Pipe Band Championship

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31921, 24 February 1969, Page 14

Pipe Band Championship

About 800 pipe band enthusiasts will be in Christchurch for three days from Friday. They will include members of 34 pipe bands, their supporters and officials of the bands and the Highland Pipe Bands’ Association of New Zealand.

The 1969 Dominion Pipe Band Championships will begin at the Addington ShowGrounds on Friday and will continue on Saturday and Sunday.

The thirty-four bands will compete in three sections—lo in the A grade, 11 in the B grade and 13 in the C grade. At 9.30 a.m. on Friday the contest will begin with the C grade quickstep. The last time the championships were in Christchurch was 1962. On Sunday at 10 a.m. a wreath will be laid at the war memorial in Cathedral Square. On Saturday morning the street march contest for the three grades will be held. The bands will assemble in Latimer Square, march along Hereford Street, turn right

into Manchester Street and left into Armagh Street. The march will finish near Colombo Street. If the weather is wet the selection events will be held in the selling ring at the showgrounds. A large number of trophies will be competed for—l 3 in the A grade, 15 in the B grade and 12 in the C grade. | There are also cups for the i corps of drummers in the A 'or B sections gaining the highest points in the quickstep and selection, for the drum major in all grades who is awarded the most points in the staff flourishing championships. A trophy will be awarded to the band with the most points, exclusive of drumming, in the quickstep and selection. In addition, 19 gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded and certificates will be presented to the bandsmen of the three champion bands.

Awards will be presented by the Dominion president (Mr T. A. Gordon) on Sunday afternoon after the massive bands display has ended. The well-known Christchurch pipe band enthusiast, Mr C. S. Thomas, is patron of the New Zealand Association and president of the

1969 contest committee. Mr F. E. Burrows is chairman of the committee and Mr N. L. Hider, the secretary. Members of the judicial committee, Messrs H. Kitto Gordon, V. J. Nicholson and J. Garriock, and the contest committee, Messrs H. Kitto and J. Fraser. The supervisor will be Mr B. McMillan and the chief marshal, Mr G. Steel.

Judges of the events will be: music, Messrs A. Thomson, D. Sargeant and J. L. McKinnon; drumming, Mr J. Griffiths; dress, Mr G. Hibbert; drum-majors’ display, Messrs Hibbert, A. Miller and A. Souter; staff flourishing, Mr A. Miller; drill, Messrs C. Allan, I. C. Eyles, N. Mangin, F. Burrows, R. Johnston, S. Mills, Miller and Souter. The chief drill judge is Mr E. Boyle and pace counters, Messrs L. Forrester and C. McLeod and the timekeepers, Messrs L. Griffin and M. Guthrie.

Last year’s championships were held in Wanganui when the City of Wellington Band won the A grade for the seventh year in succession, Hawke's Bay Scottish won the B grade and the City of Rotorua the C grade. In 1970 the championships will be held r. Wellington.