Year turns to big solo events, starting with Oban’s Argyllshire Gathering

The Argyllshire Gathering on Wednesday, August 27th, and Thursday, August 28th, marks the traditional turning point of the piping and drumming year in the northern hemisphere, ushering in a series of big solo competitions that last until May.

“Oban,” as competitors casually refer to the event, is the sister event to the Northern Meeting—”Inverness”—on Thursday, September 11th, and Friday, September 12th.

Both events are considered the pinnacle of non-invitational solo piping contests, highlighted by the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medals and the Silver Medals for piobaireachd, as well as the Senior Piobaireachd at Oban and the Clasp at Inverness, two contests reserved for those who’ve won a Gold Medal, and the Former Winners MSRs for previous winners of the Argyllshire Gathering A-Grade March and Strathspey & Reel for Oban, and, for the Northern Meeting, the A-Grade MSR at Inverness.

The winners of the Gold Medal, Senior Piobaireachd and Former Winners’ MSR receive invitations to the Glenfiddich Championship in October in Blair, Atholl, Scotland.

Both Oban and Inverness have been going on for a long time, evidenced by the fact that this year marks the 150th anniversary of the Highland Society of London’s sponsorship of the Gold Medal.

Gaining entry to the events for pipers graded A, B or C by the Competing Pipers Association is a process fraught with anxiety for many soloists who put their heart and soul into their art at this level.

With the number of applicants exceeding the limited space, a joint committee reviews attendance, recent prizes, playing standards, whether teachers were judging pupils, how long a piper has competed in an event with little or no success, and other factors to determine who gets in and who gets knocked back.

Pipers used to competing in an event having their application rejected can be devastating, and known to hasten retirement.

Contestants typically in non-former winner piobaireachd competitions who miss a year (let alone two) for any reason often have to work their way somehow back to acceptance. In the past, missing the event due to injury, illness, or personal tragedy has resulted in rejection.

On Wednesday, the Argyllshire Gathering holds all piobaireachd and Former Winners’ MSR at various indoor venues. The remaining light music events take place outdoors. Rain, shine, gale, hail, or snow won’t stop them.

Here are the lists of competitors (alphabetical by last name) in the highest profile events at the 2025 Argyllshire Gathering.

Highland Society of London Gold Medal (9 am, Corron Halls Studio Theatre)

• Chris Armstrong, Glasgow
• Calum Brown, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Glenn Brown, Glasgow
• Sandy Cameron, Roy Bridge, Scotland
• Andrew Donlon, Washington, DC
• Ben Duncan, Edinburgh
• Brendon Eade, Hamilton, New Zealand
• Jamie Elder, Auchtermuchty, Scotland
• Alex Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
• Nick Hudson, Houston
• Steven Leask, East Kilbride, Scotland
• Angus J. MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland
• Cameron MacDougall, South Orange, New Jersey
• Ben McClamrock, Washington, DC
• John McDonald, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Sean McKeown, Bowmanville, Ontario
• Derek Midgley, Tinton Falls, New Jersey
• Sarah Muir, East Kilbride, Scotland
• John Mulhearn, Carluke, Scotland
• William Rowe, Marton, New Zealand
• Connor Sinclair, Crieff, Scotland
• Innes Smith, Dunblane, Scotland
• Darach Urquhart, Glasgow
• Calum Watson, Bathgate, Scotland
• Brodie Watson-Massey, Edinburgh

Senior Piobaireachd (9 am, Corron Halls Main Hall)

• Chris Armstrong
• Glenn Brown
• Cameron Drummond, Edinburgh
• Jamie Forrester, Haddington, Scotland
• Andrew Hayes, Ottawa
• Alasdair Henderson, Edinburgh
• Callum Beaumont, Guardbridge, Scotland
• Nick Hudson
• Finlay Johnston, Glasgow
• Jack Lee, Ontario, Surrey, British Columbia
• Stuart Liddell, Inveraray, Scotland
• Angus D. MacColl
• Ian K. MacDonald
• Colin MacLellan, Edinburgh
• Roddy MacLeod, Glasgow
• Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland
• Douglas Murray, Cupar, Scotland
• Connor Sinclair
• Innes Smith
• lain Speirs, Edinburgh
• Craig Sutherland, Crieff, Scotland
• Greg Wilson, Christchurch, New Zealand

