Nicholas Weston: 2026 New Zealand Young Piper of the Year

Nelson, New Zealand – October 3, 2026 – Nineteen-year-old Nicholas Weston of Auckland emerged as the eighth New Zealand Young Piper of the Year, gaining the overall Under-21 title against 12 other competitors.

Weston won the March, Strathspey & Reel and placed second in the Piobaireachd to secure the championship. Sam Foote of Christchurch, winner of the Piobaireachd, was the overall runner-up.

Thirty-six competitors across the grades travelled to Nelson at the top of New Zealand’s South Island for the annual event.

The New Zealand Young Piper of the Year competitions were launched in 2018 and offer a NZ$1,000 prize to the B-Grade overall winner. In New Zealand, “A-Grade” is generally equivalent to Open/Professional in North America or “Senior” in the UK, so the contest does not include that level because most in the category are 21 or older.

Under-21
Piobaireachd
1st Sam Foote, Christchurch, “Lament for Captain MacDougall”
2nd Nicholas Weston, “The MacDougalls’ Gathering”
3rd Seumas Eade, Palmerston North, “The Unjust Incarceration”
Judge: Greg Wilson

MSR
1st Nicholas Weston
2nd Maggie McConnochie, Christchurch
3rd Sam Foote
Judges: Liam Kernaghan, Louis Newman, Tracey Williams, Greg Wilson

B-Grade
2/4 March
1st Sam Foote
2nd Seumas Eade
3rd Nicholas Weston
Judge: Greg Wilson

Strathspey & Reel
1st Nicholas Weston
2nd Seumas Eade
3rd Finlay Trewinnard, Christchurch
Judge: Liam Kernaghan

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Maggie McConnochie
2nd Nicholas Weston
3rd Charlie Gregg, Christchurch
Judge: Liam Kernaghan

C-Grade
Piobaireachd
1st Jordan Baerselman, Nelson
2nd Hamish Bilton, Christchurch
3rd Thomas Bottomley, Christchurch
Judge: Tracey Williams

2/4 March
1st Charlie Gregg
2nd Mackenzie Woolley, Christchurch
3rd Hamish Bilton
Judge: Tracey Williams

Strathspey & Reel
1st Jordan Baerselman
2nd Charlie Gregg
3rd Hamish Bilton
Judge: Louis Newman

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Hamish Bilton
2nd Charlie Gregg
3rd Thomas Bottomley
Judge: Louis Newman

D-Grade
Piobaireachd
1st Mackenzie Woolley
2nd Lachie Kidd
3rd Georgia Newman
Judge: Tracey Williams

2/4 March
1st Cameron Blogg
2nd Lachie Kidd
3rd Georgia Newman
Judge: Liam Kernaghan

Strathspey & Reel
1st Mackenzie Woolley
2nd Cameron Blogg
3rd Benjamin Carline
Judge: Louis Newman

Slow Air & Jig
1st Mackenzie Woolley
2nd Benjamin Carline
3rd Lachie Kidd
Judge: Louis Newman