The most important stories of ’17

AUGUST

Inveraray & District: World Championship #1

And there it was: Inveraray & District took its first World Championship in a closely contested event at Glasgow Green. Popular winners, Inveraray outlasted Field Marshal Montgomery’s challenge to win its own twelfth title. By winning, Inveraray Pipe-Major Stuart Liddell joined Bill Livingstone as the only pipers in history to capture a Clasp at the Northern Meeting and lead a Grade 1 band to a World’s win.

Oban Former Winners MSR under pressure

More controversy in the Scottish solo scene, when Chris Armstrong and Roddy MacLeod withdrew from the esteemed Former Winners March, Strathspey & Reel event at the Argyllshire Gathering. Armstrong cited issues with one of the judges on the three-person bench, while MacLeod never provided a reason. With the two players alone accounting for four wins of the event, the contest took a direct hit from their principled stand.

Oban Day 1: Sutherland takes Gold; Brown, Sr.; MacDougall Silver

Fresh faces took the three big piobaireachd prizes at the Argyllshire Gathering, in what was perhaps a portent for a changing of the guard of the UK’s solo piping elite.