Hot under the kilt

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34084, 23 February 1976, Page 14

Hot under the kilt

The weather was unkind to the pipers and drummers seeking provincial titles at the Addington Show Grounds yesterday —it was hot with little breeze to cool the wool-clad clansmen.

Tartans there were aplenty —predominant the red of the McPherson and the Royal ■ Stewart, the blues and greens I of the Blackwatch, the Fergusson and the Seaforth ■McKenzie, with here and there a white and red Dress Stewart, a yellow McLeod, land the Dress Gordon — of white, blue green, and yellow.

i Sporran-adorned andi (spatted, the bandsmen and' I women, for this has long] ’been an activity for the fairer! |sex, opened the championship! icontests for bands from the! ‘ West Coast, Marlborough and Nelson and Canterbury with a street march. Sadly, bands from these other centres were missing from the lists,l . and it was left to 11 bands; I from Canterbury to provide, competition for the dress' 'rehearsal for the national! ■(championships in Wellington [■next \veek-end. Although most competitors were in the C grade section,! ’ it was in the A grade that I competition was intense, and the 2500 people attending the afternoon events saw two bands — Caledonian Society and Scottish Society — put on fine displays in both the quickstep and selection ; events that separated them by just a few points, the Scottish Society winning again | for the fourteenth year in succession. The Scottish Society band will compete in the Austrai lian championship, and will I leave for Adelaide immedi(ately after the New Zealand i championship. I The best Australian bands i were “classic,” said the presi;dent of the Scottish Society] | (Mr A. Miller), but last year] a Wellington band won the] 'Australian title, and he was!

i pinning his hopes on his band, j he said. ■ The two events that offered [most interest to the public I were the drum majors’ display, where the bands played and displayed their marching ability under the direction of their pipe major, and the staff flourishing, in which I the pipe majors showed their j skilful handling of the Jong, .and rather heavy mace.

Both of these events were very entertaining, and the afternoon was completed by a march past of massed bands and the presentation of the awards. Results:—

Inspection and street march. — A grade: Scottish Society 1, Caledonian Society 2. B grade: Ashburton I, Metropolitan 2. C grade: Caledonian Ladies 1, Ellesmere 2.

Selection.—A grade: Scottish Society 1, Caledonian Society 2. B grade: Ashburton 1, St Andrew’s College 2. C grade: Caledonian Ladies 1, St Andrew’s College 2. Quickstep.—A grade: Scottish Society 1, Caledonian Society 2. B grade: Ashburton 1, St Andrew’s College 2. C grade: Caledonian Ladies 1, St Andrew’s College 2.

Drum majors display.—A grade: Caledonian Society 1. B grade: Metropolitan Men 1. C grade: Metropolitan Ladies 1. Staff flourishing.—G. Steel • Caledonian Society> 1, G. Price (Scottish Society) 2.

Aggregate points.—A grade: Scottish Society. 915.5; Caledonian Society. 904.3. B grade: Ashburton, 859.3; St Andrew’s College, 840.4. C grade: Caledonian Ladies, 804.9; St Andrew’s College. 757.9.