Argyllshire Gathering 2025: Steven Leask is the Gold Medallist; Stuart Liddell wins sixth Sr. Piob; Kyle Cameron takes Silver Medal; Johnston gains FWMSR

Oban, Scotland – August 27, 2025 – It was Steven Leask of East Kilbride, Scotland’s big day, writing his name into the history books by winning the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering. Leask gained the prize against 24 other pipers and gets an invitation to the 2025 Glenfiddich Championships, which will be his first time playing in the event.

The first results of the first day of the Argyllshire Gathering were the Senior Piobaireachd, which was won by Stuart Liddell, Inveraray, Scotland, and Kyle Cameron of Rosemarkie, Scotland, took the Silver Medal.

The last results were the Former Winners’ MSR, which Finlay Johnston of Glasgow won for the first time, also gaining a Glenfiddich nod.

Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal
1st Steven Leask, “The MacLeans’ March” (£550)
2nd Brendon Eade, Hamilton, New Zealand, “The Prince’s Salute” (£400)
3rd Sean McKeown, Bowmanville, Ontario, “The Young Laird of Dungallon’s Salute” (£250)
4th Callum Brown, Aberdeen, Scotland, “Lament for Ronald MacDonald of Morar” (£200)
5th Chris Armstrong, Glasgow, “Lament for the Departure of King James” (£150)
Judges: Alan Forbes, Murray Henderson, Bill Wotherspoon

Also competing: Glenn Brown, Glasgow; Sandy Cameron, Roy Bridge, Scotland; Andrew Donlon, Washington, DC; Ben Duncan, Edinburgh; Jamie Elder, Auchtermuchty, Scotland; Alex Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; Nick Hudson, Houston; Angus J. MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland; Cameron MacDougall, South Orange, New Jersey; Ben McClamrock, Washington, DC; John McDonald, Aberdeen, Scotland; Derek Midgley, Tinton Falls, New Jersey; Sarah Muir, East Kilbride, Scotland; John Mulhearn, Carluke, Scotland; William Rowe, Marton, New Zealand; Connor Sinclair, Crieff, Scotland; Innes Smith, Dunblane, Scotland; Darach Urquhart, Glasgow; Calum Watson, Bathgate, Scotland; and Brodie Watson-Massey, Edinburgh.

It was Liddell’s sixth time winning the award (2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2012). The prize earned him an invitation to the 2025 Glenfiddich Championships. Twenty-one others participated in the event of extra-lengthy piobaireachds.

Senior Piobaireachd
1st Stuart Liddell, “Port Urlar” (£1000,)
2nd Nick Hudson, Houston, “Farewell to the Queen’s Ferry” (£500)
3rd Angus D. MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland (£300)
4th Jamie Forrester, Haddington, Scotland (£200)
5th Cameron Drummond, Edinburgh, “The Edinburgh Piobaireachd” (£150)
Judges: Ian Duncan, Patricia Henderson, Jack Taylor

Also competing: Chris Armstrong; Callum Beaumont, Guardbridge, Scotland; Glenn Brown; Andrew Hayes, Ottawa; Alasdair Henderson, Edinburgh; Finlay Johnston, Glasgow; Jack Lee, Surrey, British Columbia; Ian K. MacDonald, Whitby, Ontario; Colin MacLellan, Edinburgh; Roddy MacLeod, Glasgow; Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland; Douglas Murray, Cupar, Scotland; Connor Sinclair; Innes Smith; lain Speirs, Edinburgh; Craig Sutherland, Crieff, Scotland; and Greg Wilson, Christchurch, New Zealand.

The winner of the 2024 MacGregor Memorial piobaireachd competition for pipers 22 and younger, Cameron won against 24 other contestants admitted to the event. The Silver Medals at Oban and Inverness are essentially qualifying competitions for the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medals. However, only the winner(s) is/are assured of moving into the Gold Medal, and it is not guaranteed for life

Despite the rules stating that competitors were not required to wear jackets, all contestants in the Silver Medal were reportedly ordered to compete wearing their restrictive barathea and tweed garments. The ad hoc requirement reportedly created upset with some competitors. At least one competitor was said to have had to go back to the tuning room to retrieve their coat, but that was later disputed by one of the judges.

