ANTIGONISH PULLS OUT ALL THE STOPS — WEATHER IS PERFECT
Saturday the 17th and Sunday the 18th (2004) of July were gorgeous for a Highland games and although some of the competitors would have said it was too hot, there was great piping and drumming heard on both days.

Scott Williams had a very prestigious list of Judges for the weekend. On the drumming side Hugh Cameron and Dave Danskin did the duties and on the piping side of things John Wilson from Scotland, James Troy from Victoria BC, John Eliott from Scarborough Ont, Sandy Gordon from Fredericton NB, and local judges Bruce Gandy from Dartmouth and Robyn Whitty from Cape Breton rounded out the field.

The piping and drumming events were split during the day and most grades had events both days with the exception of grade 4 and 5, they were wrapped up on the Saturday. The Grade 1 Piobaireachd event was held and great tunes were heard from 7 pipers. Scott MacIntosh took first place in this event.

The Nova Scotia Pipe Band Championship was held on Saturday and in the Grade 5 competition there were five bands. The 78th Highlanders Citadel Hill (PM Hilary Riefesel) won the day followed closely by the Heatherbell Girls and then Belfast and Dartmouth tied for third with the nod going to Belfast on Ensemble.

In Grade 4 March Medley, the Gaelic College (Pipe Major Bruce MacPhee) took the day with an excellent play followed by the Antigonish Highland Society.

The Grade 3 MSR competition was won by the combined Maritime Airforce Band (PM Dan Smith) followed closely by Fredericton Grade 3.

In the Grade 2 MSR Competition, Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew (PM Derek Wilson) out pointed Dartmouth Grade 2 to take the win.

And in Grade 1 Halifax put on an excellent show for the crowd with their MSR, preparing for the Worlds in August.

Massed bands were held at the end of the day with Band awards being handed out and the winning bands marched off the field.

The Sunday of the competition, morning came with the same heat as the day before, finishing up the Grade 1, 2 and 3 piping events and grade 1 drumming events.

The Professional events were held on Sunday with a slate of six pipers and four drummers. Bruce Gandy was the Professional Piper of the Day placing first in March, Strathspey/Reel and Jig and coming a close second behind the Piobaireachd winner Andy Rogers. And to add to the cash and trophies, a John Walsh of "John Walsh Bagpipes" donated $500 worth of silver belt buckle, buttons, cufflinks, sgain dubh and beautiful handcrafted Walsh practice chanter.

Jeremy White of the FSSA won the Professional Drumming award of the Day with wins in both the MSR and Hornpipe Jig, followed closely by Sean Morton of the Dartmouth Pipe Band. Congratulations to all the winners.

On a nostalgic note, Alex Gandy won the Grade 1 Amateur piper of the day which in itself is quite an achievement looking at the slate of Grade 1 players. Alex won three of the four events and won the trophy that his mother Bev (Rollo) Gandy won here in Antigonish in 1978.

Following the solo piping and drumming events, the Atlantic Canadian Pipe Band Championship was started at 1:30pm with the Grade 5 Medley.

Heatherbelle Girls (PM Kelsey Langille) won the event followed closely by Belfast Pipes and Drums, and 78th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel).

The Grade 4 Medley came out hot and furious with a slate of 5 bands, great music was heard but at the end of the competition the Gaelic College (PM Bruce MacPhee) followed by Dartmouth and Antigonish Highland Society tied for second place with the nod going to Dartmouth on Ensemble and only a point behind them was College of Piping from Summerside.

The Grade 3 competition again was close but the Combined Maritime Air Force Pipes and Drums (PM Dan Smith) ended up making a clean sweep of the weekend.

The Grade 2 competition was probably the closest to date this year with both FSSA and Dartmouth being tied in piping. The new winner of the Atlantic Canadian Pipe Band Championship is Dartmouth and District (PM Doug Boyd). Both bands sounded excellent on the day considering the heat.

Halifax Citadel (PM Rod MacLean) selected their Medley “Old Triangle” and put on a great musical performance for the crowd as a finale and was enjoyed by the crowd.

