Features
August 31, 2007

p|d panel prediction: Strathclyde Police to win 2007 World’s

We have canvassed our impartial experts, weighed results, considered comments, come up with a top-six result prediction for the Grade 1 2007 World Pipe Band Championship, and the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band is the choice as champions for August 11th at Glasgow Green.

Our panel of more than 20 representatives from around the world sent in their considered opinions based on what they have heard and seen during the 2007 campaign. Some took into account the judging on the day. To produce the most accurate assessment, we agreed that panelists would be kept anonymous. We can only assure you that these pipers and drummers are not attached with any Grade 1 band in any form.

In past years we asked for odds for each band, and also requested that panelists comment on the entire field of bands. This year we asked simply for panelists’ top six places, plus a dark-horse, if they wanted. From submissions, we have come up with the following consensus choice for the top six:
1st Strathclyde Police
2nd Field Marshal Montgomery
3rd Simon Fraser University
4th House of Edgar-Shotts & Dykehead
5th Boghall & Bathgate
6th St. Laurence O’Toole
Drumming: Strathclyde Police

The Scottish Lion-78th Fraser Highlanders and Robert Wiseman Dairies-Vale of Atholl were the other bands most mentioned to make the list, but each no higher than fourth in any panelists’ prediction. Of all entries, these were the only eight bands named to make the top six.

Some comments from panelists on each of the eight bands:

Strathclyde Police

    • “The overall strength across the pipe band will bring the Strathclyde Police their first World Pipe Band Championship in years.”
    • “Will win the Medley.”
    • “This band has the drive to get a good result.”
    • “Polis [will] come up the middle with good drumming scores.”
    • “This will be their day.”
  • “Will win the drumming.”

Field Marshal Montgomery

    • “Best pipe corps in the world, but the drumming woes this year aren’t going away.”
    • “Will win the MSR.”
    • “Will do the business, they are a band of focused players and produce a consistently confident performance.”
  • “FMM drum corps will cost the band . . . and drop them at least two places down the prize list.”

Simon Fraser University

    • “The most balanced band and are due – probably should have won it last year.”
    • “Dark horse – could be [third] or farther down.”
  • “Probably should have won the last two years. Maybe they won’t deserve it this year and will win!”

House of Edgar-Shotts & Dykehead

    • “Since drumming has a big influence on the result, JK just needs to pull out all the stops.”
    • “I’ve only got them here because of that fantastic drum corps.”
    • “Favourable drumming judges will help their result.”
  • “Not my musical taste, but judges over there don’t seem to care about that.”

Boghall & Bathgate

    • “Good band back-to-front with success this year.”
    • “This band usually peaks by Cowal, but this year is in form far earlier. Could finish as high as third.”
    • “One word: drumming.”
  • “One judge seems to really love Boghall.”

St. Laurence O’Toole

    • “Don’t forget SLOT drum corps are the holders of the World’s title.”
    • “Piping has improved, and they will get back into the list.”
    • “Creighton has a great touch. If piping judges reward the music, watch out.”
  • “Remember, this band beat FM twice this year.”

Scottish Lion-78th Fraser Highlanders

    • “All the off-season buzz can’t do anything but help and everyone knows Bill [Livingstone] is not playing anyone who can’t help him win.”
    • “They have to get something for fielding that many pipers.”
  • “The 78th Frasers’ ‘superband’ delivers their best result in years.” [Panelist predicted band to finish fourth.]

Robert Wiseman Dairies-Vale of Atholl

  • “Improving every contest and must be feeling confident.”
  • “Outside shot at getting in.”
  • The Qualifier Prediction

    Only five bands will go through from the morning MSR Qualifier contest, and pipes|drums predicts these bands to be, in order:

  1. Manawatu Scottish
  2. Alberta Caledonia
  3. 78th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel)
  4. Clan Gregor
  5. Windsor Police

 

We thank our panelists – they know who they are! – and we wish all bands competing at the World Championships nothing but the best of luck on the day.

p|d

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29 COMMENTS

  1. Thank goodness this isn’t another top 3 automatic year. Your choices could be right but I’m predicting 1. FM 2. SFU 3. Shotts 4. 78th Fraser 5. Polis 6. SLOT And Shotts will win the drumming and DEFINITELY will win the selection drumming.

  2. I’ll start this off by stating having had the pleasure of playing with SFU in concert as an accompanying traditional musician over the past 2 years I could well be accused of being slightly biased in my opinion. That being said, as a judge I have noticed that the band has certainly stepped up things a notch this year and should not be underestimated by any means to win the big prize. Best wishes to all though and hopefully the weather will cooperate. Wish I could be there! cheers Rob

  3. Wouldn’t want to jinx it, but I think SFU has the best overall package. If they all get their best play on the day, I see: 1st – SFU 2nd- Strathclyde 3rd – FMM 4th – Shotts 5th – 78th Frasers 6th – Boghall

  4. 1) FMM 2) SLOT 3) Shotts 4) Strathclyde 5) SFU 6) 78th Frasers All great bands, and any one could do it on the day, but you have to pick someone to win it. Boghall & Bathgate could easily be in there as well.

  5. If any reader gets the top-six result bang-on and posted as a Comment here, they will receive a special pipes|drums prize pack, which will include more than $50 worth of merchandise! One entry per reader and you need to provide your log-in e-mail address (which is only visible to me). Good luck!

  6. I think the Irish will be very difficult as usual to beat in the Medley and Strathclyde will come through in the MSR – Kilpatrick’s corp is unstoppable and Boghall and Bathgate will sneek in and get a well deserved 6th spot. Politics will without doubt prevail both in most of the big six’s camps. Here’s my picks 1) FMM 2) Strathclyde 3) S.F.U. 4) Shott’s 5) 78th Frasers 6) Boghall & Bathgate

  7. FMM (boosted by Wednesday concert) SFU Strathclyde Shotts SLOT 78th Frasers Boghall also have a strong chance of making the prizes but are very unpredictable, but they have a genuine chance of winning the Drumming. I would love the Vale to make a breakthrough but this is unlikely, my guess is they either stay in 8th place or move up to 7th. Windsor Police or Lothian & Borders to make the final.

  8. My guess. Any mathematicians out there able to tell us the permutations available for a top six from 9 bands? SFU FMM STRATH SHOTTS SLOT BOGHALL Be great to see a dark horse come through and prove us all wrong and show it can be done.

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