Results

The latest “Live Online” competition run by the Competition League for Adult Solo Pipers (CLASP) was held over two days, contestants’ live performances recorded for the judges to review later. Ultimately, the aggregate awards went to Charles-David Mitchell, Ontario (Grade 1); Anthony Kelly, Houston (Grade 2); Emmanuel Bregent, Brittany (Grade 3); and Chi Kit Yeung, Hong Kong (Grade 4).

The National Piping Centre was stowed out with young pipers and their proud parents at the organization’s 2026 Junior Solo Piping Competition, where Charlie Mack won the aggregate trophy in the Under 18 category, Shay McInarlin gained the Under 15 aggregate, Larry Presslie won the overall trophy in the Under 13, and Charles Campbell was best aggregate in the Practice Chanter.

Connor Sinclair of Crieff, Scotland, won the Ardmore Cup for the third time, an event that showcases invited competitors in a creative setting that includes a freestyle Medley contest as well as a traditional MSR. Each piper also plays a slow air during their tuning, with a separate award for each.

Vancouver – February 21, 2026 – Steven McWhirter w …

The fourth annual Skye K. Richendrfer Memorial Cup Grade 4 Piobaireachd Challenge was won by Matthew Hubbard, of Omaha, Nebraska, playing “Sir James MacDonald of the Isles’ Lament.”

Blair Beaton of Scotia, New York, won the 2026 RSPBA Adult Solo Snare Drumming Intercontinental Championship held at the Irish American Association of Northwest New Jersey, the first in the association’s eight-contest Champion of Champions League. Beaton also earned a spot in the semi-final at the 2026 World Solo Pipe Band Snare Drumming Championship in Glasgow in October.

Stuart Easton of Palmerston North won all four Open solo piping events and the Manawatu Scottish organization’s Grade 4 band took the only contested grade in the pipe band events at the 161st Turakina Highland Games, the longest-running competition in New Zealand and one of the oldest in the world.

With two firsts in the two events at the inaugural Masters Invitational Solo Drumming Competition, Steven McWhirter of Glasgow was the obvious overall winner.

Cameron MacDougall of Orange, New Jersey, was the aggregate winner of the top solo piping events at the 22nd running of the Winter Storm solo piping and drumming competitions, held at the Marriott Hotel, Country Club Plaza.

The Competition League for Adult Solo Pipers (CLASP) held its first contest of the year, an in-person event at the National Piping Centre’s Otago Street premises, in which Owain Woodman Carr, Anthony Kelly and Arthur Bass had the overall best days in Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3 events.

Warm temperatures with intermittent rain covered the 153rd annual Waipu Highland Games in the tranquil beachside settlement at the northern end of New Zealand’s North Island, where Piers Dover of Christchurch won the aggregate in the A-Grade solo piping.

The final piping competition of the year is traditionally New Zealand’s more casual Northcote Invitational. This year, Piers Dover and Liam Kernaghan gained the first prizes, winning the double MSR and the Medley events, respectively, with Kernaghan the overall winner on Medley preference.

The Competition League for Amateur Solo Pipers (CL …

Manawatu Scottish easily won their fifth consecutive Square Day Grade 1 title, taking the Medley, MSR, and best drumming. Canterbury Caledonian Society made a solid debut under new Pipe-Major Piers Dover, second overall and winning the Best Bass Section trophy.

The latest “live online” solo piping contest run by the Competition League for Amateur Solo Pipers saw the usual worldwide entry of adult pipers who performed over two days via recorded live video, their selections assessed over the next month by the judges.