Massed bands followed the heavyweight presentations and the award ceremonies capped off the day with the winning bands playing off with all the hardware.

Scott Williams and his team of Mary Jessie MacLelland, Ann Cook and Iain Boyd along with their stewards and runners must be commended on how well things ran both days, Thank you. Having said all that, the beer was cold in the tent and lots of worldly problems were solved. See everyone in Fredericton.

GREAT MUSIC AT FREDERICTON HIGHLAND GAMES
Saturday the 24th and 25th of July, the crowds were treated to some great band competitions leading up to the 78th’s departure to the Worlds and FSSA to compete in France then on to the Worlds. And for Gaelic College heading off to Maxville.

Once again the judges list was impressive and they heard some fantastic piping and drumming competitions. On the drumming side Mike Hunter from Toronto and Dave Coleman of Fredericton did the duties. The piping side of things, Ken Eller from Ontario, along with brothers Ed and Geoff Neigh from Ontario, Sandy Gordon from Fredericton NB, and Andy Rogers of Fredericton did the duties.

Once again the piping and drumming events were split during the day and most grades had events both days with the exception of grade 4 and 5, they were wrapped up on the Saturday. The Grade 1 competition is heating up with Rowan Manson taking the Senior Amateur Piper of the games. With all the Grade 1 category coming from the 78th Highlanders Halifax Citadel the pipers are very close in skill and any of them could win any event.

The weather did not co-operate Saturday morning with the Monsoons beginning at around 7 am but thankfully finishing before the band competition began.

The Grade 5 competition had seven bands competing in the March category. Some very good music was heard by this grade with the Heatherbell Girls of Pictou (PM Kelsey Langille) winning followed closely by 78th Highlanders Grade 5 then Fredericton Junior Pipe Band.

In the Grade 4 March Medley, the Gaelic College (Pipe Major Bruce MacPhee) was the only band competing in Grade 4 but put on a very good performance.

The Grade 3 MSR competition was won by the combined Maritime Air Force Pipe Band (PM Dan Smith) again this week followed closely by Fredericton Grade 3.

In the Grade 2 MSR competition, Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew (PM Derek Wilson) was the only band to compete in this category.

And in Grade 1, Halifax put on an excellent show for the crowd with their MSR, preparing for the Worlds in August.

The Sunday of the competition dawned with sunshine and warm weather, and the Professional events began. Bruce Gandy of the 78th Highlanders Citadel Hill won all four events to take Professional Piper of the Games.

Jeremey White of FSSA was the Professional Drummer of the Games.

Congratulations to all the winners of all categories for piping and drumming over the weekend.

The Medley competition saw the Grade 5 competition with five bands listed. Heatherbell Girls (PM Kelsey Langille) won the event followed closely by the 78th Halifax Citadel Highlanders. The Grade 5 competition is heating up with Heatherbell Girls gaining 2 points on the 78th Highlanders and the Girls are now only one point behind in the Champion Supreme standings.

The Grade 4 Medley saw again only the Gaelic College play but it was a solid performance and Bruce MacPhee decided that a challenge up to the Grade 3 competition for the band was in order. But the strong Medley played by the Combined Maritime Air Force Pipes and Drums (PM Dan Smith) saw them finish first with Gaelic College second and Fredericton Grade 3 a close third.

The Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew Grade 2 band played their Medley which was a crowd pleaser.

Halifax Citadel (PM Rod MacLean) offered to play the Grade 1 bands other MSR which was not selected on Saturday, which was followed by the Medley "Old Triangle" which is their World Pipe Band selection. The crowed really appreciated the extra selection and the judges got a very good look at both the Grade 1 and 2 bands prior to their departure and had positive comments to both Pipe Majors.

Dave Galbraith and his assistants Betsey Coleman and Lorainne Thomas did an excellent job and were very efficient making it an enjoyable competition.

I would like to say "Good Luck" to all the bands that are leaving for Maxville and the Worlds, I know we in Atlantic Canada will be proud of your contribution to the Piping and Drumming competitions.