Great Lakes, Toronto Police split Alma

Alma, Michigan – May 25-26, 2019 – Great Lakes and the Toronto Police won the Saturday and Sunday, respectively, of the 52nd annual Alma Highland Festival and, with it the Toronto Police won the United States Pipe Band Championship. Of note, the Toronto Police in the four-band Saturday event received a first and a last in piping. The competition was once a significant event for Grade 1 bands from Ontario and the United States, but this year did not hold premier grade events.

Bands
Saturday
Grade 2 (MSR, four competed)
1st Great Lakes (2,1,1,2)
2nd Toronto Police (1,4,2,1)
3rd Midlothian Scottish (4,2,3,3)
4th Greater Midwest (3,3,4,4)
Judges: Andrew Carlisle, Nick Hudson (piping); Ed Best (drumming); Greg Abbott (ensemble)

Grade 3 (medley, three competed)
1st City of Chicago (1,1,2,1)
2nd Chicago Celtic (3,3,1,2)
3rd North Coast (2,2,3,3)
Judges: Andrew Carlisle, Nick Hudson (piping); Ed Best (drumming); Greg Abbott (ensemble)

Grade 4 (MSR, four competed)
1st Alma College
2nd 87th Cleveland
3rd City of Chicago
4th Grand Traverse
Judges: Andrew Carlisle, Nick Hudson (piping); Ed Best (drumming); Greg Abbott (ensemble)

Grade 5 (QMM, 10 competed)
1st Michigan Scottish
2nd Cabar Feidh (ens.pref.)
3rd Flint Scottish (ens.pref.)
4th Motor City
5th St. Andrew’s Society of Central Illinois
6th 87th Cleveland
7th Celtic Cross
8th Muskegon Regional Police
9th Grand Rapids & District
10th Jim Enright Sr. Memorial
Judges: Andrew Carlisle, Nick Hudson (piping); Ed Best (drumming); Greg Abbott (ensemble)

Sunday
Grade 2 (medley, four competed)
1st Toronto Police (Gr2) (1,2,1,2)
2nd Great Lakes (3,3,2,1)
3rd Midlothian Scottish (2,1,4,4)
4th Greater Midwest (4,4,3,3)
Judges: Andrew Carlisle, Greg Abbott (piping) Ed Best (drumming); Nick Hudson (ensemble)

Grade 3 (MSR, three competed)
1st City of Chicago (1,1,1,1)
2nd North Coast (2,2,2,2)
3rd Chicago Celtic (3,3,3,3)
Judges: Andrew Carlisle, Greg Abbott (piping) Ed Best (drumming); Nick Hudson (ensemble)

Grade 4 (medley, five competed)
1st Alma College (ens.pref.)
2nd 87th Cleveland (ens.pref.)
3rd Border Cities Caledonian
4th City of Chicago
5th Grand Traverse
Judges: Andrew Carlisle, Greg Abbott (piping) Ed Best (drumming); Nick Hudson (ensemble)

Grade 5 (QMM, nine competed)
1st Cabar Feidh
2nd Flint Scottish
3rd 87th Cleveland
4th Motor City (ens.pref.)
5th St. Andrew’s Society of Central Illinois (ens.pref.)
6th Muskegon Regional Police
7th Celtic Cross
8th Grand Rapids & District
9th Jim Enright Sr. Memorial
Judges: Andrew Carlisle, Greg Abbott (piping) Ed Best (drumming); Nick Hudson (ensemble)