Silver Medal (9 am, Rockfield Centre)

• Joe Biggs, Ajax, Ontario
• Cameron Bonar, Surrey, British Columbia
• Keith Bowes, Erskine, Scotland
• Ruairidh Brown, Dunblane, Scotland
• Kyle Cameron, Rosemarkie, Scotland
• Greig Canning, Kirkcaldy, Scotland
• John Dew, Glasgow
• Jacob Dicker, Maxville, Ontario
• Austin Diepenhorst, San Diego
• Andrew Ferguson, Dollar, Scotland
• Mike Fitzhenry, Paisley, Scotland
• Eddie Gaul, Dundee, Scotland
• Steven Gray, Lockerbie, Scotland
• Eireann Ianetta-MacKay, Glasgow
• Luke Kennedy, Strathaven, Scotland
• Liam Kernaghan, Auckland, New Zealand
• Zephan Knichel, Lynwood, Washington
• Anna Kummerlow, Kladrum, Germany
• Dan Lyden, Timonium, Maryland
• Ashley McMichael, Antrim, Northern Ireland
• James McPetrie, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Ross Miller, Glasgow
• Ryan Praskovich, Columbus, Ohio
• Jonathon Simpson, Bo’ness, Scotland
• Campbell Wilson, Pizen, Czechia
• Callum Wynd, Stirling, Scotland

Former Winners’ MSR (3 pm, Argyllshire Gathering Hall)

• Chris Armstrong
• Callum Beaumont
• Calum Brown
• Glenn Brown
• Cameron Drummond
• Ben Duncan
• Alex Gandy
• Alasdair Henderson
• Finlay Johnston
• Jack Lee
• Stuart Liddell
• Angus D. MacColl
• Angus J. MacColl
• Ian K. MacDonald
• Cameron MacDougall
• Willie McCallum
• Gordon McCready, Renfrew, Scotland
• Sarah Muir
• Douglas Murray
• Roddy MacLeod
• Connor Sinclair
• lain Speirs
• Craig Sutherland

The lists for the balance of the light music events on Thursday generally comprise the Gold and Silver Medal contestants above (plus a few in the Senior Piob) competing in the A-Grade and B-Grade Marches, and Strathspeys & Reels, respectively. There’s an Intermediate MSR, mostly for B- and C-Grade pipers.

An Open Jig with no order of play is offered. Those who’ve entered are supposed to go straight to the Jig platform to get in the queue.

Here are the judges for the events:

Piobaireachd

• Senior Piobaireachd: Ian Duncan, Patricia Henderson, Jack Taylor
• Gold Medal: Alan Forbes, Murray Henderson, Bill Wotherspoon
• Silver Medal: Robert Barnes, Donald MacPhee, Robert Wallace
• MacGregor Memorial: Euan Anderson, Derek Fraser, Bruce Hitchings, Ronnie McShannon

Light Music

• Former Winners’ MSR: Peter Hunt, Dr. Angus MacDonald, John Wilson
• A-Grade March: Patricia Henderson, Peter Hunt, Ronnie McShannon
• A-Grade Strathspey & Reel: Murray Henderson, Bruce Hitchings, John Wilson
• B-Grade March: Ian Duncan, Derek Fraser, Bill Wotherspoon
• B-Grade Strathspey & Reel: Barty Donaldson, Dr. Angus MacDonald, Jack Taylor
• Intermediate MSR: Stuart Liddell, Robert Wallace
• Jig: Euan Anderson, Alan Forbes

Stay tuned to pipes|drums for results from the 2025 Argyllshire Gathering as they become available.