Updated: Walker wins his first Glenfiddich
Blair Atholl, Scotland – October 27, 2007 – Gordon Walker (pictured right) of Galston, Scotland, won his first Glenfiddich Solo Piping Championship at the great hall of Blair Castle. Results from the Piobaireachd and MSR lists were varied, with Walker not winning either event, but his second and fourth prizes carried the day. Willie McCallum had been trying for a record ninth Glenfiddich Championship title, but settled for third overall. A pipe that didn’t stay in tune in the piobaireachd reportedly kept him from that list.
Piobaireachd
1st Roddy MacLeod, Cumbernauld, Scotland, “Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay”
2nd Iain Speirs, Edinburgh, “Nameless – Cherede darievea”
3rd Jack Lee, Surrey, British Columbia, “Craigellachie”
4th Gordon Walker, “The MacKays’ Banner”
5th Angus MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland, “Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon”
Judges: John MacDougall, Jim McGillivray, Jack Taylor
MSR
1st Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland, “Captain Campbell of Drumavoisk,” “Dora Macleod,” Lt.-Col. D.J.S. Murray”
2nd Gordon Walker, “The Braes of Castle Grant,” “Cabar Feidh,” John Morrison, Assynt House”
3rd Alasdair Gillies, Pittsburgh, “91st at Moddar River,” Susan MacLeod,” “The Sheepwife”
4th Angus MacColl, “MacLean of Pennycross,” Maggie Cameron,” “Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran”
5th Stuart Liddell, Inveraray, Scotland, “Abercairney Highlanders,” “John Roy Stewart,” “Willie Murray”
Judges: Walter Cowan, Gavin Stoddart, John Wilson
![Willie McCallum, winner of the MSR; 2007 Glenfiddich Champion Gordon Walker; and Roddy MacLeod, winner of the Piobaireachd with their hardware collected at Blair Castle, October 27, 2007. [Photo: Derek Maxwell]](https://www.pipesdrums.com/console/XSL/pipesdrumsconsole20/scripts/FCKeditor/editor/imagelibrary/Glenfiddich07winners.jpg)
Andrew Wright of Dunblane, Scotland, was awarded the Balvenie Medal for his life-long contributions to piping.
Also competing but not in the prizes were Richard Hawke of New Zealand and James Murray of Cupar, Scotland.
I think it is very unfair and very uncalled for to single out a player for their drones not staying in tune. It is a contest with 10 competitors, who have all worked extremely hard to get there. Congratulations to all the players at the Glenfiddich.
Usually I would completely agree with you, Glenn, and I have been a vocal critic for many years of the post-contest reports in other magazines that tend to brutalize our best players. In this case, though, many people were asking, What happened to Willie McCallum in the Piobaireachd, who was going for a record ninth win and who won the MSR? I thought it was an important aspect of the event and the detail came from extremely reliable sources who were there.