules, we put those names into a hat, and when all was said and done, John MacLeod of Bearsden, Scotland, emerged the winner of almost $3,000 worth of merchandise and services from pipes|drums advertisers, including:  

• BagpipeLessons.com –$75 gift certificate (not transferable) for anything at BagpipeLessons.com, including video and tune lesson downloads, webcam lessons, in-person lessons, or CDs. Also can be used to download pipe and drum Scores at .

• Bruce Gandy Music – Bruce Gandy’s new e-Book Collection and an online lesson gift certificate. Value $50.

• Henderson Imports, Ltd.  – $100 gift card to Henderson’s.

• Iain MacDonald   – a copy of Iain’s collection of music. Value $25.

• John Walsh Bagpipes – Blackwood Practice Chanter and an Adjustable Blowpipe. Value $340.

• Kinnaird Bagpipes & Reeds – set of Kinnaird Carbon Fibre drone reeds. Value $150.

• Moose Bagpipe Products – One Moose Bag & Moose Tubes, a Moose Valve and a set of Hylands In-Line Drone Valves. Value: $325.

• PipeTunes.ca– $100 gift certificate.

• R.G. Hardie & Co. – R.G. Hardie Piper Case  –   $130 value.

• Saul Tuner Systems – one (tuner with sensors for chanter and drones): value $320, and one (tuner with one drum sensor): value $320.

• Scott Currie Percussion – four pairs of Jim Kilpatrick KP2 Snare Drum Sticks – one pair of each model. Value $100.

• The Piper’s Hut – one Peter Henderson blackwood pipe chanter: value $300. One Strathmore blackwood pipe chanter: value $350.

• Toronto Police Pipe Band – copy of the new Toronto Police Pipe Band CD, : value $20.

• TyFry – one TyFry Interactive Tenor Drumming Package – “The Essential Foundation” (DVD/CD-ROM): value $95. One pair of new TyFry Platinum “Glasgow Green” Tenor Drum Beaters: value $89. One pair of new TyFry Platinum “Fire Engine Red” Tenor Drum Beaters: value $89. One pair of TyFry Practice Tenor Drum Beaters: value $79.

• A breathtaking pipes|drums polo-shirt and a one-year subscription to pipes|drums

John, a member of the ScottishPower Pipe Band, which finished sixth, was fair chuffed with his success. (No word yet on whether his pipe-major, Chris Armstrong, will take him to task for not picking his band to finish higher.)

It’s worth pointing out the canniness of the other five correct entries that, unfortunately for them, weren’t drawn. These were from:  

• Bernard Adam, Fife, Scotland

• Emma Beers, Miami

• Laura Doll, Louisville, Kentucky

• Derek Midgley, Glasgow

• Peter Morris, Perth, Scotland

Of note, there were at least as many answers that had the the third and fourth prizes reversed, the way that they were announced at the event. Our condolences for the surge of short-lived excitement that that must have caused you.

Congratulations to John MacLeod and compliments to the other five correct entrants.

And thanks again to our sponsors, who understand the extended marketing value of advertising with pipes|drums, the most read piping and drumming magazine in the world.