|
The 15th Annual Paeroa Highland Games & Tattoo will be held at the Paeroa Domain on Saturday February 9th 2008. The event which started out as a pipe bands competition has grown over the years and today it’s a fully-fledged Highland Games complete with an Evening Tattoo.
Between 3000-5000 people attend each year, many coming from throughout the North Island. Twelve Pipe Bands from the Auckland, Taranaki and Central North Island Centres have registered for the Pipe Bands Contest. Highland Dancing and Solo Piping have drawn a large number of entries this year, the Paeroa Solo Piping being the final round of the Hamilton, Tauranga Tri–Series competition.
Click here for details.
Entries have officially closed but I understand that late entries will be accepted. Click here for details (PDF with the events and entry info).
This competition was the first installment of the inaugural ‘Piping Tri-Series’ held by the Waikato Pipers Club (Inc). The tri series gives emerging players (B grade and down) a chance to compete for overall prizes based on a points system. The points are tallied over 3 contests - Hamilton Gardens, Tauranga (Feb 2nd 200 
and Paeroa tattoo (Feb 9th 2008). Players take the results from their best two weekends of competing out of the three to be put forward for the tallying. Prizes on offer - cash prizes on the day of competition for overall winners of each grade, tri-series prizes as follows - B -grade - set of Strathmore bagpipes, C-grade - Strathmore pipe chanter, D-grade – Strathmore special edition practice chanter, Novice - a full term’s tuition with the CNI Academy of Piping and Drumming. Overall prizes will be presented at the conclusion of the Paeroa solos contest.
As you can see a significant amount of organisation and funding has gone into preparing the series and the plan would be to continue the tri-series as an annual event. The points events are based on Piobaireachd, MSR playing - giving a strong emphasis on the core elements of solo piping. In the event of a tied points result (overall and daily) Piobaireachd preference is given.
Results from the Hamilton Garden Solos as follows
B Grade Piobaireachd
1st Andrew Broadbent (Paeroa) Sir James Macdonald of the Isles Lament
2nd Alistair Loan (Taupo) Corrienessan’s Salute
3rd James Nelson (PN) Lament for Alasdair Dearg
B Grade March Strathspey and Reel
1st Isaac Turner (Warkworth)
2nd James Nelson (PN)
3rd Jono MacColl (Te Awamutu)
B-Grade Overall winner - Andrew Broadbent (Piobaireachd preference)
C-Grade Piobaireachd (Ground and First Variation)
1st Donella May (Paraparaumu)
2nd George Stick (Christchurch)
3rd Sean Whyman (Warkworth)
C-Grade 2/4 March
1st Elise Norman (Waitoa)
2nd George Stick (Christchurch)
3rd Donella May (Paraparaumu)
C-Grade Strathspey and Reel
1st George Stick (Christchurch)
2nd Donella May (Paraparaumu)
3rd Elise Norman (Waitoa)
C-Grade Overall Winner George Stick
D-Grade Piobaireachd (Ground only)
1st Andrej Maroz (Auckland)
2nd Scott Miller (Hamilton)
D-Grade March
1st Scott Miller (Ham)
2nd Jason Kaan (Napier)
3rd Hayden Pullan (Ham)
D-grade Strathspey and Reel
1st Andrej Maroz (Auckland)
2nd Scott Miller (Ham)
3rd Hayden Pullan (Ham)
D-grade Overall Winner - Scott Miller
Novice March
1st Conor Hendry (Tauranga)
2nd Amanda Kirk (Tauranga)
3rd Marcel Van der Veeken (Auckland)
Novice Slow Air
1st Marcel Van der Veeken (Auckland)
2nd Conor Hendry (Tauranga)
3rd Amanda Kirk (Tauranga)
Novice overall winner - Conor Hendry
The Waikato Pipers club would like to thank all of the competitors for their efforts. The club was especially pleased to see competitors from out of the CNI catchment area to compete. Thanks also to the judges, Richard Hawke (B-grade) and Brian Switalla (C, D and Novice).
For all of those pipers intending to compete in Bonnie Scotland in 2008, applications for gradings close on 1 Dec 2007. Please contact the CPA Secretary, Tracey Williams at secretary@competingpipers.com. Click here to view the CPA web site.
Applications for a William Boyle foundation grant close on 28th February 2008. Details on what is required can be found on the CNP website by clicking here. The Foundation invites applications under two categories, A & B. Category A suits former winners of the William Boyle competition, but applicants from a wider catchment are expected. Category B suits seasoned and competent A Grade pipers who have a strong competition record and wish to expand their personal boundaries and goals in Scotland. See the CNP website for the details of the William Boyle foundation, including the under 21 competition and information about grants.
