Atop Dollar: Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia

Dollar, Scotland – May 16, 2026 – The first Scottish Grade 1 contest of 2026 to see more than one actual Grade 1 band compete turned out to be the Dollar Pipe Band Competition held on the grounds of Dollar Academy, the private school with one of the most successful piping and drumming teaching programs in the world.

Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia carried the day, against seven other bands, four of which were accredited Grade 1 bands. Only three accredited Grade 2 bands played in the 11-band Grade 2 competition, all three of them on top, with Coalburn IOR winning.

Local favourites Dollar Academy easily won Juvenile with four firsts.

Because the Grade 1 competition was own-choice, most bands used the event to air new medleys, including Field Marshal Montgomery, whose selection was a seven-minute tribute to the great composer and piper, Gordon Duncan.

Grade 1
1st Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (1,1,2,1)
2nd Field Marshal Montgomery (3,3,1,2)
3rd Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (2,2,3,4)
4th Police Scotland Fife (5,5,4,3)
5th ScottishPower (4,4,5,5)
6th Johnstone (6,6,8,6)
7th Denny & Dunipace (7,7,6,7)
8th Coalburn IOR (8,8,7,8)
Drumming: Field Marshal Montgomery
Judges: Grant Walker, Barry Donaldson (piping); Grant Martin (drumming); Tom Brown (ensemble)

Grade 2 (eight competed)
1st Coalburn IOR (1,2,3,2)
2nd Denny & Dunipace (4,4,2,1)
3rd Johnstone (2,1,7,3)
Drumming: Burntisland & District (Gr3B)
Judges: Peter Hunt, Jim Campbell (piping); Arthur Cook (drumming); Paul Brown (ensemble)

Grade 3 (13 competed)
1st Livingston Caledonia (Gr3A) (1,1,1,2)
2nd Burntisland & District (Gr3B) (2,2,2,1)
3rd Dunbar RBL (Gr3A) (4,3,3,3)
Judges: Grant Walsker, Barry Donaldson (piping); Brian Martin (drumming); Tom Brown (ensemble)

Juvenile (eight competed)
1st Dollar Academy (1,1,1,1)
2nd George Heriot’s School (3,3,2,2)
3rd Preston Lodge High School (2,2,3,3)
Judges: Peter Hunt, Jim Campbell (piping); Arthur Cook (drumming); Paul Brown (ensemble)

Grade 4A (six competed)
1st City of St Andrews (1,1,1,1)
2nd City of Discovery (3,3,2,2)
3rd Kirkcaldy & District (2,2,3,4)
Judges: Peter Hunt, Jim Campbell (piping); Arthur Cook (drumming); Paul Brown (ensemble)

Grade 4B (eight competed)
1st City of Brechin (2,1,4,1)
2nd Dunbar RBL Development (1,3,3,4)
3rd Uddingston Strathclyde (4,2,5,2)
Drumming: Kilbarchan
Judges: Grant Walsker, Barry Donaldson (piping); Brian Martin (drumming); Tom Brown (ensemble)

Novice Juvenile A (seven competed)
1st North Lanarkshire Schools (1,1,2,1)
2nd Dollar Academy (2,2,3,3)
3rd Renfrewshire Schools (7,7,1,2)
Judges: Peter Hunt, Jim Campbell (piping); Arthur Cook (drumming); Paul Brown (ensemble)

Novice Juvenile B (nine competed)
1st Burntisland & District (1,1,2,1)
2nd Dollar Academy (4,3,1,4)
3rd North Lanarkshire Schools (3,2,5,3)
Judges: Grant Walsker, Barry Donaldson (piping); Brian Martin (drumming); Tom Brown (ensemble)