Updated: Draw for Grade 1 World’s Qualifier announced
Following the 2009 European Pipe Band Championships’ Grade 1 result, the RSPBA determined the qualifying bands and the order-of-play for the World Pipe Band Championship on August 15 in Glasgow.
The UK-based bands that pre-qualified from results of the previous three major championships are
- Boghall & Bathgate (Scotland)
- House of Edgar-Shotts & Dykehead (Scotland)
- Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland)
- ScottishPower (Scotland)
- Strathclyde Police (Scotland)
- Robert Wiseman Dairies-Vale of Atholl (Scotland)
These bands join Simon Fraser University of Canada and Ireland’s St. Laurence O’Toole, the only non-British – – or “overseas,” as the RSPBA calls them – – bands that made the prize list of the 2008 World’s and pre-qualify as a result.
Fifteen Grade 1 bands will thus vie for the remaining spots in the Final round at the 2009 World Pipe Band Championships. The Final generally comprises a total of 14 bands, so six spots would be open in 2009.
The draw for the Qualifier at the World’s:
- Ballycoan (Northern Ireland)
- Torphichen & Bathgate (Scotland)
- Oran Mor (USA)
- 78th Fraser Highlanders (Canada)
- Peel Regional Police (Canada)
- Cullybackey (Northern Ireland)
- Fife Constabulary (Scotland)
- Australia Highlanders (Australia)
- Lothian & Borders Police (Scotland)
- Los Angeles Scots (USA)
- Alberta Caledonia (Canada)
- Manawatu Scottish (New Zealand)
- Pipeband Club (Australia)
- Dowco Triumph Street (Canada)
- Tayside Police (Scotland)
Following the Grade 1 MSR Qualifier competition at the World’s, the draw for the Grade 1 takes placce. The RSPBA decided in October 2008 that a new system would be used for the order-of-play for the Grade 1 Final, whereby all Grade 1 bands would be part of the draw in advance of the contest. The original draw selection will be applied to all bands in the qualifying round and those that pre-qualified.
It is not known when the RSPBA made the information about the new system public.
My qualifiers prediction……Fife, 78ths, Bandclub, Aus-high, Manawatu, and Ballycoan
Probably about right with your predictions. Bet Fife Pol are gutted they didn’t go to the British!
A question about the rules of the qualifier. Why does a band get to qualify for the reserved UK 6 spots with zero points? Is this because 6 spots MUST be filled by UK based bands? Would it not make more sense to have them play in the qualifier round in the morning just like everyone else that has zero points and reduce the pass” to bands that actually gained points above the zero mark?”
Does any one really know how all this is decided?? I think the R.S.P.B.A. make it up as they go along.
Let’s hope the ‘less than international’ judging panel can show some impartiality and go on the field without having made up their minds before a note is heard. Given RSPBA’s little heist on the judging panel, I wonder what the ‘straight bet’ odds are on Shotts this year.
I’ll predict that the following bands will make it through for the afternoon (assuing that 6 are allowed. Ballycoan (Northern Ireland). 78th Fraser Highlanders (Canada), Fife Constabulary (Scotland) Australia Highlanders (Australia), Los Angeles Scots (USA), Manawatu Scottish (New Zealand). Not necessarily in that order….
Looks like the RSPBA did do things according to their rules. If you go to the RSPBA website then pull the drop down menu under committees, select music board, then competition format, then Grade 1 Worlds Qualification, it is all there. Read them over and you will see how Vale got in
The qualifiers will be (no particular order): 78th Fraser Highlanders Triumph Street Ballycoan Peel Regional Police Australia Highlanders manawatu Scottish
My qualifiers prediction……Fife, 78ths, Bandclub, Aus-high, Manawatu, and Ballycoan
Probably about right with your predictions. Bet Fife Pol are gutted they didn’t go to the British!
A question about the rules of the qualifier. Why does a band get to qualify for the reserved UK 6 spots with zero points? Is this because 6 spots MUST be filled by UK based bands? Would it not make more sense to have them play in the qualifier round in the morning just like everyone else that has zero points and reduce the pass” to bands that actually gained points above the zero mark?”
Does any one really know how all this is decided?? I think the R.S.P.B.A. make it up as they go along.
Let’s hope the ‘less than international’ judging panel can show some impartiality and go on the field without having made up their minds before a note is heard. Given RSPBA’s little heist on the judging panel, I wonder what the ‘straight bet’ odds are on Shotts this year.
I’ll predict that the following bands will make it through for the afternoon (assuing that 6 are allowed. Ballycoan (Northern Ireland). 78th Fraser Highlanders (Canada), Fife Constabulary (Scotland) Australia Highlanders (Australia), Los Angeles Scots (USA), Manawatu Scottish (New Zealand). Not necessarily in that order….
Looks like the RSPBA did do things according to their rules. If you go to the RSPBA website then pull the drop down menu under committees, select music board, then competition format, then Grade 1 Worlds Qualification, it is all there. Read them over and you will see how Vale got in
The qualifiers will be (no particular order): 78th Fraser Highlanders Triumph Street Ballycoan Peel Regional Police Australia Highlanders manawatu Scottish