Colin Johnstone: 2019 Sherriff Amateur Champion

Hamilton, Ontario – November 16, 2019 – Colin Johnstone of Aurora, Ontario, was the overall winner of the 2019 George Sherriff Amateur Invitational Solo Piping Competition, held again at St. Paul’s Church against a field of nine other invited competitors. With a first in the 6/8 March event and a second and third in the MSR and Piobaireachd competitions, respectively, Johnstone’s 12 aggregate points edged former winner Alistair Bevan of Abbotsford, British Columbia and his 10 points for the overall title.

The competition honours the memory of George Sherriff, a popular teacher of piping in the Hamilton area. The event invites North American contestants who had the most success in their various associations over the previous competition season.

Piobaireachd
1st Tyler Destremps, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
2nd Liam Melville, Renfrew, Ontario
3rd Colin Johnstone
4th Liam MacDonald, Wellesley, Ontario
5th Alistair Bevan

MSR
1st Alistair Bevan
2nd Colin Johnstone
2nd Tyler Destremps
4th Blaise Theriault, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
5th Liam Melville

6/8 Marches
1st Colin Johnstone
2nd Alistair Bevan
3rd Kevin Darmadi, Hosuton
4th Joseph Horwath, Saginaw, Michigan
5th Liam Melville

Also competing were Stuart Marshall, Greensboro, North Carolina, and Charlie Morris, Agoura Hills, California.

The event is organized by a group of volunteers and supported by a range of sponsors that donate products prizes and money. According to Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario president Chris Buchanan, the local association has no official involvement with the competition.

Reflecting the format of the Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational in the eastern United States, which was started in 1985, the George Sherriff Memorial was first held in 1996, with Ryan MacDonald of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first overall winner. Filemon Tan of Houston was the winner of the 2018 Sherriff.

All three 2019 events were judged by Glenn Brown, Michael Grey and Jim McGillivray.

Related

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Filemon Tan makes it a double with Sherriff Championship
November 18, 2018