The 2022 Argyllshire Gathering: Jamie Forrester takes Gold Medal, MSR to Connor Sinclair, Angus D. MacColl wins Senior Piob, Calum Watson first in Silver Medal

Oban, Scotland – August 24, 2022 – The Argyllshire Gathering returned to its customary set of in-person competitions for the first time since 2019, with day one events held in various indoor venues in the scenic west Highland town. Jamie Forrester of Haddington, Scotland, won the Highland Society of London Gold Medal against 26 other competitors, adding his name permanently to piping history. For his success, Forrester also earns an invitation to the 2022 Glenfiddich Championship in October.

In the first results announced, Calum Watson of Bathgate, Scotland, was the winner of the Silver Medal. Watson and third-prize-winner Jonathon Simpson of Bo’ness, Scotland, are both members of the Grade 1 Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia.

In the Senior Piobaireachd, local piping sensation Angus D. MacColl of Benderloch, Scotland took the prize and thus also gained an invitation to the Glenfiddich, joining Forrester and previous qualifiers Glenn Brown of Glasgow, Dollar, Scotland’s Callum Beamont and 2021 Glenfiddich winner Jack Lee of Surrey, British Columbia. It was MacColl’s fifth time winning the Senior Piobaireachd, which was once again sponsored by the William Grant Foundation.

The final event of the day was the Former Winners March, Strathspey & Reel where Connor Sinclair of Crieff, Scotland, won the prestigious competition for the first time in his young career. He, too, earns an invitation to the Glenfiddich by winning the qualifying contest.

Highland Society of London Gold Medal (27 competed)
1st Jamie Forrester, “The Phantom Piper of Corrieyairack”
2nd Sandy Cameron, Roy Bridge, Scotland, “The End of the High Bridge”
3rd John Mulhearn, Glasgow, “The Daughter’s Lament”
4th Sean McKeown, Bowmanville, Ontario, “The Prince’s Salute”
5th Derek Midgley, Tinton Falls, New Jersey, “Lord Lovat’s Lament”
Judges: Alan Forbes, Murray Henderson, Bob Worrall

Also competing (alphabetical): Glenn Brown, Glasgow; Gordon Bruce, Kilwinning, Scotland; Andrew Carlisle, Pittsburgh; Cameron Drummond, Edinburgh; James Duncan Mackenzie, Back, Isle of Lewis, Scotland; Ben Duncan, Edinburgh; Alex Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; William Geddes, Glasgow; Alasdair Henderson, Edinburgh; Nick Hudson, Houston; Angus J. MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland; Steven Leask, Irvine, Scotland; Alastair Lee, Coquitlam, British Columbia; Cameron MacDougall, Nigg, Scotland; James MacHattie, Summerside, Prince Edward Island; Peter McCalister, Dunblane, Scotland; Ben McClamrock, Washington, DC; Gordon McCready, Paisley, Scotland; Sarah Muir, Irvine, Scotland; Connor Sinclair, Crieff, Scotland; Innes Smith, Bridge of Allan, Scotland; and Darach Urquhart, Bishopbriggs, Scotland.

Also competing (alphabetical): Glenn Brown; Stuart Easton, Palmerston North, New Zealand; Andrew Hayes, Nepean, Ontario; Alasdair Henderson, Dunoon, Scotland; Finlay Johnston, Glasgow; Ian K. MacDonald, Whitby, Ontario; Jack Lee, Surrey, British Columbia; Roddy MacLeod, Moodiesburn, Scotland; Peter McCalister; Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland; Fred Morrison, Bishopton, Scotland; Connor Sinclair, Crieff, Scotland; Iain Speirs, Edinburgh; and Greg Wilson, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Silver Medal (26 competed)
1st Calum Watson, “The Big Spree”
2nd Calum Brown, Petercoulter, Scotland, “Nameless”
3rd Jonathon Simpson, Bo’ness, Scotland, “Lament for the Viscount of Dundee”
4th Anna Kummerlow, Klasdrum, Germany, “A Flame of Wrath for Patrick Caogach”
5th John Dew, Glasgow, “Isobel MacKay”
Judges: Robert Barnes, Ian Duncan, Robert Wallace

Also competing (alphabetical): Scott Armstrong, Auckland, New Zealand; Ursa Beckford, Washington, DC; Xavier Boderiou, Landrevarzec, Brittany; Ruairidh Brown, Dunblane, Scotland; Finlay Cameron, Roy Bridge, Scotland; Greig Canning, Kirkcaldy, Scotland; Kris Coyle, Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland; Jacob Dicker, Hammond, Ontario; Jamie Elder, Auchtermuchty, Scotland; Andrew Ferguson, Dollar, Scotland; Michael Fitzhenry, Paisley, Scotland; Edward Gaul, Dundee, Scotland; Liam Kernaghan, Dunedin, New Zealand; Zephan Knichel, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia; John McDonald, Aberdeen; Ashley McMichael, Antrim, Northern Ireland; Ross Miller, Glasgow; Alastair Murray, Moon Township, Pennsylvania; Matt Pantaleoni, St. Louis; Willie Rowe, Manawatu, New Zealand; and Brodie Watson-Massey, Edinburgh.

Former Winners MSR (for winners of at least one of either the A-Grade March or Strathspey & Reel)
1st Connor Sinclair, Crieff, Scotland
2nd Alex Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
3rd Finlay Johnston, Glasgow
4th Alasdair Henderson, Edinburgh
5th Ben Duncan, Edinburgh
Judges: Jimmy Banks, Richard Parkes, John Wilson

Also competing (alphabetical): Chris Armstrong, Glasgow; Glenn Brown; Andrew Carlisle; Angus D. MacColl; Cameron Drummond; Bruce Gandy; Ian K. MacDonald; Jack Lee; Alastair Lee; Stuart Liddell; Roddy MacLeod; Willie McCallum; Gordon McCready; Fred Morrison; Sarah Muir; Allan Russell, Kelty, Scotland; and Iain Speirs.

MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd (for pipers 22 years old and younger, not competing in the other piobaireachd events)
1st Cameron May, Lesmahagow, Scotland
2nd Gregor MacDonald, Oban, Scotland
3rd Alistair Bevan, Abbotsford, British Columbia
4th Liam Nicolson, Australia

Stay tuned to pipes|drums for more results from the Thursday Argyllshire Gathering events as they become available.