Tweedvale Pipe Band picks up prizes at Edinburgh Pipe Band Championships.

Tweedvale Pipe Band continued their competition season last Saturday 22 August by participating in the Edinburgh Pipe Band Championships and managed to come away from the event with two 4th place finishes. Held at the Royal Highland Centre Ingliston, the Edinburgh Pipe Band Championships is a much smaller event that the previous week’s World Pipe Band Championships, attracting mainly bands local to the Lothians, Borders and Fife to the 6 grades of competition on offer. Tweedvale Pipe Band arrived at Ingliston just after 11.00am in order to prepare for their performances and found the weather very changeable making the setting up of a band sound very difficult. The band was fortunate to avoid the worst of the weather whilst performing as there were some heavy rain showers in evidence during the day. Scheduled to play first in the Grade 3 event, the band actually played second due to a late entry. The Grade 3 performance was marred by several errors and some nervous playing which led to Tweedvale being marked down by the four judges. The Grade 3 contest was won by the Stockbridge Pipe Band from Edinburgh. The performance in the Grade 2 event was much better than that of Grade 3 with the playing much more relaxed and with fewer errors in evidence. The Grade 2 contest was won by the People’s Ford Boghall and Bathgate Juvenile Pipe Band.

Speaking about the outcome of the Edinburgh Pipe Band Championships, Tweedvale Pipe Major Bruce Gillie said “Whilst the Grade 3 performance was disappointing these things sometimes happen and we’ll just have to treat it as a learning experience. The Grade 2 showing was much better and it showed that the band’s hard work on the contests sets over the last two months is beginning to pay off. It was very pleasing to pick up some prizemoney for the two fourth places but this year isn’t really about winning prizes; it’s about getting the band back into the swing of competition. I’d like to thank BARC Coaches for the transport they’ve provided to our last four contests, the service has been excellent.”

The next event in Tweedvale’s competition season is the first of two local pipe band contests at Peebles Highland Games on Saturday 5 September. The band will feature in both the Grade 3 contest, playing 4th out of 9 entered bands, and in the Grade 2 contest, playing 5th out of 8 entered bands. Both grades are Medley events. Following on from the Peebles contest is another local event, the St Ronan’s Pipe Band Championships in Innerleithen on Saturday 12 September which closes Tweedvale Pipe Band’s competition season. Planning for next year has already started with the band starting to consider tunes for a new Medley and a new March Strathspey and reel set.

MANY THANKS TO BARC COACHES FOR SUPPLYING THE COACH FOR TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE EDINBURGH PIPE BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS.

The full results of the Edinburgh Pipe Band Championships Grade 3 contest can be found here.

The full results of the Edinburgh Pipe Band Championships Grade 2 contest can be found here.

Details of the Day

Grade 3 and Grade 2 – MEDLEY – Bessie Weatherston, Wee Buns, Minnie Hynd, Lonely Loch Nan Eun, Because He Was A Bonnie Lad, The Wisemaiden, Dancing Feet.

Number of Pipers – 9.

Number of Side Drummers – 2.

Number of Bass Drummers – 1.

Number of Tenor Drummers – 1.