Manawatu Scottish wins fifth straight Square Day Grade 1 title

Palmerston North, New Zealand – December 13, 2025 – While pipe bands in the northern hemisphere make plans, create medleys, and count numbers, the New Zealand season started in warm, breezy conditions with the 45th annual Square Day Competition, the biggest contest in the country apart from the National Championships in March.

Manawatu Scottish easily won their fifth consecutive Square Day Grade 1 title, taking the Medley, MSR, and best drumming. Canterbury Caledonian Society made a solid debut under new Pipe-Major Piers Dover, second overall and winning the Best Bass Section trophy.

Grade 1
Overall
1st Manawatu Scottish
2nd Canterbury Caledonian Society
3rd Auckland & District
Drumming: Manawatu
Bass Section: Canterbury

Medley
1st Manawatu Scottish (1,1,1,1)
2nd Auckland & District (2,2,2,3)
3rd Canterbury Caledonian Society (3,3,3,2)
Judges: Ben McLaughlin, Davey Welsh (piping); Ian Ferguson (ensemble); Adam Alexander (drumming)

MSR
1st Manawatu Scottish (1,2,1,1)
2nd Canterbury Caledonian Society (3,1,2,2)
3rd Auckland & District (2,3,3,3)
Judges: Calum Gilchrist, Adama Waghorn (piping); Brian Switalla (ensemble); Glenn Miller (drumming)

Grade 2
Overall
1st City of Tauranga
2nd New Zealand Police
Drumming: City of Tauranga

Medley
1st City of Tauranga (1,1,1,1)
2nd New Zealand Police (2,2,2,2)
Judges: Ben McLaughlin, Davey Welsh (piping); Ian Ferguson (ensemble); Adam Alexander (drumming)

MSR
1st City of Tauranga (1,2,1,1)
2nd New Zealand Police (2,1,2,2)
Judges: Calum Gilchrist, Adama Waghorn (piping); Brian Switalla (ensemble); Glenn Miller (drumming)

Grade 3
Overall
1st Hamilton Caledonian Society
2nd Auckland & District (Gr3)
3rd Metro Scottish
4th Red Hackle
5th Hawkes Bay Caledonian
6th Manawatu Scottish (Gr3)
Drumming: Auckland & District (MSR pref.)

Medley
1st Hamilton Caledonian Society (1,1,2,4) (ens.pref.)
2nd Metro Scottish (2,2,3,1)
3rd Auckland & District (Gr3) (3,3,1,2)
4th Red Hackle (5,5,4,5) (ens.pref.)
5th Hawkes Bay Caledonian (4,4,5,6)
6th Manawatu Scottish (Gr3) (6,6,6,3)
Judges: Ben McLaughlin, Davey Welsh (piping); Ian Ferguson (ensemble); Adam Alexander (drumming)

MSR
1st Hamilton Caledonian Society (2,1,1,5)
2nd Auckland & District (Gr3) (3,3,2,1)
3rd Metro Scottish (4,2,4,2)
4th Red Hackle (5,5,3,3)
5th Hawkes Bay Caledonian (1,4,6,6)
6th Manawatu Scottish (Gr3) (6,6,5,4)
Judges: Calum Gilchrist, Adama Waghorn (piping); Brian Switalla (ensemble); Glenn Miller (drumming)

Grade 4
Overall
1st City Rotorua
2nd Papakura
3rd Manawatu Scottish (Gr4)
4th Red Hackle (Gr4A)
5th City of Wellington (ens.pref.)
6th Feilding Caledonian
7th Red Hackle (Gr4B)
8th Wairarapa Fern & Thistle
Drumming: Papakura

Medley
1st City Rotorua (1,1,1,2)
2nd Papakura (2,3,3,1)
3rd Manawatu Scottish (Gr4) (3,2,2,3)
4th Red Hackle (Gr4A) (5,4,4,4)
5th City of Wellington (6,5,5,5)
6th Feilding Caledonian (4,7,6,7)
7th Wairarapa Fern & Thistle (8,8,7,6) (ens.pref.)
8th Red Hackle (Gr4B) (7,6,8,8)
Judges: Ben McLaughlin, Davey Welsh (piping); Ian Ferguson (ensemble); Adam Alexander (drumming)

MSR
1st City Rotorua (1,1,1,2)
2nd Papakura (2,2,2,1)
3rd Red Hackle (Gr4A) (3,3,4,4)
4th Manawatu Scottish (Gr4) (4,4,3,5)
5th Feilding Caledonian (5,6,6,3)
6th City of Wellington (6,5,5,7)
7th Red Hackle (Gr4B) (7,7,7,8)
8th Wairarapa Fern & Thistle (8,8,8,6)
Judges: Calum Gilchrist, Adama Waghorn (piping); Brian Switalla (ensemble); Glenn Miller (drumming)

Juvenile
1st Manawatu Scottish Youth
2nd Red Hackle Team Goose
3rd Papakura Youth
Judges: Adam Waghorn (piping), Douglas Bilsland (drumming)