(Updated) Top solo pipers set sights on Inverness

Ninety-eight of the world’s best pipers are entered to compete at the 2004 Northern Meeting, September 8-9, at the Eden Court Theatre at Inverness, Scotland. The two highlight piobaireachd events are the second of the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal competitions and the Clasp, reserved for previous winners of the Gold Medal.

Earlier this week at the Northern Meeting’s sister competition, the Argyllshire Gathering at Oban, Stuart Liddell of Inveraray, Scotland, won the Gold Medal, while Angus MacColl of Benderloch, Scotland, gained the Senior Piobaireachd, a contest reserved for winners of either of the two Gold Medals.

Entry to the Gold Medal events is restricted to a maximum of 30 pipers, and only about two-thirds of applicants are accepted. The Competing Pipers Association’s Silver Medal competition accepts 35 pipers, and about 50 per cent of applicants are turned down. Competitors must submit a tunes from a set list determined each year by the Piobaireachd Society.

Draw for the Gold Medal, which will take place on Thursday, September 9:

1. John Angus Smith, Glasgow
2. * Alasdair Gillies, Pittsburgh
3. Andrew Mathieson, Lochgelly, Scotland
4. Fiona Manson, Edinburgh
5. Richard Hawke, New Zealand
6. * Iain Speirs, Edinburgh
7. * Mike Rogers, Maryland
8. Andrew Berthoff, Toronto
9. Andrew Hayes, Ottawa
10. Ian K. MacDonald, Whitby, Canada
11. Marion Horsburgh, New Zealand
12. Andy Rogers, Fredericton, Canada
13. Jori Chisholm, Seattle
14. Douglas Murray, Springfield, Scotland
15. Innes Smith, Bridge of Allan, Scotland
16. Robert Watt, Northern Ireland
17. Martin Kessler, Germany
18. Ross Cowan, Annan, Scotland
19. Ian Whitelaw, Los Angeles
20. Michael Grey, Dundas, Canada
21. * James Murray, Cupar, Scotland
22. Jenny Hazzard, Edinburgh
23. Niall Stewart, Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland
24. Euan MacCrimmon, Inverness, Scotland
25. Brendon Eade, New Zealand
26. Allan Russell, Kelty, Scotland
27. Margaret Houlihan, Glasgow
28. * Brian Donaldson, Newburgh, Scotland
29. Donald MacPhee, Alexandria, Scotland

* Winners of the Gold Medal at Oban.

Judges of the Gold Medal are Walter Drysdale, Malcolm McRae, and Gavin Stoddart.

Order of play for the Clasp, which takes place on Wednesday, September 8:

1. Gordon Walker, Glasgow
2. William McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland
3. William Livingstone, Whitby, Canada
4. Alasdair Gillies
5. Roddy MacLeod, Cumbernauld, Scotland
6. John Cairns, London, Canada
7. Stuart Shedden, Glasgow
8. Greg Wilson, New Zealand
9. Iain Speirs
10. Colin Maclellan, Edinburgh
11. Mike Rogers
12. Robert Wallace, Glasgow
13. Duncan MacGillivray, Tain, Scotland
14. Mike Cusack, Houston
15. Stuart Liddell, Inveraray, Scotland
16. Chris Armstrong, Airth, Scotland
17. James Murray
18. Angus MacDonald, Skye, Scotland
19. Jack Lee, Surrey, Canada
20. Murray Henderson, Kirriemuir, Scotland
21. Niall Matheson, Inverness, Scotland
22. Bruce Gandy, Halifax, Canada
23. Brian Donaldson

Judges for the Clasp are Ronald Lawrie, John MacDougall and John Wilson, and, for the Silver Medal, Hugh MacCallum, Iain McFadyen, and Jack Taylor.

The Former Winners March, Strathspey & Reel, probably the most enthralling event of the solo piping year will be judged by John Burgess, Walter Cowan, and Iain Morrison.

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