Writ of Mainprize

This year we won the Grade 3 at the North American Pipeband Championship at the Glengarry Highland Games (in Maxville). We are the Toronto Police Pipe Band (TPPB) Grade 3 lead by Pipe Major Brian Urkosky. We are seen marching up to the line and then playing our medley: “At Long Last” (march), “Soenaidh’s Tune” (strathspey), “The Grey Bob” (reel), “The Mermaid” (slow air) , “Daniel Michael Coleman’s Father’s Fancy” (jig), “The Rock and the Wee Pickle Tow” (jig), and “Mark Sheridan’s Jig” and “Mark Sheridan” (hornpipe).

A beautiful hot day in Kincardine. The pipes held their tone well in the heat and we played well in the circle. We placed third in the March/Strathspey/Reel.

We returned to Alma this year for the annual two-day “Scotland, USA” open invitational highland games. The weather was absolutely beautiful and absolutely sweltering. We played a march/strathspey/reel set on Saturday and our Medley on Sunday. We didn’t win though. Oh well, maybe next time!

Lindsay was a new competition venue this year.  Despite the heat and dust, missing Drum Sergeant, and a replacement Bass drummer, we did quite well and came in a respectable second place.  This YouTube video has surprisingly good sound, which shows off the band quite well.

I’m off to the highland games in Georgetown. I’ve been playing with the Grade 3 Toronto Police Pipe Band for the past three year. This year, the band consists of a bunch of new members. For some, this is their first real Highland Games band competition. The weather looks good, and our set sounds good. Here’s to the beginning of a new competition season!
Update: We won! First place for Grade III. Woo-hoo! See us on