Richard Turnbull of Torphichen, Scotland, wins 2013 pipes|drums’ Pick the Six contest and $3,565 in prizes
With more than 2,000 entries to the 2013 pipes|drums Pick the Six contest, Richard Turnbull of Torphichen, Scotland, has won more than $3,500 in prizes from pipes|drums advertisers that sponsored the event.
Amazingly once again, none of the entries picked the top-six Grade 1 Final finish exactly, but several had all six bands, with Field Marshal Montgomery the winner, three others in the right place, and then two transposed for a points total of 14. (A perfect pick would result in 18 points.) Richard’s entry was drawn randomly to gain the prize.
Richard’s pick was:
1st Field Marshall (3 points)
2nd Boghall & Bathgate (3 points)
3rd Inveraray & District (1 point)
4th Simon Fraser (3 points)
5th SLOT (3 points)
6th Scottish Power (1 point)
Congratulations to Richard Turnbull, and our thanks to all who entered and, of course, our sponsors. Here again are the prizes that Richard will receive:
One-year membership to the BagpipeLessons.com Studio. $240 retail value.
One 16 x 13 Full Carbon Fibre Hosbilt tenor drum. (This drum is state of the art and one has not yet been released to the public market.) The drum will be fashioned as either an “Open Tenor” (one head) as shown or “Closed Tenor” (two heads) model as the winner’s choice. $895 retail value.
One set of Kinnaird Evolution Drone Reeds. $120 retail value
Pipe bag, custom-made for the winner, in choice of cowhide, goatskin, or sheepskin, any size, with grommets and a zipper if preferred. Up to $385 retail value.
One set of Crozier Glass Fibre Drone Reeds. $110 retail value.
One Moose Valve. $40 retail value.
Full set of Mayor bass and tenor mallets (choice of five available colors) for your favourite band’s entire bass section. $500 retail value.
Two workshop “scholarships” (choose from bass, snare, tenor) for Oktenorfest coming up this October 26th. $200 retail value.
Membership at Dojo U to the mix. $300 retail value.
Piper’s Choice Kitchen Pipe. $320 retail value.
Airstream Adjustable Blowpipe. $89.95 retail value.
Six Sound Supreme pipe chanter reeds, made to whatever strength requirement and to make of chanter.
$75 retail value.
Two pairs of new TyFry Ultimate Tenor Mallets in winner’s choice of colour(s).
One pair of new TyFry Ultimate Practice Beaters.
$250 total retail value.
£100 Wallace Bagpipes voucher for any merchandise.
A Walsh Long Plastic Practice Chanter with ferrule or sole and oval mouthpiece, two extra PC reeds and a cloth cover. $125 retail value.
Stay tuned for more great contests for pipes|drums readers!
Wow – I got the same six in the same order as the fortunate winner, he must have pipped me (and others) on entering the picks earlier. This is a great contest, and even if it’s pretty much a guess, it’s fun. Thanks P|D and sponsors for putting it on, and congratulations Richard. Two years in a row for me with one transposed pair of bands. Perhaps I’ll get it right one day!? Stephen Matthews
We heard from a very pleased Richard Turnbull, who says that he will share his prizes with the newly-started Torphichen & Bathgate Novice Juvenile band. Nice to hear!
I also had the right top six, with two transposed. I had SFU and Power swapped. SO close. Congratulations to Richard, and thanks again to PD and all the great sponsors for allowing us a crack at prognosticating for prizes. And watch out next year.
Bagpipermann – I think it makes perfect sense. The mallets are mass produced (most likely in Asia – we have to assume as the company owner has never fielded this question) and probably cost about 10 cents to make, so they have an astronomical profit margin. The market for these is fickle and fashion-orientated, so they probably get replaced regularly. The market has spoken, so I guess people are happy to pay over $120 for something that is no more researched or quality assured than a kids toy.
A piece of canvas with various shades of paint on it can retail for millions, yet at the same time millions can feed the mouths of millions for a day. So now, what is the painting worth? “What would you like to pay?” Try not to make any sense out of it. There is none.
Maybe this won’t be published because it ‘bites the hand’ regarding this competition, but I sincerely ask how is it that a pair of mass produced plastic tenor mallets (made where?), that will be replaced next season, retail for the same price as a hand-crafted practice chanter that lasts for life….?