Zephan Knichel concludes terrific Scottish tour with overall win at Braemar

Braemar, Scotland – July 5, 2026 –The annual Braemar Gathering was held in the rolling Royal Deeside landscape in good weather, and it was Ben McClamrock of Washington, DC, who won the traditional Piobaireachd Gold Medal, while Zephan Knichel, Lynnwood, Washington, gained the overall trophy by winning both light music events. About 20 competed in the Senior competitions.

Knichel also won the “Best Overseas Piper” trophy, which is particularly valuable because of the large turnout of non-Scottish competitors in the country for the Argyllshire Gathering and Northern Meeting.

Knichel enjoyed a hugely successful August and early September touring the Scottish games and gatherings, highlighted by winning the Silver Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering and the B-Grade Hornpipe & Jig at the Northern Meeting, as well as winning the World Pipe Band Championship as a member of Simon Fraser University.

Braemar marks the start of many pipers vying for the next 10 months either to maintain or gain a spot in the over-subscribed Oban and Inverness events.

All but one judge were members of the UK’s Solo Piping Judges’ Association.

Piobaireachd
1st Ben McClamrock, “The Red Speckled Bull”
2nd Dan Lyden, Timonium, Maryland
3rd Keith Bowes, Erskine, Scotland
4th Ed MacIlwaine, Vancouver
5th Derek Midgley, Tinto Fall, New Jersey
6th John McDonald, Aberdeen
Judges: Ian Duncan, Robert Wallace, Duncan Watson

2/4 March
1st Zephan Knichel
2nd David Bruce, Edinburgh
3rd James MacHattie, Summerside, Prince Edward Island
4th Cameron Bonar, Surrey, British Columbia
5th Andrew Carlisle, Pittsburgh
6th Cameron MacDougall, Orange, New Jersey
Judges: R.S. MacDonald, D.J. MacIntyre, Logan Tannock

Strathspey & Reel
1st Zephan Knichel
2nd David Bruce
3rd Cameron Bonar
4th Cameron MacDougall
5th James MacHattie
6th John McDonald, Aberdeen, Scotland
Judges: R.S. MacDonald, D.J. MacIntyre, Logan Tannock