FINAL FLING OF THE YEAR AT PEEBLES CONTEST FOR TWEEDVALE PIPE BAND

Tweedvale Pipe Band’s contest season was brought to a close with a rendition of “The Beltane Song”, “O’er the Hills to Peebles” and “On St Ronan’s” as the band paraded along Peebles High Street at the end of the Peebles Highland Games, held in Hay Lodge Park last Sunday. On a dull and overcast day Tweedvale took part in the Grade 3 and Grade 2 pipe band contests, playing their medley selection on both occasions. Both runs were relatively good with the adjudicators offering positive comments on both performances. When the results were announced, Tweedvale Pipe Band had been placed 8^th in Grade 3 and 7^th in Grade 2. The Grade 3 contest was won by George Watson’s College Juvenile pipe band, whilst the Grade 2 contest was taken by Mauchline and District pipe band. Being the last contest of the year, Peebles is also the venue where the winners of the RSPBA Lothian & Borders Branch Champion of Champions titles are announced. This is a points based competition run over the six local contests for bands based in the Lothian & Borders area. Tweedvale Pipe Band was announced winners of the Grade 3 Champion of Champions titles for both band and drum corps. Not to be outdone by the band, Tweedvale’s Drum Major Andy Lyon also took the Champion of Champions title for Adult drum majors which meant the band had a trio of trophies to parade as they joined the procession of band marching down into Peebles from Hay Lodge Park.

Speaking about the results of the Peebles contest, Tweedvale’s Pipe Major Bruce Gillie said, “The band had a relatively successful day at Peebles. I thought both performances of our medley selection were reasonably good especially considering the weather. I’m also very pleased that the band and the drum corps lifted the RSPBA Lothian & Borders Branch Champion of Champions title in Grade 3 for the first time. Our first season in Grade 3 has been long and hard. We’ve had some high points and some low points but we’ve survived intact with a good idea of what we have to do to improve as a musical unit at this higher level of competition. I’d like to thank all the band members for their efforts over the season.”