Canadian bands opt out of Bellingham Gathering

Blaine, Washington – June 7, 2025 – The Bellingham Scottish Gathering near the USA-Canada border typically sees several Canadian bands make the journey, but this year, none attended the event at Marine Park, although several amateur solo pipers made the quick trip across the boundary. Canadian pipe bands, so far, are not generally attending American competitions due to ongoing difficulties between the two countries.

Cameron Bonar and Zephan Knichel split the firsts in the Open solo piping, and Northwest Junior won both Grade 4 band events, the highest contested grade.

The Gathering, which is run by the local Scottish Dance Society, reportedly dropped the help of the British Columbia Pipers Association, leaving the organization of the piping, drumming and band events to one person, who tried her best to do everything but judge the competitions, contestants self-stewarding the competitions. The event adhered to BCPA rules and was still sanctioned by the association.

Band
Grade 2
Medley
1st Cascadia
Judges: Ryan Murray, Hazel Osborne (piping); Ed Best (drumming); Colin Gemmel (ensemble)

MSR
1st Cascadia
Judges: Hazel Osborne, Colin Gemmel (piping); Ed Best (drumming); Ryan Murray (ensemble)

Grade 3
Medley
1st Portland Metro
Judges: Hazel Osborne, Colin Gemmel (piping); Ed Best (drumming); Ryan Murray (ensemble)

MSR
1st Portland Metro
Judges: Ryan Murray, Hazel Osborne (piping); Ed Best (drumming); Colin Gemmel (ensemble)

Grade 4
Medley
1st Northwest Junior
2nd Portland Metro Youth
3rd Cascadia (Gr4)
Judges: Colin Gemmel, Ryan Murray (piping); Ed Best (drumming); Hazel Osborne (ensemble)

MSR
1st Northwest Junior
2nd Portland Metro Youth
3rd Cascadia (Gr4)
Judges: Ryan Murray, Hazel Osborne (piping); Ed Best (drumming); Colin Gemmel (ensemble)

Grade 5 (Quick Marches Set)
1st Northwest Junior (Gr5)
2nd Tacoma Scots
Judges: Colin Gemmel, Ryan Murray (piping); Ed Best (drumming); Hazel Osborne (ensemble)

Solo Piping
Open
Piobaireachd
1st Cameron Bonar, Surrey, British Columbia
2nd Zephan Knichel, Lynwood, Washington
3rd Micah Babinski, Portland
Judge: Ryan Murray

MSR
1st Zephan Knichel
2nd Micah Babinski
3rd Cameron Bonar
Judge: Colin Gemmel

Grade 1
MSR
1st Aiden Fowler
2nd Gavin Guidotti
3rd Kyle Gaul
4th Evan Jamieson
5th Jack Martin
6th Jeff Rowell
Judge: Hazel Osborne

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Jack Martin
2nd Aiden Fowler
3rd Aaron Malcomb
4th Kyle Gaul
5th Gavin Guidotti
6th Jeff Rowell
Judge: Ryan Murray

Grade 2
MSR
1st Jon Scott
2nd Adi Moss-Sheth
3rd Tyler Coleman
4th Laurie Gardner
5th Vienna Scheyer
6th Kevin Moran
Judge: Colin Gemmel

Jig
1st Jon Scott
2nd Adi Moss-Sheth
3rd Vienna Scheyer
4th Tyler Coleman
5th Kevin Moran
6th Laurie Gardner
Judge: Hazel Osborne

Grade 3
6/8 March
1st Sean Underwood
2nd Tim Riddle
3rd Gavin Calder
4th Garrett Bargabos
5th Duncan MacLeod
6th Peter Rolstad
Judge: Colin Gemmel

Jig
1st Travis Nelson
2nd Garrett Bargabos
3rd Sean Underwood
4th Gavin Calder
5th Duncan MacLeod
6th Keelan Allen
Judge: Hazel Osborne

Grade 4
2/4 March
1st Adelynn Williams
2nd Rhys Class
3rd Patrick Sutherland
4th Joseph Williamson
5th Gavin Patterson
6th Doug Gardner
Judge: Ryan Murray

6/8 March
1st Rhys Class
2nd Carl Wilder
3rd Logan Gillespie
4th Doug Gardner
5th Gavin Patterson
6th Joseph Williamson
Judge: Colin Gemmel

Grade 5
6/8 March
1st Millie Kingston
2nd Oliver Cahill
3rd Ilan Moss-Sheth
Judge: Ryan Murray

Slow Air
1st Ilan Moss-Sheth
2nd Oliver Cahill
3rd Millie Kingston
Judge: Hazel Osborne

Adult
2/4 March
1st Thomas Padden
2nd Colby Clark
Judge: Colin Gemmel

6/8 March
1st Thomas Padden
2nd Colby Clark
Judge: Ryan Murray

Solo Drumming
Snare
Grade 1
MSR
1st Alonso Cruz
Judge: Ed Best

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Alonso Cruz
Judge: Ed Best

Grade 2
MSR
1st Aiden Huston
2nd Jayce Edetsberger
3rd Max Fenwick
Judge: Ed Best

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Jayce Edetsberger
2nd Aiden Huston
3rd Max Fenwick
Judge: Ed Best

Tenor
Open
MSR
1st Alexis Hagen
2nd Lindsay MacGregor
Judge: Ed Best

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Alexis Hagen
2nd Lindsay MacGregor
Judge: Ed Best