Woodman Carr, Doherty and Stringer overall winners at latest CLASP in-person contest

Glasgow – June 21, 2025 – Glasgow’s Owain Woodman Carr, Tony Doherty of East Kilbride, Scotland, and Rye, Australia’s Sophie Stringer were the Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 overall winners at the UK’s Competition League for Amateur Solo Pipers (CLASP) in-person competition held at the National Piping Centre’s McPhater Street building.

Started in 2003 by the National Piping Centre, CLASP holds in-person and online solo piping events to determine an overall champion at the end of the year.

Unlike most of the rest of the world, the UK maintains a solo piping competition system based on the tradition of all pipers older than 18 competing at a single “Senior” level, while those 18 and younger compete in “Junior” events. The Competing Pipers Association assigns grades only for Senior-level pipers. Many larger events adhere to CPA gradings, though it’s not required, as there is no official sanctioning body for solo piping competitions or judges.

CLASP was created as a realistic way for adult “amateur” solo pipers to compete, but not against pipers who would be graded “Professional” or “Open” outside of the UK.

Grade 1
Piobaireachd
1st Owain Woodman Carr
2nd John Nevans
3rd Donald Morrison
4th Craig Turnbull
5th Graham Farr
6th Charles Dunbar
Judge: Connor Sinclair

2/4 March
1st Owain Woodman Carr
2nd Conall McNamara
3rd Douglas Small
4th Craig Turnbull
5th John Nevans
6th Callum Kirk
Judge: Gordon McCready

Strathspey & Reel
1st Douglas Small
2nd Conall McNamara
3rd Craig Turnbull
4th John Nevans
5th Callum Kirk
6th Owain Woodman Carr
Judge: Gordon McCready

6/8 March
1st Conall McNamara
2nd Douglas Small
3rd Craig Turnbull
4th John Nevans
5th Callum Kirk
6th Owain Woodman Carr
Judge: Gordon McCready

Grade 2
Piobaireachd
1st Adam Aitchison
2nd Callum Kirk
3rd Alistair Robinson
4th Douglas Small
Judge: Connor Sinclair

2/4 March
1st Tony Doherty
2nd Lou Reed
3rd Donald Morrison
4th Adam Aitchison
Judge: Gordon McCready

Strathspey & Reel
1st Tony Doherty
2nd Lou Reed
3rd Adam Aitchison
4th Donald Morrison
Judge: Gordon McCready

6/8 March
1st Tony Doherty
2nd Donald Morrison
3rd Lou Reed
4th Adam Aitchison
Judge: Gordon McCready

Grade 3
Piobaireachd
1st Sophie Stringer
2nd Sue Kennedy
3rd Anthony Maclachlan
4th Simon Kelly
5th Robert Thomson
6th Joe Moore
Judge: Connor Sinclair

2/4 March
1st Alistair Robinson
2nd Billy Beck
3rd Sophie Stringer
4th Jamie Thomas
5th Simon Kelly
6th Stephen Birch
Judge: Gordon McCready

Strathspey & Reel
1st Anthony Maclachlan
2nd Alistair Robinson
3rd Sophie Stringer
4th Charles Dunbar
5th Stephen Birch
6th Joe Moore
Judge: Gordon McCready

Jig
1st Billy Beck
2nd Anthony Maclachlan
3rd Alistair Robinson
4th Simon Kelly
5th Charles Dunbar
6th Sophie Stringer
Judge: Gordon McCready