Ottawa Memorial contest re-started

The Ottawa Memorial Invitational Solo Piping Competition, which was cancelled in 2005 due to the sudden death of organizer Pat Hayes, has been re-started, and the MSR event will honour the late piper and police officer.

Taking place on Saturday, September 23, at the Ottawa City Hall Chambers, 111 Lisgar Street, the Piobaireachd event starts at 10:30 a.m.. The Pat Hayes Memorial MSR Competition begins at 7 p.m.

The winner of the MSR will be awarded the Pat Hayes Memorial Cross, which will be presented annually. The medal’s design reflects the Order of Merit medal that Hayes received from Canada’s Governor General, and also features the crest of the Ottawa Police, with which Hayes served for 36 years.

Competing in the contest will be Glenn Brown, Milton, Ontario; Andrew Hayes, Ottawa; Ian K. Macdonald, Whitby, Ontario; James MacHattie, Toronto; Lynda Mackay, Roderick MacLean, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Sean McKeown, Toronto; Andy Rogers, Fredericton, New Brunswick; and Lionel Tupman, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Every piper who had competed at the event over the past decade was invited to this year’s contest.

The competition will be judged by Bill Livingstone, and the emceed by Scott MacAulay.

The Memorial Invitational is linked with the Canadian Police & Peace Officers Memorial that occurs on Parliament Hill on September 24, and all funds raised from the competition go to the Canadian Police Memorial Fund.

Pat Hayes died on September 18, 2005, from pneumonia.

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