Silver Medal
1st Kyle Cameron (£350)
2nd Jonathon Simpson, Bo’ness, Scotland (£300)
3rd Ross Miller, Glasgow (£150)
4th Joe Biggs, Ajax, Ontario (£100)
5th Anna Kummerlöw, Kladrum, Germany (£60)
Judges: Robert Barnes, Donald MacPhee, Robert Wallace

Also competing: Cameron Bonar, Surrey, British Columbia; Keith Bowes, Erskine, Scotland; Ruairidh Brown, Dunblane, Scotland; Kyle Cameron, Rosemarkie, Scotland; Greig Canning, Kirkcaldy, Scotland; John Dew, Glasgow; Jacob Dicker, Maxville, Ontario; Austin Diepenhorst, San Diego; Andrew Ferguson, Dollar, Scotland; Mike Fitzhenry, Paisley, Scotland; Eddie Gaul, Dundee, Scotland; Steven Gray, Lockerbie, Scotland; Eireann lanetta-Mackay, Glasgow; Liam Kernaghan, Auckland, New Zealand; Zephan Knichel, Lynwood, Washington; Dan Lyden, Timonium, Maryland; Ashley McMichael, Antrim, Northern Ireland; James McPetrie, Aberdeen, Scotland; Campbell Wilson, Pizen, Czechia; and Callum Wynd, Stirling, Scotland.

Former Winners’ MSR
1st Finlay Johnston, ” John MacColl’s March to Kilbowie Cottage,” “Cabar Feidh,” “The Smith of Chilliechassie” (£550)
2nd Ben Duncan, Edinburgh (£400)
3rdWillie McCallum (£250)
4th Stuart Liddell (£200)
5th Alasdair Henderson (£150)
Judges: Peter Hunt, Dr. Angus MacDonald, John Wilson

Also competing: Chris Armstrong; Callum Beaumont; Calum Brown; Glenn Brown; Cameron Drummond; Alex Gandy; Jack Lee; Angus D. MacColl; Angus J. MacColl; Ian K. MacDonald; Cameron MacDougall; Gordon McCready, Renfrew, Scotland; Sarah Muir; Douglas Murray; Roddy MacLeod; Connor Sinclair; Iain Speirs; and Craig Sutherland.

MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd (sponsored by the Highland Society of London; run in two heats, four from each qualifying for a final)
1st Andrew Pattison, Troon, Scotland
2nd Maggie McConnachie, Canterbury, New Zealand
3rd Magnus Stone, Natick, Massachusetts
4th Calum Dunbar, Inverness, Scotland
Judges: Euan Anderson, Derek Fraser, Bruce Hitchings, Ronnie McShannon

Also competing (other finalists in bold): Bobby Allen, Chryston, Scotland; Hugh Anderson, Tobermory, Scotland; Douglas Baird, Torphichen, Scotland; Arran Brown, Campbeltown, Scotland; Fergus Dorrington, Glasgow; Christopher Drummond, Bathgate, Scotland; Hector Finlayson, Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland; Sam Foote, Christchurch, New Zealand; Jean-Sebastien Gamache, Ottawa; Arran Green, Stirling, Scotland; Gregor Grierson, Dumfries, Scotland; Fraser Hamilton, Paisley, Scotland; Aaron Hughes, Johnstone, Scotland; Abigail Long, Houston; Paul MacKay, Washington, DC; Peter MacKay, Glasgow; Camron MacPhail, Kilmartin, Scotland; Lewis Maxwell, Alva, Scotland; Christopher McCartan, Lochgilphead, Scotland; Eala Niamh McElhinney, Clydebank, Scotland; Liam Nicolson, Sydney; Catriona Norman, Glasgow; Alex Pavlovic, Houston; Flora Stone, Natick, Massachusetts; Jack Watson, Victoria, Australia; and Alistair Williams, Dunblane, Scotland.

Stay tuned to pipes|drums for more results from Day 2 of the Argyllshire Gathering.