Big crowd sees pipe bands

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33154, 19 February 1973, Page 12

Big crowd sees pipe bands

The skirl of pipes and the beat of drums drew an appreciative crowd of more than 5000 to Rugby Park yesterday to watch 15 Canterbury and Westland bands compete at the forty-ninth provincial pipe band contest.

The Scottish Society of New Zealand Highland Pipe Band, Christchurch, won the ! provincial championship title, | for the seventh successive | year. The guest band was the I City of Dunedin Highland Pipe Band. Mr A. Miller, chief drill judge, said that the contest’s top bands would be very hard to beat at the New Zealand championships at Timaru in three weeks time. “The standard of the bands is as hign as any I have seen at a provincial contest for some time, if not higher,” he said. DECLINE IN MUSIC The music judges, Messrs J. Patterson and D. Boyle, said that the musical standard had declined from preivious years. “They were not playing together well, they tended to play as individuals, and this affects their pacing. If the music is of a high standard, ithey tend to drill well, too,’’) Mr Patterson said. ■ Some of the C grade bands i performed better than B ; grade bands, and there was a marked difference between the performances of B grade; ! and A grade bands, Mr Patterson said. Mr Miller’s special congratulations went to the City I of Christchurch Ladies’ ! Highland Pipe Band, which ■ won first place in every event it entered, and to the Richmond and Districts band i which "played like a veteran” although'in its first provin- ! cial competition. The contest began with an

inspection then a street march over a course of 100 yards, including left and right wheels. Bands were judged on music, marching ability, deportment, dressing and crowd appeal. Next were the quickstep, drum major’s display and staff-flourishing sections. The band with the highest points in the A grade section, and winner of the Andrews Challenge Shield, was a Christchurch band, the Scottish Society of New Zealand, rhe winner of the B grade section, and the Sinclair Shield, was the Christchurch Metropolitan Highland Pipe Band. The City of Christchurch Ladies’ Pipe Bano won the C grade section and the Frank Doig Trophy. STAFF FLOURISHING The winner of, the Mary Raymond rose bowl for staff flourishing was Drum Major G. Price, of the Scottish Society of New Zealand Highland Pipe Band. Other results were: Inspection (open).—City of Dunedin 1, Scottish Society 2, Caledonian Society and Timaru Highland (equal) 3. Street march. —A grade: Scottish Society. 247 points. 1; City □f Dunedin. 243. 2; Caledonian Society, 241, 3. B grade: Metropolitan Highland, 228, 1; Timaru Highland, 225, 2; Riccarton Highland, 221 3. C grade: City of Christchurch Ladies, 214, 1; Ellesmere Highland, 201. 2; Caledonian Ladies. 196. 3. Selection.—A grade: Scottish Society, 251 points. 1; Caledonian Society. 248. 2; City of Dunedin, 243, 3. B grade: Metropolitan Highland. 248, 1; St- Andrew’s College, 240, 2; North Canterbury Caledonian, 234 3. C grade: City of Christchurch Ladies, 198, 1; Caledonian Ladies, 188, 2; Ellesmere Highland, 186. 3. Quickstep.—A grade: Scottish Society 666 points. 1; City of Dunedin, 656, 2; Caledonian Society, 647. 3. B grade: Metropolitan Highland. 610, 7; Timaru Highland, 591, 2; Ashburton County Scottish, 587 3. C grade: City of Christchurch Ladies, 577. 1; Ellesmere Highland, 548, 2; Caledonian Ladies, 525. 3. Drum major’s display.—A grade: Scottish Society, 13S points. 1; City of Dunedin. 138 2; Caledonian Society, 127. 3. B grade: Metropolitan Highland 128, 1; North Canterbury’ Caledonian. 120. 2: Riccarton Highland, 101 3. C grade: City of Christchurch Ladies. 120. 1. Staff flourishing (open).—Scottish Society, 46 points, 1; Metropolitan Highland, 46. 2; Riccarton Highland, 45. 3. Aggregate points.—A grade: Scottish Society. 1289 points. 1; City of Dunedin. 1260. 2; Canterbury Caledonian Society. 1259. 3. B grade: Metropolitan Highland, 1236. 1: Timaru Highland. 1201, 2; North Canterbury 7 Caledonian, 1185, 3. C grade: City of Christchurch Ladies. 1093. 1; Ellesmere Highland. 1032, 2; Caledonian Ladies. 1017, 3.